Illinois vs. UVA

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

 Illinois UVA
Location Champaign, IL Charlottesville, VA
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 56,916 26,082
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #106 #59
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinois.edu virginia.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Illinois UVA
Tuition (In State) $12,474 $16,980
Tuition (Out of State) $30,446 $51,870
Room & Board $12,720 $12,890
Avg Net Price $14,544 $19,469
Avg Grant Aid $16,552 $26,818
% Receiving Grant Aid 54% 34%

Admission

 Illinois UVA
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 63,257 50,926
Admitted 28,354 9,503
Acceptance Rate 44.8% 18.7%
Enrolled % 28.1% 42.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.79 3.85
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Elite
Applicant Competition Low Very High
ACT Range 29/34 32/34
SAT Range 1320/1510 1400/1540
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, 2025

Academics

 Illinois UVA
Student to Faculty Ratio 21:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (16%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

 Illinois UVA
Graduation Rate 82% 94%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $66,500 $77,200
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 86%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $211 $201

Diversity

 Illinois UVA
% Men 54% 45%
% Women 46% 55%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 48% 60%
% Black 6% 6%
% Hispanic 10% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 16% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 6%

Students

 Illinois UVA
% In-State 71% 62%
% Out-of-State 11% 33%

Campus

 Illinois UVA
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 UVA based on total student enrollment (56,916 students vs. 26,082 students)

Illinois vs. UVA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Illinois or UVA?

  • University of Virginia Main Campus is 36.1% more expensive to attend than Illinois for in-state tuition ($16,980.00 vs. $12,474.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 70.4% higher at UVA than University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign ($51,870.00 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 UVA ($14,544 vs. $19,469)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign are 1.3% lower than costs at University of Virginia Main Campus ($12,720 vs. $12,890)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign than University of Virginia Main Campus (54% vs. 34%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Virginia Main Campus students is 62% larger than aid received University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign ($26,818 vs. $16,552)

Illinois vs. UVA Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Virginia Main Campus (1364) is 59 points higher than at Illinois (1305)
  • Incoming UVA students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at Illinois (29)
  • Accepted freshman UVA students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.85) than students at Illinois (3.79)
  • Illinois has a higher acceptance rate (44.8%) than UVA (18.7%)

Illinois vs. UVA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at UVA is higher than University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (94% vs. 82%)
  • Graduates from University of Virginia Main Campus earn on average $10,700 more per year than Illinois graduates after ten years. ($77,200 vs. $66,500)
  • University of Virginia Main Campus students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Illinois graduates. ($19,500 vs. $20,500)
  • UVA graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than Illinois graduates. ($201 vs. $211)
  • More UVA graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Illinois students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 78%)

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