University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS
Iowa State University
AMES, IA
COLLEGE COUNCIL · ATLAS · US UNIVERSITIES

Illinois Urbana-Champaign vs Iowa State - US university comparison

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
Iowa State University
IOWA STATE
Ames, IA
World rank · ARWU#501-600
Acceptance88.66%
Median SAT1250
Graduation rate75.3%
Median earnings · 10 yrs$63K
🔒 UNDERGRADUATE 🔒 GRADUATE

KEY DATA

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Iowa State University
#55 World rank · ARWU #501-600
#46 Rank · THE -
42.37% Acceptance rate 88.66%
1470 Median SAT 1250
85.1% Graduation rate 75.3%
59,238 Enrollment 30,432

HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS

42.37% Acceptance rate 88.66%
28.8% Yield rate 28.8%
1470 Median SAT 1250
- Avg. GPA 3.75
73,742 Number of applications 23,095
14.9% Int'l students 3.7%
$81K Median earnings · 10 yrs $63K
$55K Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs $44K
$117K Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs $90K
85.1% Graduation rate 75.3%
94.8% Retention rate 87.6%
$19,500 Median debt $22,869
$38,400 Tuition · year $28,881
$23,217 Avg. aid package $15,665
0.8% % of need met 78%
$22,395 Avg. graduate debt $29,475
$50 Application fee $40
$5,836 Avg. int'l aid $12,582
At a glance
Illinois Urbana-Champaign leads in 8 of 11 measured metrics
% of need0.8% vs 78%
Acceptance42.37% vs 88.66%
Aid$23,217 vs $15,665

The verdict, from the data

The lower acceptance rate belongs to Illinois Urbana-Champaign: 42.4% against 88.7% (Iowa State).

The larger international cohort belongs to Illinois Urbana-Champaign: 14.9% of students against 3.7% (Iowa State).

The cheaper tuition belongs to Iowa State: $28,881 against $38,400, or $9,519 less a year.

The higher median salary ten years after enrolment belongs to Illinois Urbana-Champaign: $81K against $63K.

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

Illinois Urbana-Champaign is the more selective of the two (42.37% vs 88.66% acceptance). Illinois Urbana-Champaign ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#55 vs #501-600). Illinois Urbana-Champaign graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($81K vs $63K). Iowa State has lower sticker-price tuition ($28,881 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 selectivity, higher graduate earnings.

Choose Iowa State for: lower tuition.

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 88.66% acceptance); Illinois Urbana-Champaign has a higher median SAT (1470 vs 1250).

Graduate outcomes

Illinois Urbana-Champaign graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($81K vs $63K); Illinois Urbana-Champaign has a higher 6-year graduation rate (85.1% vs 75.3%).

Cost and aid

Iowa State has lower sticker-price tuition ($28,881 vs $38,400); Illinois Urbana-Champaign offers a larger average aid package ($23,217 vs $15,665).

VALUE LANDSCAPE

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

FULL DATA TABLE

Metric Illinois Urbana-Champaign Iowa State
World rank · ARWU#55#501-600
Rank · THE#46-
Acceptance rate42.37%88.66%
Yield rate28.8%28.8%
Median SAT14701250
Avg. GPA-3.75
Number of applications73,74223,095
International students14.9%3.7%
Median earnings · 10 yrs$81K$63K
Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs$55K$44K
Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs$117K$90K
Graduation rate85.1%75.3%
Retention rate94.8%87.6%
Median debt$19,500$22,869
Tuition · year$38,400$28,881
Avg. aid package$23,217$15,665
% of need met0.8%78%
Avg. graduate debt$22,395$29,475
Application fee$50$40
Enrollment59,23830,432

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

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

It's harder to get into Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Illinois Urbana-Champaign accepts 42.37% of applicants, while Iowa State accepts 88.66%.

Do Illinois Urbana-Champaign or Iowa State graduates earn more?

Illinois Urbana-Champaign graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $81K vs $63K.

How much is tuition at Illinois Urbana-Champaign vs Iowa State?

Sticker-price tuition is $38,400 per year at Illinois Urbana-Champaign and $28,881 per year at Iowa State.

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

The median admitted SAT score is 1470 at Illinois Urbana-Champaign and 1250 at Iowa State; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.

Which university ranks higher - Illinois Urbana-Champaign or Iowa State?

Illinois Urbana-Champaign ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #55 for Illinois Urbana-Champaign vs #501-600 for Iowa State.

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

The average aid package is $23,217 at Illinois Urbana-Champaign and $15,665 at Iowa State.

Compare Illinois Urbana-Champaign 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.