UChicago: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Officially University of Chicago · Chicago, Illinois · Private nonprofit · Most selective · CDS 2025-2026
Admission at a glance
Common Data Set 2025-2026
- Test-optional
- Early Decision
- Early Action
- 45,533
- Applicants
- 2,039
- Admitted4%
- 1,786
- Enrolled
- 88%
- Yield rate
Selectivity
Most selective4% admittedRanked #9 (tie) in National Universities; Computer Science #28 (tie), Economics #1 (tie)U.S. News & World Report, Best Colleges 2027
Admission figures come from the 2025-2026 Common Data Set published by University of Chicago (see the source), read on 2026-10-21. The admission-factor grid was re-read from that file to confirm each weighting.
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UChicago is a private nonprofit university in Chicago, Illinois that admits about 4% of applicants, making it a most selective school. The average family pays about $14,860 a year after financial aid, which matters more than the published sticker price. It is best known for Economics, Mathematics and Biology, General, its largest undergraduate programs by number of graduates. About 95% of students graduate within six years. Its most recent Clery Act report shows roughly 12.2 criminal offenses per 1,000 students.
UChicago is a private institution located in Chicago, Illinois and one of the most selective schools in the country. For the most recent reporting cycle, UChicago admits fewer than 1 in 10 applicants, with an overall admission rate of 4%. Admitted students typically post a median SAT of 1540 and an ACT composite around 34. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $14,860 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price.
What parents should know about UChicago right now
The University of Chicago has not officially released its Class of 2029 admit rate, consistent with its recent practice of waiting for the Common Data Set, though independent admissions consultants estimate it sits at or just below 4.5%. UChicago did add a notable application option for the 2024 to 2025 cycle: Summer Session Early Notification, which lets students who attend a UChicago summer program apply between September 1 and October 15 and receive a decision within three weeks, sometimes called Early Decision 0. The College enrolls 7,496 undergraduates and 11,195 graduate students for a total of 18,732 in 2025. About 60% of undergraduates receive financial aid, and UChicago awarded more than $200 million in scholarships and aid in 2024. The Odyssey Scholarship covers full tuition for first-generation and lower-income students, eliminates loans, and includes funding for study abroad and health insurance. Distinctive academic features for parents include the Core curriculum, a quarter system with three to four courses each ten-week term, 51 undergraduate majors and 33 minors, and a research culture that has produced 101 Nobel laureates and 10 Fields Medalists across its history. Recent campus news includes the 2024 opening of the John W. Boyer Center in Paris, which tripled UChicago's Paris footprint, and the Obama Presidential Center, expected to open adjacent to campus in Jackson Park in 2026.
What GPA does my child need for UChicago?
57% of enrolled students at UChicago had a high school GPA of 4.0 or above, and the average was 4.54, according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set.
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What does UChicago weight in admissions?
UChicago reports these factor weights in its Common Data Set (2025-2026). What the weights mean
Very Important
6- Rigor of secondary school record
- Application essay
- Recommendations
- Extracurricular activities
- Talent/ability
- Character/personal qualities
Considered
10- Class rank
- Academic GPA
- Standardized test scores
- First generation status
- Alumni/ae relation
- Geographical residence
- State residency
- Religious affiliation/commitment
- Volunteer work
- Work experience
Not Considered
2- Interview
- Level of applicant's interest
SAT and ACT scores UChicago typically admits
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 770–800, with an EBRW midpoint near 760. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 34–35. Scores below the 25th-percentile mark are accepted occasionally, but the realistic submission target for most families is the school's middle-50 floor or higher.
| 25th percentile | 1500 |
| 50th percentile | 1540 |
| 75th percentile | 1560 |
| % submitting SAT | 57% |
| 25th percentile | 34 |
| 50th percentile | 35 |
| 75th percentile | 35 |
| % submitting ACT | 25% |
- • Test-optional: Standardized test scores are not required, but may be submitted and considered.
- • Checked for Fall 2027 applicants on UChicago's admissions site. Policies change; confirm before you apply.
Where admitted students ranked in their high school class
Class rank distribution gives parents a clear sense of how academically dominant a typical admitted student was within their own high school cohort, often a more meaningful signal than absolute GPA.
| Top 10% of class | 97% |
| Top 25% of class | 100% |
| Top 50% of class | 100% |
| % submitting class rank | 32% |
How much does UChicago actually cost?
Published tuition is $70,662 for in-state students and $70,662 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $20,109 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $14,860 per year, and that is the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 15% of students receive Pell Grants.
| In-state tuition | $75,960 |
| Room and board | $21,414 |
| Average net price (after aid) | $14,860 |
| Share of financial need metaverage, for students with need | 100% |
| Average need-based grant | $78,651 |
| Average merit award, no financial need57 first-year students received one | $16,333 |
| Graduates who borrowed | 11% |
| Average debt at graduationamong those who borrowed | $35,364 |
| Financial aid forms | FAFSA only (no CSS Profile)College Board 2026-27 list |
| Application fee | $90 (waivers available) |
Application deadlines and early decision data for UChicago
| Offers Early Decision | Yes |
| Offers Early Action | Yes |
Will my child graduate from UChicago?
These predict outcomes at UChicago better than its acceptance rate does. How to read retention and graduation rates
Most popular majors at UChicago
The most popular undergraduate programs at UChicago, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Economics, Mathematics and Biology, General. Across all programs, UChicago confers roughly 1,472 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Economics program report a median income of about $157,181 five years after entering college. What these figures mean
| Major | Graduates / year | Median earnings (5 yrs out) |
|---|---|---|
| Economics | 634 | $157,181 |
| Mathematics | 169 | $146,679 |
| Biology, General | 136 | $68,610 |
| Computer Science | 126 | $227,147 |
| Public Policy Analysis | 114 | $99,986 |
| Political Science and Government | 109 | $88,531 |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | 105 | $84,957 |
| History | 79 | $64,082 |
Is UChicago safe? Campus crime & safety
In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), UChicago disclosed 92 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 12.2 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 9 violent offenses and 4 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Why per-1,000 rates, not counts
What is campus life like at UChicago?
About 60% of undergraduates at UChicago live in campus housing, making it a largely residential campus. Residential rate and Greek participation shape day-to-day social life and are worth weighing alongside academics and cost.
Other colleges in Illinois parents ask about
- Northwestern University8% acceptance
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign42% acceptance
- University of Illinois Chicago77% acceptance
- DePaul University76% acceptance
- Loyola University Chicago82% acceptance
- Illinois State University88% acceptance
- Southern Illinois University-Carbondale87% acceptance
- Lake Forest College57% acceptance
Next steps for UChicago
Common questions parents ask about UChicago
What GPA do I need for UChicago?
57% of enrolled students at UChicago had a high school GPA of 4.0 or above, and the average was 4.54, according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set.
What SAT or ACT score does UChicago typically admit?
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 770–800, with an EBRW midpoint near 760. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 34–35.
How much does UChicago actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at UChicago after grants and scholarships is $14,860 per year, against a published in-state tuition of $70,662. Budget against the net figure.
Is UChicago realistic for my child?
UChicago admits 4% of applicants, so 770–800 SAT Math is target range and below 770 is a reach. Then check the $14,860 average net price against what your family can carry.
What is the acceptance rate at UChicago?
UChicago accepts about 4% of applicants out of roughly 45,533 who apply each year. That makes it a most selective school.
Is UChicago test-optional?
Yes. UChicago is test-optional for Fall 2027 applicants, so SAT and ACT scores are not required, but strong scores can still be submitted and will be considered.
What is the graduation rate at UChicago?
About 95% of students at UChicago graduate within six years. 99% of freshmen return for sophomore year. Graduation rate predicts real outcomes better than acceptance rate.
What does UChicago look for in applicants?
UChicago rates course rigor, the application essay, recommendations and extracurricular activities as "very important" in its Common Data Set. These are the factors the admissions committee weighs most heavily when reviewing an application.
Is UChicago a public or private school, and where is it located?
UChicago is a private nonprofit institution located in Chicago, Illinois.
What are the most popular majors at UChicago?
The largest undergraduate majors at UChicago by annual graduates are Economics, Mathematics and Biology, General. The school awards about 1,472 bachelor's degrees a year in total. These figures come from federal IPEDS completion data.
Is UChicago safe? What is its campus crime rate?
UChicago reported 92 total criminal offenses in its most recent Clery Act disclosure (2024), roughly 12.2 per 1,000 students. Compare the per-1,000 rate rather than the raw total, since larger schools report more incidents.
What is campus life like at UChicago?
At UChicago, 60% of undergraduates live on campus, according to its most recent Common Data Set.
Sources: the 2025-2026 Common Data Set submitted by University of Chicago, the College Scorecard and IPEDS, and Clery Act disclosures. What each source covers