UIC vs. DePaul

Deciding between University of Illinois Chicago and DePaul University? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

University of Illinois Chicago
DePaul University

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • UIC Chicago, IL
  • DePaul Chicago, IL
  • Setting
  • UIC Large City
  • DePaul Large City
  • Total enrollment
  • UIC 33,906
  • DePaul 21,210
  • Type
  • UIC Public 4 Year
  • DePaul Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • UIC #215
  • DePaul #253
  • Religious Affiliation
  • UIC -
  • DePaul Roman Catholic
  • Status
  • UIC Non-profit
  • DePaul Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • UIC
  • DePaul

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • UIC $14,338
  • DePaul $45,999
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • UIC $29,884
  • DePaul $45,999
  • Room & Board
  • UIC $16,500
  • DePaul $19,095
  • Average Net Price
  • UIC $10,852
  • DePaul $34,135
  • Average Grant Aid
  • UIC $16,755
  • DePaul $29,285
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • UIC 74%
  • DePaul 100%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • UIC 27,085
  • DePaul 31,266
  • Admitted
  • UIC 20,951
  • DePaul 23,729
  • Acceptance Rate
  • UIC 77.4%
  • DePaul 75.9%
  • Enrolled
  • UIC 21.1%
  • DePaul 10.8%
  • Typical SAT score
  • UIC 1240
  • DePaul 1240
  • Typical ACT score
  • UIC 28
  • DePaul 28
  • Average High School GPA
  • UIC 3.41
  • DePaul 3.8
  • Typical High School Grades
  • UIC B+
  • DePaul A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • UIC Difficult
  • DePaul Difficult
  • Applicant Competition
  • UIC
  • DePaul
  • ACT Range
  • UIC 25/31
  • DePaul 25/31
  • SAT Range
  • UIC 1130/1350
  • DePaul 1140/1330
  • Submit Test Scores
  • UIC Test optional
  • DePaul Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • UIC Feb 1, 2027
  • DePaul Feb 1, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • UIC 17:1
  • DePaul 17:1
  • Popular Majors
  • UIC
    • Business (16%)
    • Psychology (13%)
    • Biology (11%)
    • Social Sciences (10%)
    • Engineering (9%)
  • DePaul
    • Business (33%)
    • Communication (12%)
    • Social Sciences (10%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
    • Psychology (8%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • UIC 54%
  • DePaul 66%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • UIC $61,900
  • DePaul $56,900
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • UIC 68%
  • DePaul 62%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • UIC $18,750
  • DePaul $23,332
  • Median Loan Payment
  • UIC $193
  • DePaul $241

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • UIC 44%
  • DePaul 45%
  • % Women
  • UIC 56%
  • DePaul 55%
  • Racial Diversity
  • UIC Very High
  • DePaul High
  • HBCU
  • UIC No
  • DePaul No
  • % White
  • UIC 34%
  • DePaul 55%
  • % Asian
  • UIC 22%
  • DePaul 8%
  • % Black
  • UIC 8%
  • DePaul 8%
  • % Hispanic
  • UIC 28%
  • DePaul 18%
  • % Native American
  • UIC 0%
  • DePaul 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • UIC 0%
  • DePaul 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • UIC 3%
  • DePaul 4%
  • % International
  • UIC 2%
  • DePaul 3%
  • % Unknown Race
  • UIC 2%
  • DePaul 4%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • UIC 89%
  • DePaul 64%
  • % Out-of-State
  • UIC 4%
  • DePaul 32%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • UIC Yes
  • DePaul Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • UIC No
  • DePaul No
  • Meal Plan
  • UIC Yes
  • DePaul Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • UIC No
  • DePaul Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • UIC Yes
  • DePaul No

Comparable Facts

Compare University of Illinois Chicago in Chicago, IL with DePaul University in Chicago, IL on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

University of Illinois Chicago is larger than DePaul based on total student enrollment (33,906 students vs. 21,210 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • University of Illinois Chicago is located in Chicago, IL (Large City setting); DePaul University is in Chicago, IL (Large City setting).
  • University of Illinois Chicago is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. DePaul University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: University of Illinois Chicago 17:1; DePaul University 17:1.

UIC vs. DePaul Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UIC or DePaul? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Illinois Chicago than DePaul ($10,852 vs. $34,135).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Illinois Chicago are 13.6% lower than at DePaul University ($16,500 vs. $19,095).
  • DePaul University is 220.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than UIC (about $31,661 more per year; $45,999.00 vs. $14,338.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 53.9% higher at DePaul than at University of Illinois Chicago (about $16,115 more per year; $45,999.00 vs. $29,884.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at DePaul University than at University of Illinois Chicago (100% vs. 74%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by DePaul University students is 74.8% larger than aid received by University of Illinois Chicago students ($29,285 vs. $16,755).

UIC vs. DePaul Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UIC or DePaul? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between DePaul and UIC.

  • The typical SAT score (midpoint estimate) at University of Illinois Chicago (1240) is the same as at DePaul (1240).
  • Incoming UIC students have the same typical ACT composite (midpoint estimate; 28) as students at DePaul (28).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: University of Illinois Chicago 1130/1350; DePaul University 1140/1330.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: University of Illinois Chicago 25/31; DePaul University 25/31.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: UIC - Test optional; DePaul - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: UIC Feb 1, 2027; DePaul Feb 1, 2027.
  • Enrolled freshman DePaul students have a 0.39 point higher average high school GPA (3.8) than students at UIC (3.41).
  • UIC has a higher acceptance rate (77.4%) than DePaul (75.9%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 21.1% at UIC vs. 10.8% at DePaul.

UIC vs. DePaul Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for UIC and DePaul? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

  • DePaul University's six-year graduation rate (66%) is higher than University of Illinois Chicago's (54%).
  • Graduates from University of Illinois Chicago earn a median of about $5,000 more per year than DePaul graduates about ten years after starting college ($61,900 vs. $56,900), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, University of Illinois Chicago graduates have a $4,582 lower median loan debt than DePaul graduates ($18,750 vs. $23,332).
  • Among borrowers, UIC graduates have an estimated $48 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than DePaul graduates ($193 vs. $241).
  • More UIC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former DePaul students, three years after graduation. (68% vs. 62%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.