Northwestern vs Illinois Urbana-Champaign - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
A place is harder to win where the bar sits higher: Northwestern admits 7.7%, Illinois Urbana-Champaign admits 42.4%.
For an applicant from outside the US the difference is financial: Northwestern awards international students $74,103 on average, Illinois Urbana-Champaign awards $5,836.
The one that looks dearer ends up cheaper: Northwestern lists $96,182 against $57,284 (Illinois Urbana-Champaign), but after average aid what remains is $28,072 against $34,067.
The higher median salary ten years after enrolment belongs to Northwestern: $89K against $81K.
None of these figures decides on its own; what decides is which course you want to be on, and on what budget.
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
Northwestern is the more selective of the two (7.69% vs 42.37% acceptance). Northwestern ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#33 vs #55). Northwestern graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($89K vs $81K). Illinois Urbana-Champaign has lower sticker-price tuition ($38,400 vs $70,589 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 Northwestern for: a higher world ranking, higher selectivity, higher graduate earnings.
Choose Illinois Urbana-Champaign for: lower tuition, lower graduate debt.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Northwestern is more selective (7.69% vs 42.37% acceptance); Northwestern has a higher median SAT (1540 vs 1470).
Northwestern graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($89K vs $81K); Northwestern has a higher 6-year graduation rate (95.1% vs 85.1%).
Illinois Urbana-Champaign has lower sticker-price tuition ($38,400 vs $70,589); Northwestern offers a larger average aid package ($68,110 vs $23,217).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Northwestern | Illinois Urbana-Champaign |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #33 | #55 |
| Rank · THE | #31 | #46 |
| Acceptance rate | 7.69% | 42.37% |
| Yield rate | 55.3% | 28.8% |
| Median SAT | 1540 | 1470 |
| Avg. GPA | - | - |
| Number of applications | 49,474 | 73,742 |
| International students | 11.8% | 14.9% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $89K | $81K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $61K | $55K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $139K | $117K |
| Graduation rate | 95.1% | 85.1% |
| Retention rate | 98% | 94.8% |
| Median debt | $15,000 | $19,500 |
| Tuition · year | $70,589 | $38,400 |
| Avg. aid package | $68,110 | $23,217 |
| % of need met | 100% | 0.8% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $32,540 | $22,395 |
| Application fee | $75 | $50 |
| Enrollment | 23,431 | 59,238 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Northwestern or Illinois Urbana-Champaign?
It's harder to get into Northwestern. Northwestern accepts 7.69% of applicants, while Illinois Urbana-Champaign accepts 42.37%.
Do Northwestern or Illinois Urbana-Champaign graduates earn more?
Northwestern graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $89K vs $81K.
How much is tuition at Northwestern vs Illinois Urbana-Champaign?
Sticker-price tuition is $70,589 per year at Northwestern and $38,400 per year at Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
What SAT score do you need for Northwestern or Illinois Urbana-Champaign?
The median admitted SAT score is 1540 at Northwestern and 1470 at Illinois Urbana-Champaign; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Northwestern or Illinois Urbana-Champaign?
Northwestern ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #33 for Northwestern vs #55 for Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Which university offers more financial aid - Northwestern or Illinois Urbana-Champaign?
The average aid package is $68,110 at Northwestern and $23,217 at Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
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