UIUC: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Officially University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · Champaign, Illinois · Public · Selective · CDS 2025-2026
Admission at a glance
Common Data Set 2025-2026
- Test-optional
- Early Action
- 83,045
- Applicants
- 30,384
- Admitted37%
- 9,207
- Enrolled
- 30%
- Yield rate
Selectivity
Selective37% admittedRanked #34 (tie) in National Universities; Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs #6 (tie), Business Programs #12 (tie), Computer Science #5 (tie), Economics #36 (tie)U.S. News & World Report, Best Colleges 2027
Admission figures come from the 2025-2026 Common Data Set published by University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (see the source), read on 2026-09-20. The admission-factor grid was re-read from that file to confirm each weighting.
Is UIUC a reach, target or safety for your student?
Enter a GPA and course load and the calculator places UIUC against it in about a minute. No account needed.
UIUC is a public university in Champaign, Illinois that admits about 37% of applicants, making it a selective school. The average family pays about $14,355 a year after financial aid, which matters more than the published sticker price. It is best known for Research and Experimental Psychology, Economics and Accounting and Related Services, its largest undergraduate programs by number of graduates. About 86% of students graduate within six years. Its most recent Clery Act report shows roughly 4.4 criminal offenses per 1,000 students.
UIUC is a public institution located in Champaign, Illinois with a selective admissions profile. For the most recent reporting cycle, UIUC admits between a quarter and half of applicants, with an overall admission rate of 37%. Admitted students typically post a median SAT of 1442 and an ACT composite around 32. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $14,355 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price.
What parents should know about UIUC right now
The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is a large flagship public research university with about 60,848 students enrolled for fall 2025, including 38,572 undergraduates. The overall admit rate has tightened sharply from 63.3 percent in 2020 to about 36.6 percent in 2025, and the computer science program is dramatically more selective at roughly 7.4 percent, reflecting the program's consistent national ranking around fifth. Engineering as a whole ranks seventh nationally, and Illinois offers more than 150 undergraduate programs. Middle-50 percent test scores sit at SAT 1420 to 1540 and ACT 31 to 35. The most parent-friendly recent development is the expansion of the Illinois Commitment program. Beginning fall 2025, in-state students from families with annual income of $75,000 or less and assets of $75,000 or less receive scholarships and grants covering tuition and campus fees for up to four years; the prior threshold of $67,100 still applies for students who entered fall 2024 or spring 2025. Families should note Illinois Commitment covers tuition and fees but not food and housing, so room and board still need to be planned for. The Carle Illinois College of Medicine, which began in 2018, is a distinctive engineering-focused medical school. Illinois reports an 87 percent eight-year graduation rate compared to a 58 percent national median.
What GPA does my child need for UIUC?
Admitted students at UIUC typically present unweighted GPAs in the 3.6–3.9 range with several honors or AP courses.
Compare UIUC with the other schools on your list
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What does UIUC weight in admissions?
UIUC reports these factor weights in its Common Data Set (2025-2026). What the weights mean
Very Important
6- Rigor of secondary school record
- Academic GPA
- Extracurricular activities
- Talent/ability
- Character/personal qualities
- First generation status
Important
1- Application essay
Considered
5- Standardized test scores
- Geographical residence
- State residency
- Volunteer work
- Work experience
Not Considered
6- Class rank
- Recommendations
- Interview
- Alumni/ae relation
- Religious affiliation/commitment
- Level of applicant's interest
SAT and ACT scores UIUC typically admits
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 660–780, with an EBRW midpoint near 685. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 30–34. A score at or above this school's 75th percentile materially improves your child's odds, particularly when paired with a rigorous course load.
| 25th percentile | 1390 |
| 50th percentile | 1442 |
| 75th percentile | 1520 |
| % submitting SAT | 42.59% |
| 25th percentile | 31 |
| 50th percentile | 32 |
| 75th percentile | 34 |
| % submitting ACT | 14.07% |
- • Test-optional: Standardized test scores are not required, but may be submitted and considered.
- • ACT/SAT optional for all first-year applicants and all majors, including international and homeschooled students. Choice can't be changed after submitting.
- • Checked for Fall 2027 applicants on UIUC'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 | 61.64% |
| Top 25% of class | 88.76% |
| Top 50% of class | 99% |
| % submitting class rank | 21.74% |
How much does UIUC actually cost?
Published tuition is $16,004 for in-state students and $35,124 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $14,522 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $14,355 per year, and that is the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 23% of students receive Pell Grants.
| In-state tuition | $12,992 |
| Out-of-state tuition | $33,344 |
| Room and board | $15,184 |
| Average net price (after aid) | $14,355 |
| Share of financial need metaverage, for students with need | 82% |
| Average need-based grant | $25,878 |
| Average merit award, no financial need1,425 first-year students received one | $6,027 |
| Graduates who borrowed | 38% |
| Average debt at graduationamong those who borrowed | $22,040 |
| Financial aid forms | FAFSA only (no CSS Profile)College Board 2026-27 list |
| Application fee | $50 (waivers available) |
Application deadlines and early decision data for UIUC
| Regular deadline | 1/5 |
| Notification date | 3/6 |
| Reply deadline | 5/1 |
| Offers Early Action | Yes |
| EA deadline | November 1 |
Will my child graduate from UIUC?
These predict outcomes at UIUC better than its acceptance rate does. How to read retention and graduation rates
Most popular majors at UIUC
The most popular undergraduate programs at UIUC, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Research and Experimental Psychology, Economics and Accounting and Related Services. Across all programs, UIUC confers roughly 2,867 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Economics program report a median income of about $91,191 five years after entering college. What these figures mean
| Major | Graduates / year | Median earnings (5 yrs out) |
|---|---|---|
| Research and Experimental Psychology | 557 | n/a |
| Economics | 387 | $91,191 |
| Accounting and Related Services | 353 | $96,827 |
| Statistics | 333 | $104,911 |
| Computer Engineering | 318 | $136,097 |
| Communication and Media Studies | 315 | $71,207 |
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | 303 | $70,132 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 301 | $118,286 |
Is UIUC safe? Campus crime & safety
In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), UIUC disclosed 160 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 4.4 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 21 violent offenses and 47 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Why per-1,000 rates, not counts
What is campus life like at UIUC?
About 37% of undergraduates at UIUC live in campus housing, so a meaningful share of students commute or live off campus. In Greek life, 15% of men join a fraternity and 21% of women join a sorority. 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
- 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
- Knox College71% acceptance
- School of the Art Institute of Chicago77% acceptance
Next steps for UIUC
Common questions parents ask about UIUC
What GPA do I need for UIUC?
Admitted students at UIUC typically present unweighted GPAs in the 3.6–3.9 range with several honors or AP courses.
What SAT or ACT score does UIUC typically admit?
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 660–780, with an EBRW midpoint near 685. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 30–34.
How much does UIUC actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at UIUC after grants and scholarships is $14,355 per year, against a published in-state tuition of $16,004 and $35,124 out of state. Budget against the net figure.
Is UIUC realistic for my child?
UIUC admits 37% of applicants, so 660–780 SAT Math is target range and below 660 is a reach. Then check the $14,355 average net price against what your family can carry.
What is the acceptance rate at UIUC?
UIUC accepts about 37% of applicants out of roughly 83,045 who apply each year. That makes it a selective school.
Is UIUC test-optional?
Yes. UIUC 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 UIUC?
About 86% of students at UIUC graduate within six years, and 74% finish in four years. 95% of freshmen return for sophomore year. Graduation rate predicts real outcomes better than acceptance rate.
What does UIUC look for in applicants?
UIUC rates course rigor, GPA, extracurricular activities and talent and ability as "very important" in its Common Data Set. These are the factors the admissions committee weighs most heavily when reviewing an application.
Is UIUC a public or private school, and where is it located?
UIUC is a public institution located in Champaign, Illinois.
What are the most popular majors at UIUC?
The largest undergraduate majors at UIUC by annual graduates are Research and Experimental Psychology, Economics and Accounting and Related Services. The school awards about 2,867 bachelor's degrees a year in total. These figures come from federal IPEDS completion data.
Is UIUC safe? What is its campus crime rate?
UIUC reported 160 total criminal offenses in its most recent Clery Act disclosure (2024), roughly 4.4 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 UIUC?
At UIUC, 37% of undergraduates live on campus, 15% of men are in fraternities, 21% of women are in sororities, according to its most recent Common Data Set.
Sources: the 2025-2026 Common Data Set submitted by University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the College Scorecard and IPEDS, and Clery Act disclosures. What each source covers