University of Wyoming
LARAMIE, WY
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS
COLLEGE COUNCIL · ATLAS · US UNIVERSITIES

Wyoming vs Illinois Urbana-Champaign - US university comparison

University of Wyoming
WYOMING
Laramie, WY
World rank · ARWU#701-800
Acceptance96.9%
Median SAT1140
Graduation rate58.8%
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

University of Wyoming University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
#701-800 World rank · ARWU #55
- Rank · THE #46
96.9% Acceptance rate 42.37%
1140 Median SAT 1470
58.8% Graduation rate 85.1%
10,813 Enrollment 59,238

HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS

96.9% Acceptance rate 42.37%
23.8% Yield rate 28.8%
1140 Median SAT 1470
3.55 Avg. GPA -
6,217 Number of applications 73,742
1.8% Int'l students 14.9%
$57K Median earnings · 10 yrs $81K
$37K Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs $55K
$81K Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs $117K
58.8% Graduation rate 85.1%
79% Retention rate 94.8%
$18,000 Median debt $19,500
$25,015 Tuition · year $38,400
$12,129 Avg. aid package $23,217
57.6% % of need met 0.8%
$24,921 Avg. graduate debt $22,395
$40 Application fee $50
$10,769 Avg. int'l aid $5,836
At a glance
Illinois Urbana-Champaign leads in 8 of 11 measured metrics
% of need57.6% vs 0.8%
Acceptance96.9% vs 42.37%
Aid$12,129 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%, Wyoming admits 96.9%.

The more international environment is at Illinois Urbana-Champaign (14.9% international students) than Wyoming (1.8%).

The cheaper tuition belongs to Wyoming: $25,015 against $38,400, or $13,385 less a year.

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

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

Illinois Urbana-Champaign is the more selective of the two (42.37% vs 96.9% acceptance). Illinois Urbana-Champaign ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#701-800 vs #55). Illinois Urbana-Champaign graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($81K vs $57K). Wyoming has lower sticker-price tuition ($25,015 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 Wyoming 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 96.9% acceptance); Illinois Urbana-Champaign has a higher median SAT (1470 vs 1140).

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 58.8%).

Cost and aid

Wyoming has lower sticker-price tuition ($25,015 vs $38,400); Illinois Urbana-Champaign offers a larger average aid package ($23,217 vs $12,129).

VALUE LANDSCAPE

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

FULL DATA TABLE

Metric Wyoming Illinois Urbana-Champaign
World rank · ARWU#701-800#55
Rank · THE-#46
Acceptance rate96.9%42.37%
Yield rate23.8%28.8%
Median SAT11401470
Avg. GPA3.55-
Number of applications6,21773,742
International students1.8%14.9%
Median earnings · 10 yrs$57K$81K
Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs$37K$55K
Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs$81K$117K
Graduation rate58.8%85.1%
Retention rate79%94.8%
Median debt$18,000$19,500
Tuition · year$25,015$38,400
Avg. aid package$12,129$23,217
% of need met57.6%0.8%
Avg. graduate debt$24,921$22,395
Application fee$40$50
Enrollment10,81359,238

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

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

It's harder to get into Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Wyoming accepts 96.9% of applicants, while Illinois Urbana-Champaign accepts 42.37%.

Do Wyoming 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 Wyoming vs Illinois Urbana-Champaign?

Sticker-price tuition is $25,015 per year at Wyoming and $38,400 per year at Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

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

The median admitted SAT score is 1140 at Wyoming and 1470 at Illinois Urbana-Champaign; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.

Which university ranks higher - Wyoming or Illinois Urbana-Champaign?

Illinois Urbana-Champaign ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #701-800 for Wyoming vs #55 for Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

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

The average aid package is $12,129 at Wyoming and $23,217 at Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Compare Wyoming 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.