Trajecta score
+3.8 since '20Ranked #6 of 2,375
5-year trend
83.9 · #7
2020
84.0 · #14
2021
85.1 · #9
2022
86.1 · #8
2023
87.7 · #3
2024
Academic Profile
97/ 100
Career Outcomes
88/ 100
Student Success
97/ 100
Affordability
79/ 100
Academic Investment
99/ 100
Access & Equity
52/ 100
Academic Profile
97
Career Outcomes
88
Student Success
97
Affordability
79
Academic Investment
99
Access & Equity
52
AI Fit Analysis
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See how your profile stacks up at University of Chicago — predicted chances, program fit, and a personalized application strategy.
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Cost / Net Price
$90k / $15k
SAT Avg
1,554
Retention
99%
Grad Rate
95%
Admissions
Test Scores
Scores represent the midpoint of enrolled students, not a cutoff.
Finances
Tuition
In-State Tuition
$70,662
per year
Out-of-State Tuition
$70,662
per year
Aid & Debt
Pell Grant Share
15%
undergraduates receiving Pell
Federal Loan Share
5%
students borrowing
Median Debt
among completers
$15,000
Admissions Factors
Self-reported by the school in its Common Data Set (section C7) — the school's own statement of which application factors matter in its admissions decisions.
4.97
average high school GPA of enrolled freshmen (weighted) · 63% reporting
Source: Common Data Set 2024-2025, what University of Chicago reports weighing in admissions.
| Factor | Very Important | Important | Considered | Not Considered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rigor of secondary school record | Rigor of secondary school record: Very Important | |||
| Class rank | Class rank: Considered | |||
| Academic GPA | Academic GPA: Considered | |||
| Standardized test scores | Standardized test scores: Considered | |||
| Application essay | Application essay: Very Important | |||
| Recommendation(s) | Recommendation(s): Very Important | |||
| Interview | Interview: Not Considered | |||
| Extracurricular activities | Extracurricular activities: Very Important | |||
| Talent/ability | Talent/ability: Very Important | |||
| Character/personal qualities | Character/personal qualities: Very Important | |||
| First generation | First generation: Considered | |||
| Alumni/ae relation | Alumni/ae relation: Considered | |||
| Geographical residence | Geographical residence: Considered | |||
| State residency | State residency: Considered | |||
| Religious affiliation/commitment | Religious affiliation/commitment: Considered | |||
| Volunteer work | Volunteer work: Considered | |||
| Work experience | Work experience: Considered | |||
| Level of applicant's interest | Level of applicant's interest: Not Considered |
Supplemental Essays · 2026-27
school's admissions site ↗Why UChicago
Requiredthere are no strict word limits on the UChicago supplemental essays. In general ... 300-600 words for the “Why UChicago?” essay are good benchmarks, but these are rough guidelines and by no means requirements.How does the University of Chicago, as you know it now, satisfy your desire for a particular kind of learning, community, and future? Please address with some specificity your own wishes and how they relate to UChicago.
Extended Essay - Option 1
RequiredChoose 1there are no strict word limits on the UChicago supplemental essays. In general 500-700 words for the extended essay ... are good benchmarks, but these are rough guidelines and by no means requirements.Food for thought: How do thoughts eat? > Inspired by Ernest Leong, Class of 2026.
Extended Essay - Option 2
RequiredChoose 1there are no strict word limits on the UChicago supplemental essays. In general 500-700 words for the extended essay ... are good benchmarks, but these are rough guidelines and by no means requirements.The James Webb Space Telescope, launched in 2021, utilized origami-inspired techniques to compactly store and deploy its sunshield in space. Choose an artistic practice and use its principles to propose an elegant solution to a problem. > Inspired by Akhil Korra, Class of 2028
Extended Essay - Option 3
RequiredChoose 1there are no strict word limits on the UChicago supplemental essays. In general 500-700 words for the extended essay ... are good benchmarks, but these are rough guidelines and by no means requirements.Sometimes metaphors get mixed up. For one reason or another, one could say, “we'll burn that bridge when we get there” or “the world is your china shop”. Make up your own mixed metaphor. Explain how it could make sense, be understood, or even applied. > Inspired by Julia Nieberg, Class of 2029
Extended Essay - Option 4
RequiredChoose 1there are no strict word limits on the UChicago supplemental essays. In general 500-700 words for the extended essay ... are good benchmarks, but these are rough guidelines and by no means requirements.The Olympics have long celebrated the pinnacle of human athletic achievement. But what if they expanded to honor the mundane? Imagine a new Olympic event built around an everyday activity like speed dishwashing or competitive grocery bagging. How is it scored, officiated, and judged? Why is it a worthy addition? > Inspired by Ewan Smith, Class of 2028.
Extended Essay - Option 5
RequiredChoose 1there are no strict word limits on the UChicago supplemental essays. In general 500-700 words for the extended essay ... are good benchmarks, but these are rough guidelines and by no means requirements.AI: Allen Iverson. NASA, or the North American Saxophone Alliance. Share a potentially confounding, comedic, or captivating example of MIA (Mistaken Identity of Acronym) and tell us its backstory. > Inspired by Jeeho Byun, Class of 2030
Extended Essay - Choose Your Own Adventure
RequiredChoose 1there are no strict word limits on the UChicago supplemental essays. In general 500-700 words for the extended essay ... are good benchmarks, but these are rough guidelines and by no means requirements.And, as always… the classic choose your own adventure option! In the spirit of adventurous inquiry, choose one of our past prompts (or create a question of your own). Be original, creative, thought provoking. Draw on your best qualities as a writer, thinker, visionary, social critic, sage, citizen of the world, or future citizen of the University of Chicago; take a little risk, and have fun!
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Methodology
The Trajecta Score (0–100) blends six dimensions of public college data into one comparable number, then nudges it by how much data each school reports. Selectivity tiers are separate — they’re based purely on a school’s admission rate.
Read the full methodologyMedian earnings 10 years out, earnings vs. a high-school grad, and loan repayment.
Admission selectivity and the incoming class’s SAT / ACT scores.
Average net price after aid and the typical debt of graduates.
Graduation rate and first-year retention.
Instructional spending and faculty salaries per student.
Share of Pell-grant students and reliance on federal loans.
Data from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard and IPEDS. Figures are the most recent reported and may lag a year or two. This tool is read-only and not personalized — inside the Trajecta app, scores are tailored to your profile as a fit score.
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