Illinois vs. WLC

Should I go to University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign or Wisconsin Lutheran College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Illinois or WLC 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Wisconsin Purdue ISU Michigan Georgia Tech UT Austin UIC Loyola Ohio State IU Minnesota ISU
University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign vs. Wisconsin Lutheran College comparison
University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign Wisconsin Lutheran College College 3 College 4
University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign Wisconsin Lutheran College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Illinois WLC
Location Champaign, IL Milwaukee, WI
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 56,916 1,086
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #106 #532
Religious Affiliation - Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinois.edu wlc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Illinois WLC
Tuition (In State) $12,474 $33,210
Tuition (Out of State) $30,446 $33,210
Room & Board $12,720 $11,380
Avg Net Price $14,544 $22,682
Avg Grant Aid $16,552 $23,128
% Receiving Grant Aid 54% 100%

Admission

 Illinois WLC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 63,257 1,474
Admitted 28,354 1,383
Acceptance Rate 44.8% 93.8%
Enrolled % 28.1% 22.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.79 3.54
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 29/34 22/27
SAT Range 1320/1510 1038/1243
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

Academics

 Illinois WLC
Student to Faculty Ratio 21:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (16%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Communication (19%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Biology (7%)

Outcomes

 Illinois WLC
Graduation Rate 82% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $66,500 $43,000
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $211 $258

Diversity

 Illinois WLC
% Men 54% 44%
% Women 46% 56%
Racial Diversity Very High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 48% 83%
% Black 6% 5%
% Hispanic 10% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 16% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 Illinois WLC
% In-State 71% 66%
% Out-of-State 11% 33%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign is larger than than WLC based on total student enrollment (56,916 students vs. 1,086 students)

Illinois vs. WLC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Illinois or WLC?

  • Wisconsin Lutheran College is 166.2% more expensive to attend than Illinois for in-state tuition ($33,210.00 vs. $12,474.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 9.1% higher at WLC than University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign ($33,210.00 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 WLC ($14,544 vs. $22,682)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wisconsin Lutheran College are 11.8% lower than costs at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign ($11,380 vs. $12,720)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Wisconsin Lutheran College than University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (100% vs. 54%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wisconsin Lutheran College students is 39.7% larger than aid received University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign ($23,128 vs. $16,552)

Illinois vs. WLC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (1305) is 204 points higher than at WLC (1101)
  • Incoming Illinois students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at WLC (24)
  • Accepted freshman Illinois students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.79) than students at WLC (3.54)
  • WLC has a higher acceptance rate (93.8%) than Illinois (44.8%)

Illinois vs. WLC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Illinois or WLC? 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 WLC and Illinois.

  • The graduation rate at Illinois is higher than Wisconsin Lutheran College (82% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign earn on average $23,500 more per year than WLC graduates after ten years. ($66,500 vs. $43,000)
  • University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign students graduate with a $4,500 lower median federal student loan debt than WLC graduates. ($20,500 vs. $25,000)
  • Illinois graduates are paying $47 less per month on federal student loans than WLC graduates. ($211 vs. $258)
  • More Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WLC students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 77%)

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