Harvard vs Illinois Urbana-Champaign - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
The lower acceptance rate belongs to Harvard: 3.6% against 42.4% (Illinois Urbana-Champaign).
Real money goes to international students at Harvard ($81,046 on average), while Illinois Urbana-Champaign stops at $5,836.
The order of prices reverses once aid is counted: Harvard starts at $87,926 against $57,284 and ends at $13,539 against $34,067 (Illinois Urbana-Champaign).
Ten years on, graduates of Harvard earn noticeably more: $102K against $81K.
The indicators describe a university as a whole, and your own course can sit a long way from that average.
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
Harvard is the more selective of the two (3.65% vs 42.37% acceptance). Harvard ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#1 vs #55). Harvard graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($102K vs $81K). Illinois Urbana-Champaign has lower sticker-price tuition ($38,400 vs $64,796 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 Harvard for: a higher world ranking, higher selectivity, higher graduate earnings.
Choose Illinois Urbana-Champaign for: lower tuition.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Harvard is more selective (3.65% vs 42.37% acceptance); Harvard has a higher median SAT (1553 vs 1470).
Harvard graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($102K vs $81K); Harvard has a higher 6-year graduation rate (97.6% vs 85.1%).
Illinois Urbana-Champaign has lower sticker-price tuition ($38,400 vs $64,796); Harvard offers a larger average aid package ($74,387 vs $23,217).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Harvard | Illinois Urbana-Champaign |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #1 | #55 |
| Rank · THE | #3 | #46 |
| Acceptance rate | 3.65% | 42.37% |
| Yield rate | 83.6% | 28.8% |
| Median SAT | 1553 | 1470 |
| Avg. GPA | 4.21 | - |
| Number of applications | 54,008 | 73,742 |
| International students | 15.7% | 14.9% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $102K | $81K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $65K | $55K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $200K | $117K |
| Graduation rate | 97.6% | 85.1% |
| Retention rate | 98% | 94.8% |
| Median debt | $14,000 | $19,500 |
| Tuition · year | $64,796 | $38,400 |
| Avg. aid package | $74,387 | $23,217 |
| % of need met | 100% | 0.8% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $22,262 | $22,395 |
| Application fee | $85 | $50 |
| Enrollment | 21,189 | 59,238 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Harvard or Illinois Urbana-Champaign?
It's harder to get into Harvard. Harvard accepts 3.65% of applicants, while Illinois Urbana-Champaign accepts 42.37%.
Do Harvard or Illinois Urbana-Champaign graduates earn more?
Harvard graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $102K vs $81K.
How much is tuition at Harvard vs Illinois Urbana-Champaign?
Sticker-price tuition is $64,796 per year at Harvard and $38,400 per year at Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
What SAT score do you need for Harvard or Illinois Urbana-Champaign?
The median admitted SAT score is 1553 at Harvard and 1470 at Illinois Urbana-Champaign; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Harvard or Illinois Urbana-Champaign?
Harvard ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #1 for Harvard vs #55 for Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Which university offers more financial aid - Harvard or Illinois Urbana-Champaign?
The average aid package is $74,387 at Harvard and $23,217 at Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
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