Kansas State University
MANHATTAN, KS
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS
COLLEGE COUNCIL · ATLAS · US UNIVERSITIES

Kansas State vs Illinois Urbana-Champaign - US university comparison

Kansas State University
KANSAS STATE
Manhattan, KS
World rank · ARWU#501-600
Acceptance82%
Median SAT1150
Graduation rate71.1%
Median earnings · 10 yrs$57K
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
🔒 UNDERGRADUATE 🔒 GRADUATE

KEY DATA

Kansas State University University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
#501-600 World rank · ARWU #55
- Rank · THE #46
82% Acceptance rate 42.37%
1150 Median SAT 1470
71.1% Graduation rate 85.1%
20,295 Enrollment 59,238

HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS

82% Acceptance rate 42.37%
27.5% Yield rate 28.8%
1150 Median SAT 1470
3.81 Avg. GPA -
15,432 Number of applications 73,742
1.7% Int'l students 14.9%
$57K Median earnings · 10 yrs $81K
$39K Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs $55K
$83K Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs $117K
71.1% Graduation rate 85.1%
85.6% Retention rate 94.8%
$21,250 Median debt $19,500
$28,568 Tuition · year $38,400
$15,968 Avg. aid package $23,217
77% % of need met 0.8%
$25,179 Avg. graduate debt $22,395
$40 Application fee $50
$5,729 Avg. int'l aid $5,836
At a glance
Illinois Urbana-Champaign leads in 9 of 11 measured metrics
% of need77% vs 0.8%
Acceptance82% vs 42.37%
Aid$15,968 vs $23,217

The verdict, from the data

A place is harder to win where the bar sits higher: Illinois Urbana-Champaign admits 42.4%, Kansas State admits 82%.

The share of international students differs sharply: 14.9% (Illinois Urbana-Champaign) against 1.7% (Kansas State).

The cheaper tuition belongs to Kansas State: $28,568 against $38,400, or $9,832 less a year.

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

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 82% acceptance). Illinois Urbana-Champaign ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#501-600 vs #55). Illinois Urbana-Champaign graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($81K vs $57K). Kansas State has lower sticker-price tuition ($28,568 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 Kansas State for: lower tuition.

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 82% acceptance); Illinois Urbana-Champaign has a higher median SAT (1470 vs 1150).

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 71.1%).

Cost and aid

Kansas State has lower sticker-price tuition ($28,568 vs $38,400); Illinois Urbana-Champaign offers a larger average aid package ($23,217 vs $15,968).

VALUE LANDSCAPE

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

FULL DATA TABLE

Metric Kansas State Illinois Urbana-Champaign
World rank · ARWU#501-600#55
Rank · THE-#46
Acceptance rate82%42.37%
Yield rate27.5%28.8%
Median SAT11501470
Avg. GPA3.81-
Number of applications15,43273,742
International students1.7%14.9%
Median earnings · 10 yrs$57K$81K
Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs$39K$55K
Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs$83K$117K
Graduation rate71.1%85.1%
Retention rate85.6%94.8%
Median debt$21,250$19,500
Tuition · year$28,568$38,400
Avg. aid package$15,968$23,217
% of need met77%0.8%
Avg. graduate debt$25,179$22,395
Application fee$40$50
Enrollment20,29559,238

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

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

It's harder to get into Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Kansas State accepts 82% of applicants, while Illinois Urbana-Champaign accepts 42.37%.

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

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

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

Sticker-price tuition is $28,568 per year at Kansas State and $38,400 per year at Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

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

The median admitted SAT score is 1150 at Kansas State and 1470 at Illinois Urbana-Champaign; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.

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

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

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

The average aid package is $15,968 at Kansas State and $23,217 at Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Compare Kansas State with
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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.