Yale vs Illinois Urbana-Champaign - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
Yale admits 4.7% of applicants, while Illinois Urbana-Champaign admits 42.4%.
Real money goes to international students at Yale ($84,185 on average), while Illinois Urbana-Champaign stops at $5,836.
The one that looks dearer ends up cheaper: Yale lists $98,900 against $57,284 (Illinois Urbana-Champaign), but after average aid what remains is $24,547 against $34,067.
Ten years on, graduates of Yale earn noticeably more: $101K 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
Yale is the more selective of the two (4.7% vs 42.37% acceptance). Yale ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#11 vs #55). Yale graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($101K vs $81K). Illinois Urbana-Champaign has lower sticker-price tuition ($38,400 vs $72,500 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 Yale for: a higher world ranking, higher selectivity, higher graduate earnings.
Choose Illinois Urbana-Champaign for: lower tuition.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Yale is more selective (4.7% vs 42.37% acceptance); Yale has a higher median SAT (1540 vs 1470).
Yale graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($101K vs $81K); Yale has a higher 6-year graduation rate (95.7% vs 85.1%).
Illinois Urbana-Champaign has lower sticker-price tuition ($38,400 vs $72,500); Yale offers a larger average aid package ($74,353 vs $23,217).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Yale | Illinois Urbana-Champaign |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #11 | #55 |
| Rank · THE | #10 | #46 |
| Acceptance rate | 4.7% | 42.37% |
| Yield rate | 68.4% | 28.8% |
| Median SAT | 1540 | 1470 |
| Avg. GPA | - | - |
| Number of applications | 50,264 | 73,742 |
| International students | 10.6% | 14.9% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $101K | $81K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $66K | $55K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $194K | $117K |
| Graduation rate | 95.7% | 85.1% |
| Retention rate | 99.4% | 94.8% |
| Median debt | $12,975 | $19,500 |
| Tuition · year | $72,500 | $38,400 |
| Avg. aid package | $74,353 | $23,217 |
| % of need met | 100% | 0.8% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $22,185 | $22,395 |
| Application fee | $80 | $50 |
| Enrollment | 15,657 | 59,238 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Yale or Illinois Urbana-Champaign?
It's harder to get into Yale. Yale accepts 4.7% of applicants, while Illinois Urbana-Champaign accepts 42.37%.
Do Yale or Illinois Urbana-Champaign graduates earn more?
Yale graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $101K vs $81K.
How much is tuition at Yale vs Illinois Urbana-Champaign?
Sticker-price tuition is $72,500 per year at Yale and $38,400 per year at Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
What SAT score do you need for Yale or Illinois Urbana-Champaign?
The median admitted SAT score is 1540 at Yale and 1470 at Illinois Urbana-Champaign; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Yale or Illinois Urbana-Champaign?
Yale ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #11 for Yale vs #55 for Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Which university offers more financial aid - Yale or Illinois Urbana-Champaign?
The average aid package is $74,353 at Yale and $23,217 at Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
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