indiana university vs university of illinois

Indiana University vs University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign (UIUC)

Subject Strength & World Rankings (2025/2026)

Indiana University Bloomington (IU) is best known for its Business (Kelley School), Informatics, Public Affairs, Music, and Social Sciences. In the QS World University Rankings 2026, IU ranks around 320, while in the THE World University Rankings 2025 it falls within the 201–250 band. The University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign (UIUC) is globally recognized as a STEM and engineering powerhouse, especially strong in Engineering, Computer Science, Data Science, Agriculture, and Business. It ranks much higher than IU, sitting at =85th in QS 2026 and in the =85th position in THE 2025, reflecting its stronger global academic and research reputation.

General Information

IU Bloomington, founded in 1820, enrolls about 48,000 students, located in a traditional college town with a strong liberal arts and international culture. UIUC, founded in 1867, enrolls over 56,000 students, located in Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, with a major focus on research and technology innovation. IU is widely considered the arts, business, and public affairs leader in Indiana, while UIUC is known as a top research hub in STEM fields, often called part of the “Public Ivy” group.

Acceptance Rate & Admission

IU Bloomington has an acceptance rate of about 82%, with admitted students typically holding GPAs of around 3.8 and SAT scores in the 1160–1380 range. UIUC is more selective, with an acceptance rate around 45–50%, depending on the program. Its Engineering and Computer Science programs are extremely competitive, admitting students with GPAs above 3.9 and SAT scores between 1340–1500.

Research Impact & Facilities

IU is an R1 research university, strong in public policy, health sciences, environmental research, and informatics. It has prestigious schools like the Luddy School of Informatics and the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, both nationally ranked. UIUC is also R1-classified but with far larger global impact, ranked among the top 20 U.S. public research universities. It has world-leading facilities like the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) and strengths in artificial intelligence, materials science, and agricultural research.

Cost & Financial Aid

IU Bloomington tuition is about $12,700 per year for in-state students and $39,000 for out-of-state/international students. UIUC is slightly more expensive, with in-state tuition at around $17,500 and out-of-state/international tuition at about $37,000–$42,000 depending on program. Both universities offer need-based and merit-based scholarships, but UIUC tends to have more STEM-specific funding, while IU has stronger support for business and arts students.

Graduate Studies & Alumni Outcomes

IU graduates thrive in business, law, government, arts, and public policy, with average mid-career salaries around $90,000 (INR 74 lakh). UIUC graduates succeed strongly in engineering, technology, consulting, and finance, with average mid-career salaries of $100,000+ (INR 82 lakh). IU’s notable alumni include Mark Cuban (entrepreneur) and Hoagy Carmichael (musician), while UIUC’s alumni include Nobel Prize winners, Fortune 500 executives, and leaders in engineering and computer science.