Illinois vs. UT Austin

Should I go to University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign or The University of Texas at Austin? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Illinois or UT Austin is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign vs. The University of Texas at Austin comparison
University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign The University of Texas at Austin College 3 College 4
University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign The University of Texas at Austin
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Overview

Illinois UT Austin
Location Champaign, IL Austin, TX
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 56,916 52,384
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #106 #100
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinois.edu utexas.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Illinois UT Austin
Tuition (In State) $12,474 $11,698
Tuition (Out of State) $30,446 $41,070
Room & Board $12,720 $13,058
Avg Net Price $14,544 $17,434
Avg Grant Aid $16,552 $8,321
% Receiving Grant Aid 54% 86%

Admission

Illinois UT Austin
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 63,257 60,055
Admitted 28,354 18,830
Acceptance Rate 44.8% 31.4%
Enrolled % 28.1% 48.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.79 3.8
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low High
ACT Range 29/34 26/33
SAT Range 1320/1510 1230/1500
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 5, 2025 Dec 1, 2024

Academics

Illinois UT Austin
Student to Faculty Ratio 21:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (16%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Communication (13%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Biology (9%)

Outcomes

Illinois UT Austin
Graduation Rate 82% 81%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $66,500 $68,600
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $22,250
Median Loan Payment $211 $230

Diversity

Illinois UT Austin
% Men 54% 44%
% Women 46% 56%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 48% 44%
% Black 6% 4%
% Hispanic 10% 22%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 16% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

Illinois UT Austin
% In-State 71% 88%
% Out-of-State 11% 8%

Campus

Illinois UT Austin
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign is larger than than UT Austin based on total student enrollment (56,916 students vs. 52,384 students)

Illinois vs. UT Austin Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Illinois or UT Austin?

  • University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign is 6.6% more expensive to attend than UT Austin for in-state tuition ($12,474.00 vs. $11,698.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 34.9% higher at UT Austin than University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign ($41,070.00 vs. $30,446.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign than UT Austin ($14,544 vs. $17,434)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign are 2.7% lower than costs at The University of Texas at Austin ($12,720 vs. $13,058)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at The University of Texas at Austin than University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (86% vs. 54%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign students is 98.9% larger than aid received The University of Texas at Austin ($16,552 vs. $8,321)

Illinois vs. UT Austin Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Illinois or UT Austin? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UT Austin or Illinois .

  • The average SAT score at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (1305) is 8 points higher than at UT Austin (1297)
  • Incoming Illinois students have at the same average ACT score (29) as students at UT Austin (29)
  • Accepted freshman UT Austin students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.8) than students at Illinois (3.79)
  • Illinois has a higher acceptance rate (44.8%) than UT Austin (31.4%)

Illinois vs. UT Austin Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Illinois or UT Austin? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between UT Austin and Illinois.

  • The graduation rate at Illinois is higher than The University of Texas at Austin (82% vs. 81%)
  • Graduates from The University of Texas at Austin earn on average $2,100 more per year than Illinois graduates after ten years. ($68,600 vs. $66,500)
  • University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign students graduate with a $1,750 lower median federal student loan debt than UT Austin graduates. ($20,500 vs. $22,250)
  • Illinois graduates are paying $19 less per month on federal student loans than UT Austin graduates. ($211 vs. $230)
  • More Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UT Austin students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 77%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/