University of Houston
HOUSTON, TX
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS
COLLEGE COUNCIL · ATLAS · US UNIVERSITIES

Houston vs Illinois Urbana-Champaign - US university comparison

University of Houston
HOUSTON
Houston, TX
World rank · ARWU#201-300
Acceptance73.92%
Median SAT1240
Graduation rate64.6%
Median earnings · 10 yrs$62K
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

University of Houston University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
#201-300 World rank · ARWU #55
- Rank · THE #46
73.92% Acceptance rate 42.37%
1240 Median SAT 1470
64.6% Graduation rate 85.1%
47,980 Enrollment 59,238

HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS

73.92% Acceptance rate 42.37%
26.5% Yield rate 28.8%
1240 Median SAT 1470
3.49 Avg. GPA -
31,716 Number of applications 73,742
5.7% Int'l students 14.9%
$62K Median earnings · 10 yrs $81K
$39K Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs $55K
$93K Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs $117K
64.6% Graduation rate 85.1%
87% Retention rate 94.8%
$18,194 Median debt $19,500
$27,926 Tuition · year $38,400
$16,450 Avg. aid package $23,217
55.1% % of need met 0.8%
$21,819 Avg. graduate debt $22,395
$75 Application fee $50
$4,456 Avg. int'l aid $5,836
At a glance
Illinois Urbana-Champaign leads in 7 of 11 measured metrics
% of need55.1% vs 0.8%
Acceptance73.92% vs 42.37%
Aid$16,450 vs $23,217

The verdict, from the data

The lower acceptance rate belongs to Illinois Urbana-Champaign: 42.4% against 73.9% (Houston).

The larger international cohort belongs to Illinois Urbana-Champaign: 14.9% of students against 5.7% (Houston).

On paper the cheaper option is Houston: $27,926 against $38,400, which is $10,474 less a year.

The higher median salary ten years after enrolment belongs to Illinois Urbana-Champaign: $81K against $62K.

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

Illinois Urbana-Champaign is the more selective of the two (42.37% vs 73.92% acceptance). Illinois Urbana-Champaign ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#201-300 vs #55). Illinois Urbana-Champaign graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($81K vs $62K). Houston has lower sticker-price tuition ($27,926 vs $38,400 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 Houston for: lower tuition, lower graduate debt.

Choose Illinois Urbana-Champaign for: a higher world ranking, higher selectivity, higher graduate earnings.

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

BY THE NUMBERS

Admissions

Illinois Urbana-Champaign is more selective (42.37% vs 73.92% acceptance); Illinois Urbana-Champaign has a higher median SAT (1470 vs 1240).

Graduate outcomes

Illinois Urbana-Champaign graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($81K vs $62K); Illinois Urbana-Champaign has a higher 6-year graduation rate (85.1% vs 64.6%).

Cost and aid

Houston has lower sticker-price tuition ($27,926 vs $38,400); Illinois Urbana-Champaign offers a larger average aid package ($23,217 vs $16,450).

VALUE LANDSCAPE

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

FULL DATA TABLE

Metric Houston Illinois Urbana-Champaign
World rank · ARWU#201-300#55
Rank · THE-#46
Acceptance rate73.92%42.37%
Yield rate26.5%28.8%
Median SAT12401470
Avg. GPA3.49-
Number of applications31,71673,742
International students5.7%14.9%
Median earnings · 10 yrs$62K$81K
Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs$39K$55K
Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs$93K$117K
Graduation rate64.6%85.1%
Retention rate87%94.8%
Median debt$18,194$19,500
Tuition · year$27,926$38,400
Avg. aid package$16,450$23,217
% of need met55.1%0.8%
Avg. graduate debt$21,819$22,395
Application fee$75$50
Enrollment47,98059,238

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

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

It's harder to get into Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Houston accepts 73.92% of applicants, while Illinois Urbana-Champaign accepts 42.37%.

Do Houston or Illinois Urbana-Champaign graduates earn more?

Illinois Urbana-Champaign graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $81K vs $62K.

How much is tuition at Houston vs Illinois Urbana-Champaign?

Sticker-price tuition is $27,926 per year at Houston and $38,400 per year at Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

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

The median admitted SAT score is 1240 at Houston and 1470 at Illinois Urbana-Champaign; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.

Which university ranks higher - Houston or Illinois Urbana-Champaign?

Illinois Urbana-Champaign ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #201-300 for Houston vs #55 for Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

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

The average aid package is $16,450 at Houston and $23,217 at Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Compare Houston with
Harvard Stanford Massachusetts Institute of Technology Princeton Yale Cornell Penn Johns Hopkins Washington University Northwestern
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.