University of Rhode Island
KINGSTON, RI
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS
COLLEGE COUNCIL · ATLAS · US UNIVERSITIES

Rhode Island vs Illinois Urbana-Champaign - US university comparison

University of Rhode Island
RHODE ISLAND
Kingston, RI
World rank · ARWU#801-900
Acceptance72.2%
Median SAT1160
Graduation rate73.3%
Median earnings · 10 yrs$70K
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

University of Rhode Island University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
#801-900 World rank · ARWU #55
- Rank · THE #46
72.2% Acceptance rate 42.37%
1160 Median SAT 1470
73.3% Graduation rate 85.1%
14,466 Enrollment 59,238

HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS

72.2% Acceptance rate 42.37%
16.4% Yield rate 28.8%
1160 Median SAT 1470
3.65 Avg. GPA -
28,021 Number of applications 73,742
1.2% Int'l students 14.9%
$70K Median earnings · 10 yrs $81K
$44K Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs $55K
$102K Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs $117K
73.3% Graduation rate 85.1%
85% Retention rate 94.8%
$22,250 Median debt $19,500
$38,398 Tuition · year $38,400
$17,595 Avg. aid package $23,217
57% % of need met 0.8%
$42,945 Avg. graduate debt $22,395
$65 Application fee $50
$26,565 Avg. int'l aid $5,836
At a glance
Illinois Urbana-Champaign leads in 9 of 11 measured metrics
% of need57% vs 0.8%
Grad. debt$42,945 vs $22,395
Yield16.4% vs 28.8%

The verdict, from the data

A place is harder to win where the bar sits higher: Illinois Urbana-Champaign admits 42.4%, Rhode Island admits 72.2%.

The share of international students differs sharply: 14.9% (Illinois Urbana-Champaign) against 1.2% (Rhode Island).

Average aid for an international student is $26,565 (Rhode Island) and $5,836 (Illinois Urbana-Champaign).

The order of prices reverses once aid is counted: Illinois Urbana-Champaign starts at $57,284 against $54,758 and ends at $34,067 against $37,163 (Rhode Island).

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

Illinois Urbana-Champaign is the more selective of the two (42.37% vs 72.2% acceptance). Illinois Urbana-Champaign ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#801-900 vs #55). Illinois Urbana-Champaign graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($81K vs $70K). Rhode Island has lower sticker-price tuition ($38,398 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 Rhode Island 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 72.2% acceptance); Illinois Urbana-Champaign has a higher median SAT (1470 vs 1160).

Graduate outcomes

Illinois Urbana-Champaign graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($81K vs $70K); Illinois Urbana-Champaign has a higher 6-year graduation rate (85.1% vs 73.3%).

Cost and aid

Rhode Island has lower sticker-price tuition ($38,398 vs $38,400); Illinois Urbana-Champaign offers a larger average aid package ($23,217 vs $17,595).

VALUE LANDSCAPE

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

FULL DATA TABLE

Metric Rhode Island Illinois Urbana-Champaign
World rank · ARWU#801-900#55
Rank · THE-#46
Acceptance rate72.2%42.37%
Yield rate16.4%28.8%
Median SAT11601470
Avg. GPA3.65-
Number of applications28,02173,742
International students1.2%14.9%
Median earnings · 10 yrs$70K$81K
Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs$44K$55K
Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs$102K$117K
Graduation rate73.3%85.1%
Retention rate85%94.8%
Median debt$22,250$19,500
Tuition · year$38,398$38,400
Avg. aid package$17,595$23,217
% of need met57%0.8%
Avg. graduate debt$42,945$22,395
Application fee$65$50
Enrollment14,46659,238

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

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

It's harder to get into Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Rhode Island accepts 72.2% of applicants, while Illinois Urbana-Champaign accepts 42.37%.

Do Rhode Island or Illinois Urbana-Champaign graduates earn more?

Illinois Urbana-Champaign graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $81K vs $70K.

How much is tuition at Rhode Island vs Illinois Urbana-Champaign?

Sticker-price tuition is $38,398 per year at Rhode Island and $38,400 per year at Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

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

The median admitted SAT score is 1160 at Rhode Island and 1470 at Illinois Urbana-Champaign; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.

Which university ranks higher - Rhode Island or Illinois Urbana-Champaign?

Illinois Urbana-Champaign ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #801-900 for Rhode Island vs #55 for Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

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

The average aid package is $17,595 at Rhode Island and $23,217 at Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Compare Rhode Island 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.