Penn 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: Penn admits 5.4%, Illinois Urbana-Champaign admits 42.4%.
Real money goes to international students at Penn ($75,356 on average), while Illinois Urbana-Champaign stops at $5,836.
The one that looks dearer ends up cheaper: Penn lists $92,524 against $57,284 (Illinois Urbana-Champaign), but after average aid what remains is $21,553 against $34,067.
The higher median salary ten years after enrolment belongs to Penn: $111K against $81K.
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
Penn is the more selective of the two (5.4% vs 42.37% acceptance). Penn ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#14 vs #55). Penn graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($111K vs $81K). Illinois Urbana-Champaign has lower sticker-price tuition ($38,400 vs $71,236 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 Penn 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
Penn is more selective (5.4% vs 42.37% acceptance); Penn has a higher median SAT (1553 vs 1470).
Penn graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($111K vs $81K); Penn has a higher 6-year graduation rate (96.5% vs 85.1%).
Illinois Urbana-Champaign has lower sticker-price tuition ($38,400 vs $71,236); Penn offers a larger average aid package ($70,971 vs $23,217).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Penn | Illinois Urbana-Champaign |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #14 | #55 |
| Rank · THE | - | #46 |
| Acceptance rate | 5.4% | 42.37% |
| Yield rate | 68% | 28.8% |
| Median SAT | 1553 | 1470 |
| Avg. GPA | 3.90 | - |
| Number of applications | 65,236 | 73,742 |
| International students | 13.3% | 14.9% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $111K | $81K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $70K | $55K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $183K | $117K |
| Graduation rate | 96.5% | 85.1% |
| Retention rate | 98.8% | 94.8% |
| Median debt | $15,715 | $19,500 |
| Tuition · year | $71,236 | $38,400 |
| Avg. aid package | $70,971 | $23,217 |
| % of need met | 100% | 0.8% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $32,558 | $22,395 |
| Application fee | $75 | $50 |
| Enrollment | 24,023 | 59,238 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Penn or Illinois Urbana-Champaign?
It's harder to get into Penn. Penn accepts 5.4% of applicants, while Illinois Urbana-Champaign accepts 42.37%.
Do Penn or Illinois Urbana-Champaign graduates earn more?
Penn graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $111K vs $81K.
How much is tuition at Penn vs Illinois Urbana-Champaign?
Sticker-price tuition is $71,236 per year at Penn and $38,400 per year at Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
What SAT score do you need for Penn or Illinois Urbana-Champaign?
The median admitted SAT score is 1553 at Penn and 1470 at Illinois Urbana-Champaign; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Penn or Illinois Urbana-Champaign?
Penn ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #14 for Penn vs #55 for Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Which university offers more financial aid - Penn or Illinois Urbana-Champaign?
The average aid package is $70,971 at Penn and $23,217 at Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
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