Illinois vs. WUSTL

Should I go to University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign or Washington University in St Louis? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Illinois or WUSTL 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. Washington University in St Louis comparison
University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign Washington University in St Louis College 3 College 4
University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign Washington University in St Louis
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Overview

 Illinois WUSTL
Location Champaign, IL Saint Louis, MO
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 56,916 17,012
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #106 #20
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinois.edu wustl.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Illinois WUSTL
Tuition (In State) $12,474 $59,420
Tuition (Out of State) $30,446 $59,420
Room & Board $12,720 $18,470
Avg Net Price $14,544 $23,432
Avg Grant Aid $16,552 $58,188
% Receiving Grant Aid 54% 43%

Admission

 Illinois WUSTL
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 63,257 32,014
Admitted 28,354 3,764
Acceptance Rate 44.8% 11.8%
Enrolled % 28.1% 48.2%
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 1320/1510 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, 2025 Jan 4, 2025

Academics

 Illinois WUSTL
Student to Faculty Ratio 21:1 7:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (16%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Biology (7%)

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 54% 47%
% Women 46% 53%
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 71% 12%
% Out-of-State 11% 77%

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 (56,916 students vs. 17,012 students)

Illinois vs. WUSTL Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Illinois or WUSTL ?

  • Washington University in St Louis is 376.4% more expensive to attend than Illinois for in-state tuition ($59,420.00 vs. $12,474.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 95.2% higher at WUSTL than University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign ($59,420.00 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 WUSTL ($14,544 vs. $23,432)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign are 45.2% lower than costs at Washington University in St Louis ($12,720 vs. $18,470)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign than Washington University in St Louis (54% vs. 43%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Washington University in St Louis students is 251.5% larger than aid received University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign ($58,188 vs. $16,552)

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 (44.8%) than WUSTL (11.8%)

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/