Illinois vs. UT Austin

Deciding between University of Illinois Urbana Champaign and The University of Texas at Austin? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

University of Illinois Urbana Champaign
The University of Texas at Austin

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Illinois Champaign, IL
  • UT Austin Austin, TX
  • Setting
  • Illinois Small City
  • UT Austin Large City
  • Total enrollment
  • Illinois 59,238
  • UT Austin 53,864
  • Type
  • Illinois Public 4 Year
  • UT Austin Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Illinois #117
  • UT Austin #105
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Illinois -
  • UT Austin -
  • Status
  • Illinois Non-profit
  • UT Austin Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Illinois
  • UT Austin

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Illinois $16,004
  • UT Austin $11,688
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Illinois $35,124
  • UT Austin $44,908
  • Room & Board
  • Illinois $14,522
  • UT Austin $14,828
  • Average Net Price
  • Illinois $13,973
  • UT Austin $17,942
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Illinois $19,299
  • UT Austin $13,681
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Illinois 52%
  • UT Austin 42%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Illinois 73,742
  • UT Austin 72,885
  • Admitted
  • Illinois 31,247
  • UT Austin 19,417
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Illinois 42.4%
  • UT Austin 26.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Illinois 28.8%
  • UT Austin 47.4%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Illinois 1420
  • UT Austin 1380
  • Typical ACT score
  • Illinois 32
  • UT Austin 30
  • Average High School GPA
  • Illinois 3.79
  • UT Austin 3.8
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Illinois A-
  • UT Austin A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • Illinois Exceptional
  • UT Austin Exceptional
  • Applicant Competition
  • Illinois Low
  • UT Austin High
  • ACT Range
  • Illinois 30/34
  • UT Austin 27/33
  • SAT Range
  • Illinois 1310/1520
  • UT Austin 1250/1510
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Illinois Test optional
  • UT Austin Required
  • Application Deadline
  • Illinois Jan 5, 2027
  • UT Austin Dec 1, 2026

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Illinois 20:1
  • UT Austin 18:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Illinois
    • Engineering (16%)
    • Business (13%)
    • Social Sciences (10%)
    • Communication (8%)
    • Psychology (7%)
  • UT Austin
    • Social Sciences (13%)
    • Communication (13%)
    • Business (12%)
    • Engineering (11%)
    • Biology (9%)

  • Outcomes

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

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Illinois 54%
  • UT Austin 44%
  • % Women
  • Illinois 46%
  • UT Austin 56%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Illinois High
  • UT Austin Very High
  • HBCU
  • Illinois No
  • UT Austin No
  • % White
  • Illinois 48%
  • UT Austin 44%
  • % Asian
  • Illinois 17%
  • UT Austin 20%
  • % Black
  • Illinois 6%
  • UT Austin 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • Illinois 10%
  • UT Austin 22%
  • % Native American
  • Illinois 0%
  • UT Austin 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Illinois 0%
  • UT Austin 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Illinois 3%
  • UT Austin 4%
  • % International
  • Illinois 16%
  • UT Austin 5%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Illinois 1%
  • UT Austin 1%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Illinois 71%
  • UT Austin 87%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Illinois 14%
  • UT Austin 8%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare University of Illinois Urbana Champaign in Champaign, IL with The University of Texas at Austin in Austin, TX on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

University of Illinois Urbana Champaign is larger than UT Austin based on total student enrollment (59,238 students vs. 53,864 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • University of Illinois Urbana Champaign is located in Champaign, IL (Small City setting); The University of Texas at Austin is in Austin, TX (Large City setting).
  • University of Illinois Urbana Champaign is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. The University of Texas at Austin is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: University of Illinois Urbana Champaign 20:1; The University of Texas at Austin 18:1.

Illinois vs. UT Austin Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Illinois or UT Austin? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Illinois Urbana Champaign than UT Austin ($13,973 vs. $17,942).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Illinois Urbana Champaign are 2.1% lower than at The University of Texas at Austin ($14,522 vs. $14,828).
  • University of Illinois Urbana Champaign is 36.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than UT Austin (about $4,316 more per year; $16,004.00 vs. $11,688.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 27.9% higher at UT Austin than at University of Illinois Urbana Champaign (about $9,784 more per year; $44,908.00 vs. $35,124.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of Illinois Urbana Champaign than at The University of Texas at Austin (52% vs. 42%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Illinois Urbana Champaign students is 41.1% larger than aid received by The University of Texas at Austin students ($19,299 vs. $13,681).

Illinois vs. UT Austin Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Illinois or UT Austin? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between UT Austin and Illinois.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at University of Illinois Urbana Champaign (1420) is 40 points higher than at UT Austin (1380).
  • Incoming Illinois students have a 2 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (32 vs. 30 at UT Austin).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of Illinois Urbana Champaign 1310/1520; The University of Texas at Austin 1250/1510.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of Illinois Urbana Champaign 30/34; The University of Texas at Austin 27/33.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Illinois - Test optional; UT Austin - Required.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Illinois Jan 5, 2027; UT Austin Dec 1, 2026.
  • 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 (42.4%) than UT Austin (26.6%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 28.8% at Illinois vs. 47.4% at UT Austin.

Illinois vs. UT Austin Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Illinois and UT Austin? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • University of Illinois Urbana Champaign's six-year graduation rate (82%) is higher than The University of Texas at Austin's (81%).
  • Graduates from The University of Texas at Austin earn a median of about $2,100 more per year than Illinois graduates about ten years after starting college ($68,600 vs. $66,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign graduates have a $1,750 lower median loan debt than UT Austin graduates ($20,500 vs. $22,250).
  • Among borrowers, Illinois graduates have an estimated $19 lower median monthly federal student loan payment 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/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.