Illinois vs. NC State

Should I go to University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign or North Carolina State University at Raleigh? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Illinois or NC State 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 Urbana Champaign vs. North Carolina State University at Raleigh comparison
University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign North Carolina State University at Raleigh College 3 College 4
University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign North Carolina State University at Raleigh
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Overview

 Illinois NC State
Location Champaign, IL Raleigh, NC
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 56,563 37,323
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #120 #118
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinois.edu ncsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Illinois NC State
Tuition (In State) $12,712 $6,535
Tuition (Out of State) $31,208 $29,407
Room & Board $13,938 $13,719
Avg Net Price $14,297 $14,860
Avg Grant Aid $17,524 $11,811
% Receiving Grant Aid 48% 50%

Admission

 Illinois NC State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 67,398 40,049
Admitted 29,446 15,958
Acceptance Rate 43.7% 39.8%
Enrolled % 28.3% 35.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.79 3.83
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 29/34 28/32
SAT Range 1270/1510 1300/1460
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 5, 2025 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

 Illinois NC State
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (16%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Engineering (22%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)

Outcomes

 Illinois NC State
Graduation Rate 82% 72%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $66,500 $57,200
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 76%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $20,782
Median Loan Payment $211 $214

Diversity

 Illinois NC State
% Men 21% 14%
% Women 16% 13%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 48% 74%
% Black 6% 6%
% Hispanic 10% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 16% 4%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 Illinois NC State
% In-State 73% 85%
% Out-of-State 12% 13%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign is larger than than NC State based on total student enrollment (56,563 students vs. 37,323 students)

Illinois vs. NC State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Illinois or NC State?

  • University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign is 94.5% more expensive to attend than NC State for in-state tuition ($12,712.00 vs. $6,535.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 6.1% higher at Illinois than North Carolina State University at Raleigh ($31,208.00 vs. $29,407.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign than NC State ($14,297 vs. $14,860)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at North Carolina State University at Raleigh are 1.6% lower than costs at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign ($13,719 vs. $13,938)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at North Carolina State University at Raleigh than University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (50% vs. 48%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign students is 48.4% larger than aid received North Carolina State University at Raleigh ($17,524 vs. $11,811)

Illinois vs. NC State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (1305) is 41 points higher than at NC State (1264)
  • Incoming Illinois students have at the same average ACT score (29) as students at NC State (29)
  • Accepted freshman NC State students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.83) than students at Illinois (3.79)
  • Illinois has a higher acceptance rate (43.7%) than NC State (39.8%)

Illinois vs. NC State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Illinois or NC State? 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 NC State and Illinois.

  • The graduation rate at Illinois is higher than North Carolina State University at Raleigh (82% vs. 72%)
  • Graduates from University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign earn on average $9,300 more per year than NC State graduates after ten years. ($66,500 vs. $57,200)
  • University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign students graduate with a $282 lower median federal student loan debt than NC State graduates. ($20,500 vs. $20,782)
  • Illinois graduates are paying $3 less per month on federal student loans than NC State graduates. ($211 vs. $214)
  • More Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NC State students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 76%)

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