University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS
Temple University
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA
COLLEGE COUNCIL · ATLAS · US UNIVERSITIES

Illinois Urbana-Champaign vs Temple - 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
Temple University
TEMPLE
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
World rank · ARWU#401-500
Acceptance80.45%
Median SAT1250
Graduation rate75%
Median earnings · 10 yrs$64K
🔒 UNDERGRADUATE 🔒 GRADUATE

KEY DATA

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Temple University
#55 World rank · ARWU #401-500
#46 Rank · THE -
42.37% Acceptance rate 80.45%
1470 Median SAT 1250
85.1% Graduation rate 75%
59,238 Enrollment 29,637

HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS

42.37% Acceptance rate 80.45%
28.8% Yield rate 15%
1470 Median SAT 1250
- Avg. GPA 3.42
73,742 Number of applications 40,817
14.9% Int'l students 4.4%
$81K Median earnings · 10 yrs $64K
$55K Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs $41K
$117K Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs $92K
85.1% Graduation rate 75%
94.8% Retention rate 83%
$19,500 Median debt $24,395
$38,400 Tuition · year $40,144
$23,217 Avg. aid package $17,833
0.8% % of need met 60.5%
$22,395 Avg. graduate debt $41,808
$50 Application fee $55
$5,836 Avg. int'l aid $16,607
At a glance
Illinois Urbana-Champaign leads in 10 of 11 measured metrics
% of need0.8% vs 60.5%
Yield28.8% vs 15%
Acceptance42.37% vs 80.45%

The verdict, from the data

Illinois Urbana-Champaign admits 42.4% of applicants, while Temple admits 80.5%.

The share of international students differs sharply: 14.9% (Illinois Urbana-Champaign) against 4.4% (Temple).

Average aid for an international student is $16,607 (Temple) and $5,836 (Illinois Urbana-Champaign).

The gap in median earnings after a decade favours Illinois Urbana-Champaign: $81K against $64K.

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 80.45% 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 $64K). Illinois Urbana-Champaign has lower sticker-price tuition ($38,400 vs $40,144 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.

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 80.45% 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 $64K); Illinois Urbana-Champaign has a higher 6-year graduation rate (85.1% vs 75%).

Cost and aid

Illinois Urbana-Champaign has lower sticker-price tuition ($38,400 vs $40,144); Illinois Urbana-Champaign offers a larger average aid package ($23,217 vs $17,833).

VALUE LANDSCAPE

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

FULL DATA TABLE

Metric Illinois Urbana-Champaign Temple
World rank · ARWU#55#401-500
Rank · THE#46-
Acceptance rate42.37%80.45%
Yield rate28.8%15%
Median SAT14701250
Avg. GPA-3.42
Number of applications73,74240,817
International students14.9%4.4%
Median earnings · 10 yrs$81K$64K
Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs$55K$41K
Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs$117K$92K
Graduation rate85.1%75%
Retention rate94.8%83%
Median debt$19,500$24,395
Tuition · year$38,400$40,144
Avg. aid package$23,217$17,833
% of need met0.8%60.5%
Avg. graduate debt$22,395$41,808
Application fee$50$55
Enrollment59,23829,637

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

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

It's harder to get into Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Illinois Urbana-Champaign accepts 42.37% of applicants, while Temple accepts 80.45%.

Do Illinois Urbana-Champaign or Temple graduates earn more?

Illinois Urbana-Champaign graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $81K vs $64K.

How much is tuition at Illinois Urbana-Champaign vs Temple?

Sticker-price tuition is $38,400 per year at Illinois Urbana-Champaign and $40,144 per year at Temple.

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

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

Which university ranks higher - Illinois Urbana-Champaign or Temple?

Illinois Urbana-Champaign ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #55 for Illinois Urbana-Champaign vs #401-500 for Temple.

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

The average aid package is $23,217 at Illinois Urbana-Champaign and $17,833 at Temple.

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.