Illinois Urbana-Champaign vs Johns Hopkins - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
The lower acceptance rate belongs to Johns Hopkins: 6.4% against 42.4% (Illinois Urbana-Champaign).
Real money goes to international students at Johns Hopkins ($16,051 on average), while Illinois Urbana-Champaign stops at $5,836.
The one that looks dearer ends up cheaper: Johns Hopkins lists $89,539 against $57,284 (Illinois Urbana-Champaign), but after average aid what remains is $22,380 against $34,067.
70 points separate the SAT profiles: 1540 (Johns Hopkins) against 1470.
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
Johns Hopkins is the more selective of the two (6.44% vs 42.37% acceptance). Johns Hopkins ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#55 vs #17). Johns Hopkins graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($88K vs $81K). Illinois Urbana-Champaign has lower sticker-price tuition ($38,400 vs $67,170 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: lower tuition, lower graduate debt.
Choose Johns Hopkins 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
Johns Hopkins is more selective (6.44% vs 42.37% acceptance); Johns Hopkins has a higher median SAT (1540 vs 1470).
Johns Hopkins graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($88K vs $81K); Johns Hopkins has a higher 6-year graduation rate (93.8% vs 85.1%).
Illinois Urbana-Champaign has lower sticker-price tuition ($38,400 vs $67,170); Johns Hopkins offers a larger average aid package ($67,159 vs $23,217).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Illinois Urbana-Champaign | Johns Hopkins |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #55 | #17 |
| Rank · THE | #46 | #16 |
| Acceptance rate | 42.37% | 6.44% |
| Yield rate | 28.8% | 47% |
| Median SAT | 1470 | 1540 |
| Avg. GPA | - | 3.93 |
| Number of applications | 73,742 | 45,895 |
| International students | 14.9% | 15.2% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $81K | $88K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $55K | $65K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $117K | $135K |
| Graduation rate | 85.1% | 93.8% |
| Retention rate | 94.8% | 98.1% |
| Median debt | $19,500 | $10,250 |
| Tuition · year | $38,400 | $67,170 |
| Avg. aid package | $23,217 | $67,159 |
| % of need met | 0.8% | 99.5% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $22,395 | $30,803 |
| Application fee | $50 | $70 |
| Enrollment | 59,238 | 30,210 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Illinois Urbana-Champaign or Johns Hopkins?
It's harder to get into Johns Hopkins. Illinois Urbana-Champaign accepts 42.37% of applicants, while Johns Hopkins accepts 6.44%.
Do Illinois Urbana-Champaign or Johns Hopkins graduates earn more?
Johns Hopkins graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $88K vs $81K.
How much is tuition at Illinois Urbana-Champaign vs Johns Hopkins?
Sticker-price tuition is $38,400 per year at Illinois Urbana-Champaign and $67,170 per year at Johns Hopkins.
What SAT score do you need for Illinois Urbana-Champaign or Johns Hopkins?
The median admitted SAT score is 1470 at Illinois Urbana-Champaign and 1540 at Johns Hopkins; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Illinois Urbana-Champaign or Johns Hopkins?
Johns Hopkins ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #55 for Illinois Urbana-Champaign vs #17 for Johns Hopkins.
Which university offers more financial aid - Illinois Urbana-Champaign or Johns Hopkins?
The average aid package is $23,217 at Illinois Urbana-Champaign and $67,159 at Johns Hopkins.
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