USF Main Campus vs. UIC

Should I go to University of South Florida Main Campus or University of Illinois at Chicago? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if USF Main Campus or UIC 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 South Florida Main Campus vs. University of Illinois at Chicago comparison
University of South Florida Main Campus University of Illinois at Chicago College 3 College 4
University of South Florida Main Campus University of Illinois at Chicago
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Overview

 USF Main Campus UIC
Location Tampa, FL Chicago, IL
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 48,572 33,522
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #413 #198
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website usf.edu uic.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 USF Main Campus UIC
Tuition (In State) $4,559 $11,178
Tuition (Out of State) $15,473 $26,200
Room & Board $13,595 $14,600
Avg Net Price $11,578 $11,499
Avg Grant Aid $10,012 $15,421
% Receiving Grant Aid 81% 72%

Admission

 USF Main Campus UIC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 65,187 25,420
Admitted 26,699 19,955
Acceptance Rate 41% 78.5%
Enrolled % 21.7% 23.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.64 3.41
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 24/29 25/32
SAT Range 1140/1330 1120/1340
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline May 1, 2026 Feb 1, 2026

Academics

 USF Main Campus UIC
Student to Faculty Ratio 22:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Engineering (9%)

Outcomes

 USF Main Campus UIC
Graduation Rate 52% 54%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,500 $61,900
Making Student Loan Payments 57% 68%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,147 $18,750
Median Loan Payment $197 $193

Diversity

 USF Main Campus UIC
% Men 9% 14%
% Women 14% 20%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 51% 34%
% Black 11% 8%
% Hispanic 21% 28%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 5% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 USF Main Campus UIC
% In-State 80% 89%
% Out-of-State 13% 4%

Campus

 USF Main Campus UIC
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of South Florida Main Campus is larger than than UIC based on total student enrollment (48,572 students vs. 33,522 students)

USF Main Campus vs. UIC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, USF Main Campus or UIC?

  • University of Illinois at Chicago is 145.2% more expensive to attend than USF Main Campus for in-state tuition ($11,178.00 vs. $4,559.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 69.3% higher at UIC than University of South Florida Main Campus ($26,200.00 vs. $15,473.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Illinois at Chicago than USF Main Campus ($11,499 vs. $11,578)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Florida Main Campus are 7.4% lower than costs at University of Illinois at Chicago ($13,595 vs. $14,600)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of South Florida Main Campus than University of Illinois at Chicago (81% vs. 72%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Illinois at Chicago students is 54% larger than aid received University of South Florida Main Campus ($15,421 vs. $10,012)

USF Main Campus vs. UIC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of South Florida Main Campus (1177) is 85 points higher than at UIC (1092)
  • Incoming USF Main Campus students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at UIC (24)
  • Accepted freshman USF Main Campus students have a 0.23 point higher average high school GPA (3.64) than students at UIC (3.41)
  • UIC has a higher acceptance rate (78.5%) than USF Main Campus (41%)

USF Main Campus vs. UIC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, USF Main Campus or UIC? 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 UIC and USF Main Campus.

  • The graduation rate at UIC is higher than University of South Florida Main Campus (54% vs. 52%)
  • Graduates from University of Illinois at Chicago earn on average $15,400 more per year than USF Main Campus graduates after ten years. ($61,900 vs. $46,500)
  • University of Illinois at Chicago students graduate with a $397 lower median federal student loan debt than USF Main Campus graduates. ($18,750 vs. $19,147)
  • UIC graduates are paying $4 less per month on federal student loans than USF Main Campus graduates. ($193 vs. $197)
  • More UIC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USF Main Campus students, three years after graduation. (68% vs. 57%)

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