UIC vs. UNCW

Should I go to University of Illinois at Chicago or University of North Carolina at Wilmington? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UIC or UNCW 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. University of North Carolina at Wilmington comparison
University of Illinois at Chicago University of North Carolina at Wilmington College 3 College 4
University of Illinois at Chicago University of North Carolina at Wilmington
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Overview

 UIC UNCW
Location Chicago, IL Wilmington, NC
Setting Large City Midsize City
Enrollment 34,199 18,030
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #201 #361
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uic.edu uncw.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UIC UNCW
Tuition (In State) $10,776 $4,443
Tuition (Out of State) $25,126 $18,508
Room & Board $12,250 $11,346
Avg Net Price $12,614 $17,946
Avg Grant Aid $13,236 $6,579
% Receiving Grant Aid 84% 67%

Admission

 UIC UNCW
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22,791 15,792
Admitted 17,960 10,736
Acceptance Rate 78.8% 68%
Enrolled % 23.3% 22.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.56
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/31 24/28
SAT Range 1080/1310 1210/1330
Submit Test Scores Considered but not required Considered but not required
Application Deadline Feb 1, 2024 Feb 1, 2024

Academics

 UIC UNCW
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Biology (8%)

Outcomes

 UIC UNCW
Graduation Rate 54% 67%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $61,900 $44,700
Making Student Loan Payments 68% 64%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,750 $20,500
Median Loan Payment $193 $211

Diversity

 UIC UNCW
% Men 44% 34%
% Women 56% 66%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 34% 78%
% Black 8% 5%
% Hispanic 28% 7%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 3%

Students

 UIC UNCW
% In-State 89% 82%
% Out-of-State 5% 17%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Illinois at Chicago is larger than than UNCW based on total student enrollment (34,199 students vs. 18,030 students)

UIC vs. UNCW Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UIC or UNCW?

  • University of Illinois at Chicago is 142.5% more expensive to attend than UNCW for in-state tuition ($10,776.00 vs. $4,443.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 35.8% higher at UIC than University of North Carolina at Wilmington ($25,126.00 vs. $18,508.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Illinois at Chicago than UNCW ($12,614 vs. $17,946)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of North Carolina at Wilmington are 8% lower than costs at University of Illinois at Chicago ($11,346 vs. $12,250)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Illinois at Chicago than University of North Carolina at Wilmington (84% vs. 67%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Illinois at Chicago students is 101.2% larger than aid received University of North Carolina at Wilmington ($13,236 vs. $6,579)

UIC vs. UNCW Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of North Carolina at Wilmington (1162) is 70 points higher than at UIC (1092)
  • Incoming UNCW students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at UIC (24)
  • Accepted freshman UNCW students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.56) than students at UIC (3.41)
  • UIC has a higher acceptance rate (78.8%) than UNCW (68%)

UIC vs. UNCW Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at UNCW is higher than University of Illinois at Chicago (67% vs. 54%)
  • Graduates from University of Illinois at Chicago earn on average $17,200 more per year than UNCW graduates after ten years. ($61,900 vs. $44,700)
  • University of Illinois at Chicago students graduate with a $1,750 lower median federal student loan debt than UNCW graduates. ($18,750 vs. $20,500)
  • UIC graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than UNCW graduates. ($193 vs. $211)
  • More UIC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNCW students, three years after graduation. (68% vs. 64%)

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