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 56,916 48,956
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #106 #105
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinois.edu wisc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Illinois Wisconsin
Tuition (In State) $12,474 $9,273
Tuition (Out of State) $30,446 $37,904
Room & Board $12,720 $12,894
Avg Net Price $14,544 $13,376
Avg Grant Aid $16,552 $11,171
% Receiving Grant Aid 54% 47%

Admission

Illinois Wisconsin
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 63,257 60,214
Admitted 28,354 29,539
Acceptance Rate 44.8% 49.1%
Enrolled % 28.1% 29.2%
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 26/32
SAT Range 1320/1510 1340/1510
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, 2025 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

Illinois Wisconsin
Student to Faculty Ratio 21:1 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 54% 47%
% Women 46% 53%
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 71% 43%
% Out-of-State 11% 47%

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 (56,916 students vs. 48,956 students)

Illinois vs. Wisconsin Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Illinois or Wisconsin?

  • University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign is 34.5% more expensive to attend than Wisconsin for in-state tuition ($12,474.00 vs. $9,273.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 24.5% higher at Wisconsin than University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign ($37,904.00 vs. $30,446.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Wisconsin Madison than Illinois ($13,376 vs. $14,544)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign are 1.4% lower than costs at University of Wisconsin Madison ($12,720 vs. $12,894)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign than University of Wisconsin Madison (54% vs. 47%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign students is 48.2% larger than aid received University of Wisconsin Madison ($16,552 vs. $11,171)

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)
  • Wisconsin has a higher acceptance rate (49.1%) than Illinois (44.8%)

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/