UC Berkeley vs. Illinois

Should I go to University of California Berkeley or University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UC Berkeley or Illinois is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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University of California Berkeley vs. University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign comparison
University of California Berkeley University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign College 3 College 4
University of California Berkeley University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign
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Overview

 UC Berkeley Illinois
Location Berkeley, CA Champaign, IL
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 45,307 56,916
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #63 #106
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website berkeley.edu illinois.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UC Berkeley Illinois
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $12,474
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $30,446
Room & Board $21,402 $12,720
Avg Net Price $19,257 $14,544
Avg Grant Aid $21,669 $16,552
% Receiving Grant Aid 52% 54%

Admission

 UC Berkeley Illinois
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 128,209 63,257
Admitted 14,523 28,354
Acceptance Rate 11.3% 44.8%
Enrolled % 46.3% 28.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.87 3.79
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 30/35 29/34
SAT Range 1310/1530 1320/1510
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2023 Jan 5, 2024

Academics

 UC Berkeley Illinois
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 21:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • English and Literature (5%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (5%)
  • Engineering (16%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

 UC Berkeley Illinois
Graduation Rate 90% 82%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $74,700 $66,500
Making Student Loan Payments 79% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,200 $20,500
Median Loan Payment $146 $211

Diversity

 UC Berkeley Illinois
% Men 46% 54%
% Women 54% 46%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 27% 48%
% Black 2% 6%
% Hispanic 14% 10%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 14% 16%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

 UC Berkeley Illinois
% In-State 78% 71%
% Out-of-State 11% 11%

Campus

 UC Berkeley Illinois
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign is larger than than UC Berkeley based on total student enrollment (56,916 students vs. 45,307 students)

UC Berkeley vs. Illinois Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UC Berkeley or Illinois?

  • University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign is 7.9% more expensive to attend than UC Berkeley for in-state tuition ($12,474.00 vs. $11,564.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 36.8% higher at UC Berkeley than University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign ($41,636.00 vs. $30,446.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign than UC Berkeley ($14,544 vs. $19,257)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign are 68.3% lower than costs at University of California Berkeley ($12,720 vs. $21,402)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign than University of California Berkeley (54% vs. 52%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Berkeley students is 30.9% larger than aid received University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign ($21,669 vs. $16,552)

UC Berkeley vs. Illinois Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UC Berkeley or Illinois? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Illinois or UC Berkeley .

  • The average SAT score at University of California Berkeley (1397) is 92 points higher than at Illinois (1305)
  • Incoming UC Berkeley students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Illinois (29)
  • Accepted freshman UC Berkeley students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.87) than students at Illinois (3.79)
  • Illinois has a higher acceptance rate (44.8%) than UC Berkeley (11.3%)

UC Berkeley vs. Illinois Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UC Berkeley or Illinois? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Illinois and UC Berkeley.

  • The graduation rate at UC Berkeley is higher than University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (90% vs. 82%)
  • Graduates from University of California Berkeley earn on average $8,200 more per year than Illinois graduates after ten years. ($74,700 vs. $66,500)
  • University of California Berkeley students graduate with a $6,300 lower median federal student loan debt than Illinois graduates. ($14,200 vs. $20,500)
  • UC Berkeley graduates are paying $65 less per month on federal student loans than Illinois graduates. ($146 vs. $211)
  • More UC Berkeley graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Illinois students, three years after graduation. (79% vs. 78%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/