Illinois vs. Ohio State

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

 Illinois Ohio State
Location Champaign, IL Columbus, OH
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 56,916 60,540
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #106 #134
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinois.edu osu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Illinois Ohio State
Tuition (In State) $12,474 $11,525
Tuition (Out of State) $30,446 $35,762
Room & Board $12,720 $14,006
Avg Net Price $14,544 $19,582
Avg Grant Aid $16,552 $10,993
% Receiving Grant Aid 54% 74%

Admission

 Illinois Ohio State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 63,257 65,189
Admitted 28,354 34,370
Acceptance Rate 44.8% 52.7%
Enrolled % 28.1% 23.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.79 3.76
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 29/34 29/32
SAT Range 1320/1510 1310/1480
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, 2024 Feb 1, 2024

Academics

 Illinois Ohio State
Student to Faculty Ratio 21:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (16%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Work and Family Studies (7%)

Outcomes

 Illinois Ohio State
Graduation Rate 82% 80%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $66,500 $50,600
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $211 $222

Diversity

 Illinois Ohio State
% Men 54% 48%
% Women 46% 52%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 48% 71%
% Black 6% 6%
% Hispanic 10% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 16% 7%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

 Illinois Ohio State
% In-State 71% 66%
% Out-of-State 11% 23%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Ohio State University is larger than than Illinois based on total student enrollment (60,540 students vs. 56,916 students)

Illinois vs. Ohio State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Illinois or Ohio State?

  • University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign is 8.2% more expensive to attend than Ohio State for in-state tuition ($12,474.00 vs. $11,525.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 17.5% higher at Ohio State than University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign ($35,762.00 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 Ohio State ($14,544 vs. $19,582)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign are 10.1% lower than costs at Ohio State University ($12,720 vs. $14,006)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Ohio State University than University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (74% vs. 54%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign students is 50.6% larger than aid received Ohio State University ($16,552 vs. $10,993)

Illinois vs. Ohio State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (1305) is 10 points higher than at Ohio State (1295)
  • Incoming Illinois students have at the same average ACT score (29) as students at Ohio State (29)
  • Accepted freshman Illinois students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.79) than students at Ohio State (3.76)
  • Ohio State has a higher acceptance rate (52.7%) than Illinois (44.8%)

Illinois vs. Ohio State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Illinois or Ohio 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 Ohio State and Illinois.

  • The graduation rate at Illinois is higher than Ohio State University (82% vs. 80%)
  • Graduates from University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign earn on average $15,900 more per year than Ohio State graduates after ten years. ($66,500 vs. $50,600)
  • University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Ohio State graduates. ($20,500 vs. $21,500)
  • Illinois graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than Ohio State graduates. ($211 vs. $222)
  • More Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Ohio State students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 63%)

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