Illinois vs. Wisconsin

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

 Illinois Wisconsin
Location Champaign, IL Madison, WI
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 56,563 49,605
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #120 #110
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinois.edu wisc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Illinois Wisconsin
Tuition (In State) $12,712 $9,644
Tuition (Out of State) $31,208 $39,042
Room & Board $13,938 $13,500
Avg Net Price $14,297 $14,216
Avg Grant Aid $17,524 $11,350
% Receiving Grant Aid 48% 49%

Admission

 Illinois Wisconsin
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 67,398 63,505
Admitted 29,446 27,529
Acceptance Rate 43.7% 43.3%
Enrolled % 28.3% 28.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.79 3.88
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 29/34 28/32
SAT Range 1270/1510 1360/1510
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 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

 Illinois Wisconsin
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (16%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Business (10%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Communication (6%)

Outcomes

 Illinois Wisconsin
Graduation Rate 82% 82%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $66,500 $64,800
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $22,250
Median Loan Payment $211 $230

Diversity

 Illinois Wisconsin
% Men 21% 12%
% Women 16% 14%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 48% 76%
% Black 6% 2%
% Hispanic 10% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 16% 8%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

 Illinois Wisconsin
% In-State 73% 48%
% Out-of-State 12% 44%

Campus

 Illinois Wisconsin
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 Wisconsin based on total student enrollment (56,563 students vs. 49,605 students)

Illinois vs. Wisconsin Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Illinois or Wisconsin?

  • University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign is 31.8% more expensive to attend than Wisconsin for in-state tuition ($12,712.00 vs. $9,644.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 25.1% higher at Wisconsin than University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign ($39,042.00 vs. $31,208.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Wisconsin Madison than Illinois ($14,216 vs. $14,297)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Wisconsin Madison are 3.2% lower than costs at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign ($13,500 vs. $13,938)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Wisconsin Madison than University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (49% vs. 48%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign students is 54.4% larger than aid received University of Wisconsin Madison ($17,524 vs. $11,350)

Illinois vs. Wisconsin Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (1305) is 5 points higher than at Wisconsin (1300)
  • Incoming Illinois students have at the same average ACT score (29) as students at Wisconsin (29)
  • Accepted freshman Wisconsin 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 (43.7%) than Wisconsin (43.3%)

Illinois vs. Wisconsin Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Illinois is the same as at University of Wisconsin Madison (82% vs. 82%)
  • Graduates from University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign earn on average $1,700 more per year than Wisconsin graduates after ten years. ($66,500 vs. $64,800)
  • University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign students graduate with a $1,750 lower median federal student loan debt than Wisconsin graduates. ($20,500 vs. $22,250)
  • Illinois graduates are paying $19 less per month on federal student loans than Wisconsin graduates. ($211 vs. $230)
  • More Wisconsin graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Illinois students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 78%)

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