Public · #33 National University

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Champaign, IL · 36,258 undergraduates

42%
Acceptance rate
1310–1520
SAT middle 50%
30–34
ACT middle 50%
Test required
Test policy
85%
Graduation rate
$81,054
Median earnings (10 yr)
✓ Offers merit scholarships

What it may cost by family income

Estimated average net price — what families actually pay after grants and scholarships — by annual household income. Net price matters far more than the $52,762 sticker price.

Household incomeEst. net price / year
Under $30k$2,038
$30k–$48k$5,373
$48k–$75k$7,982
$75k–$110k$15,152
Over $110k$28,761

Sticker cost of attendance: $52,762 (out-of-state) · $33,642 in-state. GPA context: ~3.8 UW avg (higher for CS/engineering).

Applying to a specific major at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

42% is the acceptance rate for the whole university — not for every major. For the programs below, admission is usually decided separately and is harder than that number suggests. Almost no university publishes a by-major admission rate, and neither does the federal government, so we do not show one: any site that does is estimating.

To find the real figure for your major, check University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's Common Data Set and its admissions page, or ask an admissions officer directly — that question gets answered more often than students expect.

Reported admit rates by college at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Published by the university
College or programAdmit rate
Computer Science 7.2%
Grainger College of Engineering ~20–30%
Gies College of Business ~20–30%
University overall36.6%

Illinois publishes admissions by curriculum, so these are among the few by-major figures that come from the university itself rather than an estimate. In-state applicants are admitted at a substantially higher rate than out-of-state across most programs. These figures are from a more recent cycle than the federal Scorecard rate shown above, so the two overall numbers differ — check the source for the current year.

Figures as reported for Class of 2029. Verify the current cycle at dmi.illinois.edu.

Computer Science Capacity-constrained

Applicant demand has grown far faster than faculty and seats, so many universities cap CS enrollment, admit to it directly, or require a competitive internal application after enrolling.

Check: Whether the school admits to CS directly, and whether switching into CS later is restricted — the answer changes your real odds more than your test scores do.

Engineering Direct admit

Most engineering colleges admit students directly into the college rather than the university at large, and review them against a separate, usually more selective pool.

Check: Whether you apply to the engineering college directly, and what happens if you are not admitted — some schools offer general admission with a later transfer path, others do not.

Nursing Direct admit

Clinical placement requirements hard-cap how many students a nursing program can take, which routinely makes direct-entry nursing among the most selective programs on a campus.

Check: Whether the program is direct-entry or requires applying again in sophomore year, and how many seats it takes per cohort.

Business Direct admit

Many undergraduate business schools admit their own cohort at application time and are more selective than the university overall; others admit only after two years of coursework.

Check: Whether the business school is direct-admit for first-years, and if not, what GPA the internal application actually requires.

Architecture Portfolio or audition

Professional architecture degrees usually require a portfolio and are reviewed by the school of architecture separately from general admission.

Check: Portfolio requirements and deadlines — these are often earlier than the regular application deadline.

Visual & Performing Arts Portfolio or audition

Admission usually turns on an audition or portfolio judged by the department, which can outweigh grades and test scores in either direction.

Check: Audition/portfolio dates and prescreen requirements — many fall well before the regular application deadline.

Is University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign a reach, target, or safety for you?

Ladder2College models your personal admission odds and net cost here — based on your GPA, scores, and family income — and shows how it fits alongside the rest of your list.

Model my odds & cost — free

Figures are estimates modeled on U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard data and recent reporting, provided for guidance only. Always confirm cost with University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s official net price calculator and admissions figures with the school directly.