Champaign, IL · 36.3k students
Trajecta score
+4.9 since '20Ranked #67 of 2,375
5-year trend
69.5 · #78
2020
72.0 · #85
2021
73.4 · #71
2022
73.3 · #79
2023
74.4 · #72
2024
Academic Profile
67/ 100
Career Outcomes
83/ 100
Student Success
81/ 100
Affordability
73/ 100
Academic Investment
85/ 100
Access & Equity
40/ 100
Academic Profile
67
Career Outcomes
83
Student Success
81
Affordability
73
Academic Investment
85
Access & Equity
40
AI Fit Analysis
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Cost / Net Price
$34k / $14k
SAT Avg
1,440
Retention
95%
Grad Rate
85%
Admissions
Test Scores
Scores represent the midpoint of enrolled students, not a cutoff.
Finances
Tuition
In-State Tuition
$16,004
per year
Out-of-State Tuition
$35,124
per year
Out-of-state premium: +$19,120/yr
Aid & Debt
Pell Grant Share
23%
undergraduates receiving Pell
Federal Loan Share
27%
students borrowing
Median Debt
among completers
$19,500
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.
Source: Common Data Set 2024-2025, what University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign 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: Not Considered | |||
| Academic GPA | Academic GPA: Very Important | |||
| Standardized test scores | Standardized test scores: Considered | |||
| Application essay | Application essay: Important | |||
| Recommendation(s) | Recommendation(s): Not Considered | |||
| Interview | Interview: Not Considered | |||
| Extracurricular activities | Extracurricular activities: Important | |||
| Talent/ability | Talent/ability: Important | |||
| Character/personal qualities | Character/personal qualities: Important | |||
| First generation | First generation: Important | |||
| Alumni/ae relation | Alumni/ae relation: Not Considered | |||
| Geographical residence | Geographical residence: Considered | |||
| State residency | State residency: Considered | |||
| Religious affiliation/commitment | Religious affiliation/commitment: Not 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 · 2025-26
school's admissions site ↗Major-Specific Prompt 1 (applicants with a declared major)
Requiredapproximately 150 wordsExplain, in detail, an experience you've had in the past 3 to 4 years related to your first-choice major. This can be an experience from an extracurricular activity, in a class you've taken, or through something else.
Major-Specific Prompt 2 (applicants with a declared major)
Requiredapproximately 150 wordsDescribe your personal and/or career goals after graduating from Illinois and how your selected first-choice major will help you achieve them.
Undeclared Program Prompt 1 (applicants to the Division of Exploratory Studies)
Requiredapproximately 150 wordsWhat are your academic interests? Please include 2-3 majors you're considering at Illinois and why.
Undeclared Program Prompt 2 (applicants to the Division of Exploratory Studies)
Requiredapproximately 150 wordsWhat are your future career or academic goals? You may include courses you took in high school and how these impacted your goals.
Second-Choice Major Prompt (only if a second-choice major, including Undeclared, was selected)
Requiredapproximately 150 wordsPlease explain your interest in your second-choice major or your overall academic or career goals.
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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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