Illinois Urbana-Champaign vs Brandeis - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
Real money goes to international students at Brandeis ($56,730 on average), while Illinois Urbana-Champaign stops at $5,836.
The tuition gap is $32,557 a year: $38,400 (Illinois Urbana-Champaign) against $70,957.
On SAT scores this is the same calibre of applicant: 1470 and 1460.
More than twice the application volume goes to Illinois Urbana-Champaign (73,742 against 10,462), which changes how any single file is read.
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
Brandeis is the more selective of the two (40.47% vs 42.37% acceptance). Illinois Urbana-Champaign ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#55 vs #301-400). Illinois Urbana-Champaign graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($81K vs $77K). Illinois Urbana-Champaign has lower sticker-price tuition ($38,400 vs $70,957 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, higher graduate earnings, higher retention.
Choose Brandeis for: higher selectivity, a higher graduation rate, a larger aid package.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Brandeis is more selective (40.47% vs 42.37% acceptance); Illinois Urbana-Champaign has a higher median SAT (1470 vs 1460).
Illinois Urbana-Champaign graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($81K vs $77K); Brandeis has a higher 6-year graduation rate (86% vs 85.1%).
Illinois Urbana-Champaign has lower sticker-price tuition ($38,400 vs $70,957); Brandeis offers a larger average aid package ($57,507 vs $23,217).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Illinois Urbana-Champaign | Brandeis |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #55 | #301-400 |
| Rank · THE | #46 | - |
| Acceptance rate | 42.37% | 40.47% |
| Yield rate | 28.8% | 17.5% |
| Median SAT | 1470 | 1460 |
| Avg. GPA | - | 3.90 |
| Number of applications | 73,742 | 10,462 |
| International students | 14.9% | 19.3% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $81K | $77K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $55K | $52K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $117K | $117K |
| Graduation rate | 85.1% | 86% |
| Retention rate | 94.8% | 87% |
| Median debt | $19,500 | $25,648 |
| Tuition · year | $38,400 | $70,957 |
| Avg. aid package | $23,217 | $57,507 |
| % of need met | 0.8% | 94.5% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $22,395 | $27,004 |
| Application fee | $50 | $80 |
| Enrollment | 59,238 | 5,205 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Illinois Urbana-Champaign or Brandeis?
It's harder to get into Brandeis. Illinois Urbana-Champaign accepts 42.37% of applicants, while Brandeis accepts 40.47%.
Do Illinois Urbana-Champaign or Brandeis graduates earn more?
Illinois Urbana-Champaign graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $81K vs $77K.
How much is tuition at Illinois Urbana-Champaign vs Brandeis?
Sticker-price tuition is $38,400 per year at Illinois Urbana-Champaign and $70,957 per year at Brandeis.
What SAT score do you need for Illinois Urbana-Champaign or Brandeis?
The median admitted SAT score is 1470 at Illinois Urbana-Champaign and 1460 at Brandeis; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Illinois Urbana-Champaign or Brandeis?
Illinois Urbana-Champaign ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #55 for Illinois Urbana-Champaign vs #301-400 for Brandeis.
Which university offers more financial aid - Illinois Urbana-Champaign or Brandeis?
The average aid package is $23,217 at Illinois Urbana-Champaign and $57,507 at Brandeis.
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