Boston College
CHESTNUT HILL, MA
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS
COLLEGE COUNCIL · ATLAS · US UNIVERSITIES

Boston College vs Illinois Urbana-Champaign - US university comparison

Boston College
BOSTON COLLEGE
Chestnut Hill, MA
World rank · ARWU#501-600
Acceptance16.19%
Median SAT1500
Graduation rate90.8%
Median earnings · 10 yrs$104K
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
ILLINOIS URBANA-CHAMPAIGN
Champaign, Illinois
World rank · ARWU#55
Acceptance42.37%
Median SAT1470
Graduation rate85.1%
Median earnings · 10 yrs$81K
🔒 UNDERGRADUATE 🔒 GRADUATE

KEY DATA

Boston College University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
#501-600 World rank · ARWU #55
- Rank · THE #46
16.19% Acceptance rate 42.37%
1500 Median SAT 1470
90.8% Graduation rate 85.1%
14,726 Enrollment 59,238

HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS

16.19% Acceptance rate 42.37%
42.5% Yield rate 28.8%
1500 Median SAT 1470
- Avg. GPA -
34,779 Number of applications 73,742
6.6% Int'l students 14.9%
$104K Median earnings · 10 yrs $81K
$68K Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs $55K
$162K Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs $117K
90.8% Graduation rate 85.1%
96% Retention rate 94.8%
$19,000 Median debt $19,500
$73,508 Tuition · year $38,400
$61,753 Avg. aid package $23,217
100% % of need met 0.8%
$24,892 Avg. graduate debt $22,395
- Application fee $50
$39,634 Avg. int'l aid $5,836
At a glance
Boston College leads in 9 of 11 measured metrics
% of need100% vs 0.8%
Aid$61,753 vs $23,217
Acceptance16.19% vs 42.37%

The verdict, from the data

A place is harder to win where the bar sits higher: Boston College admits 16.2%, Illinois Urbana-Champaign admits 42.4%.

The larger international cohort belongs to Illinois Urbana-Champaign: 14.9% of students against 6.6% (Boston College).

Average aid for an international student is $39,634 (Boston College) and $5,836 (Illinois Urbana-Champaign).

The tuition gap is $35,108 a year: $38,400 (Illinois Urbana-Champaign) against $73,508.

None of these figures decides on its own; what decides is which course you want to be on, and on what budget.

Every sentence above comes from a field we hold in canonical. Where the data is missing, or the gap is small enough to be noise, the sentence simply does not appear.

EXPERT TAKE

Boston College is the more selective of the two (16.19% vs 42.37% acceptance). Illinois Urbana-Champaign ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#501-600 vs #55). Boston College graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($104K vs $81K). Illinois Urbana-Champaign has lower sticker-price tuition ($38,400 vs $73,508 per year).

Both universities have complete, comparable data in canonical - the choice should come down to fit (campus culture, major, aid package) alongside the differences visible in the numbers below.

Choose Boston College for: higher selectivity, higher graduate earnings, a higher graduation rate.

Choose Illinois Urbana-Champaign for: a higher world ranking, lower tuition, lower graduate debt.

College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.

BY THE NUMBERS

Admissions

Boston College is more selective (16.19% vs 42.37% acceptance); Boston College has a higher median SAT (1500 vs 1470).

Graduate outcomes

Boston College graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($104K vs $81K); Boston College has a higher 6-year graduation rate (90.8% vs 85.1%).

Cost and aid

Illinois Urbana-Champaign has lower sticker-price tuition ($38,400 vs $73,508); Boston College offers a larger average aid package ($61,753 vs $23,217).

VALUE LANDSCAPE

$35k$76k$117k$158k$11k$35k$59k$83kBoston CollegeIllinois Urbana-Champaign TUITION · YEAR → MEDIAN EARNINGS · 10 YRS →
Each dot is a comparable US university; Boston College and Illinois Urbana-Champaign highlighted. Up and to the left = better value ratio.

FULL DATA TABLE

Metric Boston College Illinois Urbana-Champaign
World rank · ARWU#501-600#55
Rank · THE-#46
Acceptance rate16.19%42.37%
Yield rate42.5%28.8%
Median SAT15001470
Avg. GPA--
Number of applications34,77973,742
International students6.6%14.9%
Median earnings · 10 yrs$104K$81K
Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs$68K$55K
Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs$162K$117K
Graduation rate90.8%85.1%
Retention rate96%94.8%
Median debt$19,000$19,500
Tuition · year$73,508$38,400
Avg. aid package$61,753$23,217
% of need met100%0.8%
Avg. graduate debt$24,892$22,395
Application fee-$50
Enrollment14,72659,238

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Is it harder to get into Boston College or Illinois Urbana-Champaign?

It's harder to get into Boston College. Boston College accepts 16.19% of applicants, while Illinois Urbana-Champaign accepts 42.37%.

Do Boston College or Illinois Urbana-Champaign graduates earn more?

Boston College graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $104K vs $81K.

How much is tuition at Boston College vs Illinois Urbana-Champaign?

Sticker-price tuition is $73,508 per year at Boston College and $38,400 per year at Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

What SAT score do you need for Boston College or Illinois Urbana-Champaign?

The median admitted SAT score is 1500 at Boston College and 1470 at Illinois Urbana-Champaign; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.

Which university ranks higher - Boston College or Illinois Urbana-Champaign?

Illinois Urbana-Champaign ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #501-600 for Boston College vs #55 for Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Which university offers more financial aid - Boston College or Illinois Urbana-Champaign?

The average aid package is $61,753 at Boston College and $23,217 at Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Compare Boston College with
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Highest-ranked in ARWU. Click "↻ Change university" in the cards above to choose from all 47 universities (+35).
All metrics come 100% from College Council Atlas (canonical) - admissions, SAT, GPA, graduate outcomes, financial aid and costs from IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25; rankings from ARWU 2024 and THE 2025. Zero manual fields. "-" = not yet in canonical.