University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS
University of Wyoming
LARAMIE, WY
COLLEGE COUNCIL · ATLAS · US UNIVERSITIES

Illinois Urbana-Champaign vs Wyoming - 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
University of Wyoming
WYOMING
Laramie, WY
World rank · ARWU#701-800
Acceptance96.9%
Median SAT1140
Graduation rate58.8%
Median earnings · 10 yrs$57K
🔒 UNDERGRADUATE 🔒 GRADUATE

KEY DATA

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign University of Wyoming
#55 World rank · ARWU #701-800
#46 Rank · THE -
42.37% Acceptance rate 96.9%
1470 Median SAT 1140
85.1% Graduation rate 58.8%
59,238 Enrollment 10,813

HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS

42.37% Acceptance rate 96.9%
28.8% Yield rate 23.8%
1470 Median SAT 1140
- Avg. GPA 3.55
73,742 Number of applications 6,217
14.9% Int'l students 1.8%
$81K Median earnings · 10 yrs $57K
$55K Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs $37K
$117K Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs $81K
85.1% Graduation rate 58.8%
94.8% Retention rate 79%
$19,500 Median debt $18,000
$38,400 Tuition · year $25,015
$23,217 Avg. aid package $12,129
0.8% % of need met 57.6%
$22,395 Avg. graduate debt $24,921
$50 Application fee $40
$5,836 Avg. int'l aid $10,769
At a glance
Illinois Urbana-Champaign leads in 8 of 11 measured metrics
% of need0.8% vs 57.6%
Acceptance42.37% vs 96.9%
Aid$23,217 vs $12,129

The verdict, from the data

A place is harder to win where the bar sits higher: Illinois Urbana-Champaign admits 42.4%, Wyoming admits 96.9%.

The more international environment is at Illinois Urbana-Champaign (14.9% international students) than Wyoming (1.8%).

The cheaper tuition belongs to Wyoming: $25,015 against $38,400, or $13,385 less a year.

The higher median salary ten years after enrolment belongs to Illinois Urbana-Champaign: $81K against $57K.

These numbers describe the cohorts already enrolled, not your chances; treat them as a starting point rather than a forecast.

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 96.9% acceptance). Illinois Urbana-Champaign ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#55 vs #701-800). Illinois Urbana-Champaign graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($81K vs $57K). Wyoming has lower sticker-price tuition ($25,015 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 Wyoming 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 96.9% acceptance); Illinois Urbana-Champaign has a higher median SAT (1470 vs 1140).

Graduate outcomes

Illinois Urbana-Champaign graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($81K vs $57K); Illinois Urbana-Champaign has a higher 6-year graduation rate (85.1% vs 58.8%).

Cost and aid

Wyoming has lower sticker-price tuition ($25,015 vs $38,400); Illinois Urbana-Champaign offers a larger average aid package ($23,217 vs $12,129).

VALUE LANDSCAPE

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

FULL DATA TABLE

Metric Illinois Urbana-Champaign Wyoming
World rank · ARWU#55#701-800
Rank · THE#46-
Acceptance rate42.37%96.9%
Yield rate28.8%23.8%
Median SAT14701140
Avg. GPA-3.55
Number of applications73,7426,217
International students14.9%1.8%
Median earnings · 10 yrs$81K$57K
Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs$55K$37K
Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs$117K$81K
Graduation rate85.1%58.8%
Retention rate94.8%79%
Median debt$19,500$18,000
Tuition · year$38,400$25,015
Avg. aid package$23,217$12,129
% of need met0.8%57.6%
Avg. graduate debt$22,395$24,921
Application fee$50$40
Enrollment59,23810,813

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

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

It's harder to get into Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Illinois Urbana-Champaign accepts 42.37% of applicants, while Wyoming accepts 96.9%.

Do Illinois Urbana-Champaign or Wyoming graduates earn more?

Illinois Urbana-Champaign graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $81K vs $57K.

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

Sticker-price tuition is $38,400 per year at Illinois Urbana-Champaign and $25,015 per year at Wyoming.

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

The median admitted SAT score is 1470 at Illinois Urbana-Champaign and 1140 at Wyoming; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.

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

Illinois Urbana-Champaign ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #55 for Illinois Urbana-Champaign vs #701-800 for Wyoming.

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

The average aid package is $23,217 at Illinois Urbana-Champaign and $12,129 at Wyoming.

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.