Illinois Urbana-Champaign vs Georgia - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
The larger international cohort belongs to Illinois Urbana-Champaign: 14.9% of students against 1.1% (Georgia).
If you are applying from outside the US, budget without institutional support where there is none: only Illinois Urbana-Champaign reports aid for international students ($5,836 on average), Georgia does not.
The tuition gap is $6,722 a year: $31,678 (Georgia) against $38,400.
The higher median salary ten years after enrolment belongs to Illinois Urbana-Champaign: $81K against $69K.
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
Georgia is the more selective of the two (37.92% vs 42.37% acceptance). Illinois Urbana-Champaign ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#55 vs #401-500). Illinois Urbana-Champaign graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($81K vs $69K). Georgia has lower sticker-price tuition ($31,678 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 Illinois Urbana-Champaign for: a higher world ranking, higher graduate earnings, higher retention.
Choose Georgia for: higher selectivity, a higher graduation rate, lower tuition.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Georgia is more selective (37.92% vs 42.37% acceptance); Illinois Urbana-Champaign has a higher median SAT (1470 vs 1300).
Illinois Urbana-Champaign graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($81K vs $69K); Georgia has a higher 6-year graduation rate (89.7% vs 85.1%).
Georgia has lower sticker-price tuition ($31,678 vs $38,400); Illinois Urbana-Champaign offers a larger average aid package ($23,217 vs $15,348).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Illinois Urbana-Champaign | Georgia |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #55 | #401-500 |
| Rank · THE | #46 | - |
| Acceptance rate | 42.37% | 37.92% |
| Yield rate | 28.8% | 38.3% |
| Median SAT | 1470 | 1300 |
| Avg. GPA | - | 4.15 |
| Number of applications | 73,742 | 42,436 |
| International students | 14.9% | 1.1% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $81K | $69K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $55K | $45K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $117K | $102K |
| Graduation rate | 85.1% | 89.7% |
| Retention rate | 94.8% | 94.3% |
| Median debt | $19,500 | $18,500 |
| Tuition · year | $38,400 | $31,678 |
| Avg. aid package | $23,217 | $15,348 |
| % of need met | 0.8% | 73.2% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $22,395 | $20,890 |
| Application fee | $50 | $70 |
| Enrollment | 59,238 | 43,146 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Illinois Urbana-Champaign or Georgia?
It's harder to get into Georgia. Illinois Urbana-Champaign accepts 42.37% of applicants, while Georgia accepts 37.92%.
Do Illinois Urbana-Champaign or Georgia graduates earn more?
Illinois Urbana-Champaign graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $81K vs $69K.
How much is tuition at Illinois Urbana-Champaign vs Georgia?
Sticker-price tuition is $38,400 per year at Illinois Urbana-Champaign and $31,678 per year at Georgia.
What SAT score do you need for Illinois Urbana-Champaign or Georgia?
The median admitted SAT score is 1470 at Illinois Urbana-Champaign and 1300 at Georgia; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Illinois Urbana-Champaign or Georgia?
Illinois Urbana-Champaign ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #55 for Illinois Urbana-Champaign vs #401-500 for Georgia.
Which university offers more financial aid - Illinois Urbana-Champaign or Georgia?
The average aid package is $23,217 at Illinois Urbana-Champaign and $15,348 at Georgia.
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