Illinois vs. Michigan

Should I go to University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign or University of Michigan? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Illinois or Michigan 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. University of Michigan comparison
University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign University of Michigan College 3 College 4
University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign University of Michigan
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Overview

 Illinois Michigan
Location Champaign, IL Ann Arbor, MI
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 56,916 51,225
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #106 #50
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinois.edu umich.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Illinois Michigan
Tuition (In State) $12,474 $16,404
Tuition (Out of State) $30,446 $55,002
Room & Board $12,720 $13,171
Avg Net Price $14,544 $19,318
Avg Grant Aid $16,552 $15,121
% Receiving Grant Aid 54% 67%

Admission

 Illinois Michigan
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 63,257 84,289
Admitted 28,354 14,914
Acceptance Rate 44.8% 17.7%
Enrolled % 28.1% 47.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.79 3.88
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Very High
ACT Range 29/34 31/34
SAT Range 1320/1510 1350/1530
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 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

 Illinois Michigan
Student to Faculty Ratio 21:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (16%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Engineering (15%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

 Illinois Michigan
Graduation Rate 82% 90%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $66,500 $74,400
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $20,103
Median Loan Payment $211 $207

Diversity

 Illinois Michigan
% Men 54% 48%
% Women 46% 52%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 48% 62%
% Black 6% 4%
% Hispanic 10% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 16% 7%
% Unknown Race 1% 6%

Students

 Illinois Michigan
% In-State 71% 51%
% Out-of-State 11% 44%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign is larger than than Michigan based on total student enrollment (56,916 students vs. 51,225 students)

Illinois vs. Michigan Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Illinois or Michigan?

  • University of Michigan is 31.5% more expensive to attend than Illinois for in-state tuition ($16,404.00 vs. $12,474.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 80.7% higher at Michigan than University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign ($55,002.00 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 Michigan ($14,544 vs. $19,318)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign are 3.5% lower than costs at University of Michigan ($12,720 vs. $13,171)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Michigan than University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (67% vs. 54%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign students is 9.5% larger than aid received University of Michigan ($16,552 vs. $15,121)

Illinois vs. Michigan Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Michigan (1384) is 79 points higher than at Illinois (1305)
  • Incoming Michigan students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at Illinois (29)
  • Accepted freshman Michigan students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.88) than students at Illinois (3.79)
  • Illinois has a higher acceptance rate (44.8%) than Michigan (17.7%)

Illinois vs. Michigan Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Illinois or Michigan? 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 Michigan and Illinois.

  • The graduation rate at Michigan is higher than University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (90% vs. 82%)
  • Graduates from University of Michigan earn on average $7,900 more per year than Illinois graduates after ten years. ($74,400 vs. $66,500)
  • University of Michigan students graduate with a $397 lower median federal student loan debt than Illinois graduates. ($20,103 vs. $20,500)
  • Michigan graduates are paying $4 less per month on federal student loans than Illinois graduates. ($207 vs. $211)
  • More Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Michigan students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 78%)

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