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Wisconsin Vanderbilt Purdue ISU Emory Michigan Northwestern Georgia Tech Cornell Rice UT Austin UIC| University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign | Washington University in St Louis | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Illinois | WUSTL | ||
| Location | Champaign, IL | Saint Louis, MO | ||
| Setting | Small City | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 56,563 | 16,500 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #120 | #21 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | illinois.edu | wustl.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Illinois | WUSTL | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $12,712 | $61,750 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $31,208 | $61,750 | ||
| Room & Board | $13,938 | $20,778 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $14,297 | $22,440 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $17,524 | $61,036 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 48% | 48% |
Admission |
Illinois | WUSTL | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 67,398 | 32,240 | ||
| Admitted | 29,446 | 3,855 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 43.7% | 12% | ||
| Enrolled % | 28.3% | 47.4% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.79 | 3.92 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Exceptional | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | Very High | ||
| ACT Range | 29/34 | 33/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1270/1510 | 1500/1570 | ||
| 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 4, 2026 |
Academics |
Illinois | WUSTL | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 20:1 | 7:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Illinois | WUSTL | ||
| Graduation Rate | 82% | 93% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $66,500 | $82,800 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 78% | 88% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $20,500 | $19,900 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $211 | $205 |
Diversity |
Illinois | WUSTL | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 21% | 25% | ||
| % Women | 16% | 25% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 48% | 55% | ||
| % Black | 6% | 6% | ||
| % Hispanic | 10% | 7% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 4% | ||
| % International | 16% | 8% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 2% |
Students |
Illinois | WUSTL | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 73% | 12% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 12% | 76% | ||
Campus |
Illinois | WUSTL | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | Yes | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign is larger than than WUSTL based on total student enrollment (56,563 students vs. 16,500 students)
Illinois vs. WUSTL Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Illinois or WUSTL ?
- Washington University in St Louis is 385.8% more expensive to attend than Illinois for in-state tuition ($61,750.00 vs. $12,712.00)
- Out of state tuition is 97.9% higher at WUSTL than University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign ($61,750.00 vs. $31,208.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign than WUSTL ($14,297 vs. $22,440)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign are 49.1% lower than costs at Washington University in St Louis ($13,938 vs. $20,778)
- The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign as Washington University in St Louis (48% vs. 48%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Washington University in St Louis students is 248.3% larger than aid received University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign ($61,036 vs. $17,524)
Illinois vs. WUSTL Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Illinois or WUSTL ? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between WUSTL or Illinois .
- The average SAT score at Washington University in St Louis (1469) is 164 points higher than at Illinois (1305)
- Incoming WUSTL students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Illinois (29)
- Accepted freshman WUSTL students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.92) than students at Illinois (3.79)
- Illinois has a higher acceptance rate (43.7%) than WUSTL (12%)
Illinois vs. WUSTL Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Illinois or WUSTL ? 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 WUSTL and Illinois.
- The graduation rate at WUSTL is higher than University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (93% vs. 82%)
- Graduates from Washington University in St Louis earn on average $16,300 more per year than Illinois graduates after ten years. ($82,800 vs. $66,500)
- Washington University in St Louis students graduate with a $600 lower median federal student loan debt than Illinois graduates. ($19,900 vs. $20,500)
- WUSTL graduates are paying $6 less per month on federal student loans than Illinois graduates. ($205 vs. $211)
- More WUSTL graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Illinois students, three years after graduation. (88% vs. 78%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/