Illinois Urbana-Champaign vs Boston College - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
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 (#55 vs #501-600). 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 Illinois Urbana-Champaign for: a higher world ranking, lower tuition, lower graduate debt.
Choose Boston College for: higher selectivity, higher graduate earnings, a higher graduation rate.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Boston College is more selective (16.19% vs 42.37% acceptance); Boston College has a higher median SAT (1500 vs 1470).
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%).
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
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Illinois Urbana-Champaign | Boston College |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #55 | #501-600 |
| Rank · THE | #46 | - |
| Acceptance rate | 42.37% | 16.19% |
| Yield rate | 28.8% | 42.5% |
| Median SAT | 1470 | 1500 |
| Avg. GPA | - | - |
| Number of applications | 73,742 | 34,779 |
| International students | 14.9% | 6.6% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $81K | $104K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $55K | $68K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $117K | $162K |
| Graduation rate | 85.1% | 90.8% |
| Retention rate | 94.8% | 96% |
| Median debt | $19,500 | $19,000 |
| Tuition · year | $38,400 | $73,508 |
| Avg. aid package | $23,217 | $61,753 |
| % of need met | 0.8% | 100% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $22,395 | $24,892 |
| Application fee | $50 | - |
| Enrollment | 59,238 | 14,726 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Illinois Urbana-Champaign or Boston College?
It's harder to get into Boston College. Illinois Urbana-Champaign accepts 42.37% of applicants, while Boston College accepts 16.19%.
Do Illinois Urbana-Champaign or Boston College graduates earn more?
Boston College graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $104K vs $81K.
How much is tuition at Illinois Urbana-Champaign vs Boston College?
Sticker-price tuition is $38,400 per year at Illinois Urbana-Champaign and $73,508 per year at Boston College.
What SAT score do you need for Illinois Urbana-Champaign or Boston College?
The median admitted SAT score is 1470 at Illinois Urbana-Champaign and 1500 at Boston College; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Illinois Urbana-Champaign or Boston College?
Illinois Urbana-Champaign ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #55 for Illinois Urbana-Champaign vs #501-600 for Boston College.
Which university offers more financial aid - Illinois Urbana-Champaign or Boston College?
The average aid package is $23,217 at Illinois Urbana-Champaign and $61,753 at Boston College.
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