Northeastern vs Illinois Urbana-Champaign - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
Northeastern admits 5.2% of applicants, while Illinois Urbana-Champaign admits 42.4%.
Real money goes to international students at Northeastern ($24,539 on average), while Illinois Urbana-Champaign stops at $5,836.
On paper the cheaper option is Illinois Urbana-Champaign: $38,400 against $69,289, which is $30,889 less a year.
Ten years on, graduates of Northeastern earn noticeably more: $93K against $81K.
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
Northeastern is the more selective of the two (5.2% vs 42.37% acceptance). Illinois Urbana-Champaign ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#201-300 vs #55). Northeastern graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($93K vs $81K). Illinois Urbana-Champaign has lower sticker-price tuition ($38,400 vs $69,289 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 Northeastern for: higher selectivity, higher graduate earnings, a higher graduation rate.
Choose Illinois Urbana-Champaign for: a higher world ranking, lower tuition, lower graduate debt.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Northeastern is more selective (5.2% vs 42.37% acceptance); Northeastern has a higher median SAT (1490 vs 1470).
Northeastern graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($93K vs $81K); Northeastern has a higher 6-year graduation rate (90.5% vs 85.1%).
Illinois Urbana-Champaign has lower sticker-price tuition ($38,400 vs $69,289); Northeastern offers a larger average aid package ($46,555 vs $23,217).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Northeastern | Illinois Urbana-Champaign |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #201-300 | #55 |
| Rank · THE | - | #46 |
| Acceptance rate | 5.2% | 42.37% |
| Yield rate | 53.8% | 28.8% |
| Median SAT | 1490 | 1470 |
| Avg. GPA | - | - |
| Number of applications | 98,425 | 73,742 |
| International students | 13.1% | 14.9% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $93K | $81K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $62K | $55K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $135K | $117K |
| Graduation rate | 90.5% | 85.1% |
| Retention rate | 96.9% | 94.8% |
| Median debt | $24,250 | $19,500 |
| Tuition · year | $69,289 | $38,400 |
| Avg. aid package | $46,555 | $23,217 |
| % of need met | 86.7% | 0.8% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $32,461 | $22,395 |
| Application fee | $75 | $50 |
| Enrollment | 39,774 | 59,238 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Northeastern or Illinois Urbana-Champaign?
It's harder to get into Northeastern. Northeastern accepts 5.2% of applicants, while Illinois Urbana-Champaign accepts 42.37%.
Do Northeastern or Illinois Urbana-Champaign graduates earn more?
Northeastern graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $93K vs $81K.
How much is tuition at Northeastern vs Illinois Urbana-Champaign?
Sticker-price tuition is $69,289 per year at Northeastern and $38,400 per year at Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
What SAT score do you need for Northeastern or Illinois Urbana-Champaign?
The median admitted SAT score is 1490 at Northeastern and 1470 at Illinois Urbana-Champaign; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Northeastern or Illinois Urbana-Champaign?
Illinois Urbana-Champaign ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #201-300 for Northeastern vs #55 for Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Which university offers more financial aid - Northeastern or Illinois Urbana-Champaign?
The average aid package is $46,555 at Northeastern and $23,217 at Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
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