Illinois vs. University of Missouri-Kansas City

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

Illinois University of Missouri-Kansas City
Location Champaign, IL Kansas City, MO
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 56,563 15,277
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #120 #281
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinois.edu umkc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Illinois University of Missouri-Kansas City
Tuition (In State) $12,712 $10,444
Tuition (Out of State) $31,208 $27,244
Room & Board $13,938 $12,118
Avg Net Price $14,297 $14,201
Avg Grant Aid $17,524 $10,130
% Receiving Grant Aid 48% 90%

Admission

Illinois University of Missouri-Kansas City
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 67,398 5,802
Admitted 29,446 4,351
Acceptance Rate 43.7% 75%
Enrolled % 28.3% 29.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.79 3.54
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 29/34 21/29
SAT Range 1270/1510 1150/1540
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, 2026 Jun 15, 2026

Academics

Illinois University of Missouri-Kansas City
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (16%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (12%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Education (8%)

Outcomes

Illinois University of Missouri-Kansas City
Graduation Rate 82% 41%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $66,500 $55,100
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 55%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $21,000
Median Loan Payment $211 $217

Diversity

Illinois University of Missouri-Kansas City
% Men 21% 15%
% Women 16% 19%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 48% 58%
% Black 6% 15%
% Hispanic 10% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 16% 4%
% Unknown Race 1% 4%

Students

Illinois University of Missouri-Kansas City
% In-State 73% 68%
% Out-of-State 12% 29%

Campus

Illinois University of Missouri-Kansas City
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 University of Missouri-Kansas City based on total student enrollment (56,563 students vs. 15,277 students)

Illinois vs. University of Missouri-Kansas City Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Illinois or University of Missouri-Kansas City?

  • University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign is 21.7% more expensive to attend than University of Missouri-Kansas City for in-state tuition ($12,712.00 vs. $10,444.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 14.5% higher at Illinois than University of Missouri Kansas City ($31,208.00 vs. $27,244.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Missouri Kansas City than Illinois ($14,201 vs. $14,297)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Missouri Kansas City are 15% lower than costs at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign ($12,118 vs. $13,938)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Missouri Kansas City than University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (90% vs. 48%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign students is 73% larger than aid received University of Missouri Kansas City ($17,524 vs. $10,130)

Illinois vs. University of Missouri-Kansas City Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (1305) is 175 points higher than at University of Missouri-Kansas City (1130)
  • Incoming Illinois students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at University of Missouri-Kansas City (25)
  • Accepted freshman Illinois students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.79) than students at University of Missouri-Kansas City (3.54)
  • University of Missouri-Kansas City has a higher acceptance rate (75%) than Illinois (43.7%)

Illinois vs. University of Missouri-Kansas City Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Illinois or University of Missouri-Kansas City? 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 University of Missouri-Kansas City and Illinois.

  • The graduation rate at Illinois is higher than University of Missouri Kansas City (82% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign earn on average $11,400 more per year than University of Missouri-Kansas City graduates after ten years. ($66,500 vs. $55,100)
  • University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign students graduate with a $500 lower median federal student loan debt than University of Missouri-Kansas City graduates. ($20,500 vs. $21,000)
  • Illinois graduates are paying $6 less per month on federal student loans than University of Missouri-Kansas City graduates. ($211 vs. $217)
  • More Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of Missouri-Kansas City students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 55%)

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