Illinois vs. Pitt

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

 Illinois Pitt
Location Champaign, IL Pittsburgh, PA
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 56,916 33,767
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #106 #128
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinois.edu pitt.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Illinois Pitt
Tuition (In State) $12,474 $19,760
Tuition (Out of State) $30,446 $36,000
Room & Board $12,720 $12,360
Avg Net Price $14,544 $24,286
Avg Grant Aid $16,552 $10,919
% Receiving Grant Aid 54% 85%

Admission

 Illinois Pitt
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 63,257 53,072
Admitted 28,354 26,079
Acceptance Rate 44.8% 49.1%
Enrolled % 28.1% 16.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.79 3.79
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 29/34 29/33
SAT Range 1320/1510 1280/1470
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

Academics

 Illinois Pitt
Student to Faculty Ratio 21:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (16%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Engineering (9%)

Outcomes

 Illinois Pitt
Graduation Rate 82% 79%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $66,500 $58,000
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $26,909
Median Loan Payment $211 $278

Diversity

 Illinois Pitt
% Men 54% 42%
% Women 46% 58%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 48% 74%
% Black 6% 5%
% Hispanic 10% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 16% 4%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 Illinois Pitt
% In-State 71% 54%
% Out-of-State 11% 40%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign is larger than than Pitt based on total student enrollment (56,916 students vs. 33,767 students)

Illinois vs. Pitt Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Illinois or Pitt?

  • University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus is 58.4% more expensive to attend than Illinois for in-state tuition ($19,760.00 vs. $12,474.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 18.2% higher at Pitt than University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign ($36,000.00 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 Pitt ($14,544 vs. $24,286)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus are 2.9% lower than costs at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign ($12,360 vs. $12,720)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus than University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (85% vs. 54%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign students is 51.6% larger than aid received University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus ($16,552 vs. $10,919)

Illinois vs. Pitt Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (1305) is 33 points higher than at Pitt (1272)
  • Incoming Illinois students have at the same average ACT score (29) as students at Pitt (29)
  • Accepted freshman Illinois students have at the same average high school GPA (3.79) as students at Pitt (3.79)
  • Pitt has a higher acceptance rate (49.1%) than Illinois (44.8%)

Illinois vs. Pitt Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Illinois is higher than University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus (82% vs. 79%)
  • Graduates from University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign earn on average $8,500 more per year than Pitt graduates after ten years. ($66,500 vs. $58,000)
  • University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign students graduate with a $6,409 lower median federal student loan debt than Pitt graduates. ($20,500 vs. $26,909)
  • Illinois graduates are paying $67 less per month on federal student loans than Pitt graduates. ($211 vs. $278)
  • More Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Pitt students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 75%)

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