UIC vs. ASU vs. GCU

Should I go to University of Illinois at Chicago or Arizona State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UIC or ASU 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 Illinois at Chicago vs. Arizona State University vs. Grand Canyon University comparison
University of Illinois at Chicago Arizona State University Grand Canyon University College 4
University of Illinois at Chicago Arizona State University Grand Canyon University
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Overview

 UIC ASU GCU
Location Chicago, IL Tempe, AZ Phoenix, AZ
Setting Large City Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 33,522 79,593 107,563
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #198 #384
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit For-profit
Website uic.edu asu.edu gcu.edu
Team Colors                              

Costs

 UIC ASU GCU
Tuition (In State) $11,178 $11,308 $16,500
Tuition (Out of State) $26,200 $31,450 $16,500
Room & Board $14,600 $16,091 $11,162
Avg Net Price $11,499 $16,401 $22,239
Avg Grant Aid $15,421 $11,992 $9,308
% Receiving Grant Aid 72% 89% 98%

Admission

 UIC ASU GCU
Applied 25,420 68,840 47,978
Admitted 19,955 62,084 28,960
Acceptance Rate 78.5% 90.2% 60.4%
Enrolled % 23.3% 22.7% 29.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.54 -
Typical High School Grades B+ B+ -
Admissions Standards Very High Challenging Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 25/32 21/28 19/24
SAT Range 1120/1340 1100/1320 1058/1175
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Feb 1, 2026

Academics

 UIC ASU GCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 18:1 21:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Health Professions (56%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Psychology (4%)
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies (2%)

Outcomes

 UIC ASU GCU
Graduation Rate 54% 57% 31%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $61,900 $52,600 $54,300
Making Student Loan Payments 68% 57% 32%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,750 $20,278 $18,750
Median Loan Payment $193 $209 $193

Diversity

 UIC ASU GCU
% Men 14% 10% 7%
% Women 20% 8% 27%
Racial Diversity Very High High Very High
HBCU No No No
% White 34% 52% 48%
% Black 8% 4% 18%
% Hispanic 28% 19% 19%
% Native American 0% 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 3% 4% 3%
% International 2% 12% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 1% 6%

Students

 UIC ASU GCU
% In-State 89% 61% 27%
% Out-of-State 4% 32% 72%

Campus

 UIC ASU GCU
Campus Housing Yes Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Arizona State University is larger than than UIC based on total student enrollment (79,593 students vs. 33,522 students)

UIC vs. ASU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UIC or ASU?

  • Arizona State University is 1.2% more expensive to attend than UIC for in-state tuition ($11,308.00 vs. $11,178.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 20% higher at ASU than University of Illinois at Chicago ($31,450.00 vs. $26,200.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Illinois at Chicago than ASU ($11,499 vs. $16,401)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Illinois at Chicago are 10.2% lower than costs at Arizona State University ($14,600 vs. $16,091)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Arizona State University than University of Illinois at Chicago (89% vs. 72%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Illinois at Chicago students is 28.6% larger than aid received Arizona State University ($15,421 vs. $11,992)

UIC vs. ASU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Arizona State University (1158) is 66 points higher than at UIC (1092)
  • Incoming ASU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at UIC (24)
  • Accepted freshman ASU students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.54) than students at UIC (3.41)
  • ASU has a higher acceptance rate (90.2%) than UIC (78.5%)

UIC vs. ASU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UIC or ASU? 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 ASU and UIC.

  • The graduation rate at ASU is higher than University of Illinois at Chicago (57% vs. 54%)
  • Graduates from University of Illinois at Chicago earn on average $9,300 more per year than ASU graduates after ten years. ($61,900 vs. $52,600)
  • University of Illinois at Chicago students graduate with a $1,528 lower median federal student loan debt than ASU graduates. ($18,750 vs. $20,278)
  • UIC graduates are paying $16 less per month on federal student loans than ASU graduates. ($193 vs. $209)
  • More UIC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ASU students, three years after graduation. (68% vs. 57%)

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