University of Chicago is a well-known private university in Chicago, Illinois in the Chicago metro area. It is a mid-sized school that has 6,801 undergraduate students. Admissions are competitive, and the University of Chicago acceptance rate is around 5%. The majors available are Economics, Political Science, Social Sciences, Mathematics, and Biological Sciences. The graduation rate of six years stands at 95%, and the median starting salary received by University of Chicago graduates is about INR 1,04,76,000 (ten years post-graduation, converted from $126,500 median earnings).
Stanford University is a highly selective private university located in Stanford, California in the San Francisco Bay Area. It is a large university with 16,164 undergraduate students on enrollment. The admission process is highly competitive because the acceptance rate at Stanford is about 3.9%. Popular majors include Computer Science, Engineering, Social Sciences, Biology, and Mathematics. The six-year graduation rate is 95%, and graduates of Stanford still receive a median starting salary of around INR 1,21,61,000 (from a conversion of $146,800 median earnings ten years after graduation).
| University of Chicago | Stanford University | |
|---|---|---|
| Collegedunia Score | 8.4 Out of 10 | 9.3 Out of 10 |
| ranking (overall) | # 13 QS World University 2026 # 15 Times Higher Education 2026 # 10 Center for World University Rankings 2025 | # 3 QS World University 2026 # 5 Times Higher Education 2026 # 3 Center for World University Rankings 2025 |
| Subject Strength | # 132 for Engineering by QS World University 2025 # 28 for Data Science and Analytics by QS World University 2025 # 34 for Medicine by QS World University 2025 | # 2 for Engineering by US News 2025 # 3 for Medicine by QS World University 2025 # 1 for Law by Times Higher Education 2025 |
| Programs | UG Programs -36 PG Programs -31 Doctorate Programs -9 | UG Programs -48 PG Programs -37 Doctorate Programs -70 |
| Acceptance Rate | 0.0 % | 4.0 % |
| Exam Score | GMAT-570 IELTS-7 SAT-1080 TOEFL-80 | GMAT-630 IELTS-7 TOEFL-90 |
| Cost to Study | Average Tuition Fees 56034 [For UG Program] Average Tuition Fees 72000 [For PG Program] Hostel + Meal - 29000 Per Year | Average Tuition Fees 65286 [For UG Program] Average Tuition Fees 72420 [For PG Program] Hostel + Meal - 34320 Per Year |
| placement (average package) | University of Chicago is one of the top private universities in Chicago, United States. It is ranked #10 in QS World University Rankings 2023. Top recruiters include McKinsey & Company Inc., Amazon.com Inc., Google LLC, JP Morgan Chase & Co., Accenture, Deloitte Consulting LLP etc
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Stanford University is one of the top private universities in Stanford, United States. It is ranked #3 in QS World University Rankings 2023. Ranked #2 in Graduate Employability Rank
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| application requirements | Transcripts, English proficiency scores, Supplemental essays, teacher evaluation, GMAT/ GRE scores, Supplemental material (art work, research papers, etc.) | Supplemental Form (for a few programs); |
| Campuses and B-Schools | University of Chicago Booth School of Business | Stanford Graduate School of Business |
| CollegeDunia Reviews | 7.6/10 Read 5 reviews | 8.4/10 Read 4 reviews |
Top Courses Comparison
| ranking | # 9 for Business by Times Higher Education 2025 # 17 for Business by QS World University 2025 | # 2 for Business by US News 2025 # 3 for Business by QS World University 2025 # 3 for Business by Times Higher Education 2025 |
| exam scores | Duolingo - 135/160IELTS - 7/9PTE - 70/90TOEFL - 104/120 | GMAT - 738/800GRE - 327/340IELTS - 7/9PTE - 68/90TOEFL - 113/120 |
| documents required | #Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose | #Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose |
| application dates | Sep 16, 2025 (Round 1 Application Deadline For 2026 Intake) Dec 4, 2025 (Round 1 Decision Date For 2026 Intake) Jan 6, 2026 (Round 2 Application Deadline For 2026 Intake) Mar 26, 2026 (Round 2 Decision Date For 2026 Intake) Apr 2, 2026 (Round 3 Application Deadline For 2026 Intake) Apr 2, 2026 (Round 3 Decision Date For 2026 Intake) | Jan 7, 2026 (Round 2 Application Deadline For 2026 Intake) Apr 2, 2026 (Round 2 Application Decision Date For 2026 Intake) Apr 7, 2026 (Round 3 Application Deadline For 2026 Intake) May 28, 2026 (Round 3 Application Decision Date For 2026 Intake) Sep 9, 2026 (Round 1 Application Deadline For 2027 Intake) Dec 10, 2026 (Round 1 Application Decision DateFor 2027 Intake) |
Other Popular Comparisons
| General Facts | University of Chicago | Stanford University |
|---|---|---|
| Type of University | University | University |
| Established | 1890 | 1885 |
| Student:Faculty Ratio | 5.9:1 | 6:1:1 |
| Male:Female | 53% Male, 0% Female | 48% Male, 0% Female |
| Location Facts | A 217 acres campus located in Chicago's Hyde Park and Woodlawn neighborhood eight miles of downtown Chicago. | The campus is located in the center of the San Francisco Peninsula. Settled on 8,180 acres of land, the campus is located approx. 37 miles southeast of San Francisco and approx. 20 miles northwest of San Jose. |
| Library | UChicago Library System is the 10th largest academic library in North America comprising 6 libraries. Contains a total of 11.9 million volumes, 65,330 ft. of archives and manuscripts and 245 TB of digital archives. | With a network of 20 libraries, the Stanford University Library has a collection of 9.3 million volumes, nearly 300,000 rare or special books, 1.5 million e-books, 2.5 million audiovisual materials, 77,000 serials, nearly 6 million microform holdings, and thousands of other digital resources. |
| Campus Life | Famous campus attractions include UChicago's Metallurgical Laboratory, University of Chicago Press (largest university press in USA), Cobb Lecture Hall, Rockefeller Chapel, Gerald Ratner Athletics Center. UChicago also has over 400 Recognized Student Organizations (RSOs). | Campus landmarks include the Main Quad, Memorial Church, Cantor Center for Visual Arts, Bing Concert Hall, Stanford Mausoleum, Hoover Tower, Stanford University Arboretum, Green Library, 31 Club Sports, etc. There are over 625 student-organized groups to participate in, eight dining halls to experience the food on-campus, 2 museums, and 25 student affairs offices. |
| Hostel | #Housing and Food(4 Quarters) - $29000 | #Rent(Graduate) - $24480 |
| Famous Alumni | University boasts of about 182,000 alumni. 100 Nobel laureates, 4 Turning Award winners, 54 Rhodes Scholars, 26 Marshall Scholars, 9 Field Medalists, 52 MacArthur Fellows, 25 Pulitzer Prize winners, 20 National Humanities Medalists, 16 Billionaire graduates. Edwin Hubble (American astronomer), Bernie Sanders (US Senator), Milton Friedman (American economist), Satya Nadella (CEO of Microsoft), Larry Ellison (Founder of Oracle Corporation) | Presently, there are more than 220,000 Stanford alumni that include 83 Nobel laureates, 28 Turing Award laureates, 8 Fields Medalists, 270 Olympic medals including 139 gold medals. Larry Page (Co-founder Google); Mike Krieger (Co-founder, Instagram); Peter Thiel (Co-founder, Paypal); Gene D. Block (8th chancellor of UCLA); Derek Bok (25th president of Harvard), etc. |
| City Life | Chicago is the 3rd most populous city, 3rd largest gross metropolitan product and 2nd largest central business district in USA. Located on the shores of Lake Michigan. Home to several Fortune 500 companies (such as Boeing, McDonald's, Walgreens, Kraft Heinz, etc.). Famous landmarks include Art Institute of Chicago, Museum of Science and Industry, Navy Pier, etc. | Located in the northwest corner of Santa Clara County, Stanford is a census-designated place in California. You can explore various museums, the national zoo, enjoy delicacies of all kinds available at multicuisine restaurants, enjoy basketball games, national baseball games, Jazz music, waterfront near Georgetown, and more. The unemployment rate of the city is 5.1% |
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University of Chicago vs Stanford University
Subject Strength & Global Rankings (2025/2026)
Both Stanford and the University of Chicago are world-renowned universities, though Stanford comes in slightly higher on the overall list. Chicago ranks #13 in QS and 14th in Times Higher Education and Stanford ranks #3 in QS and 6th in Times Higher Education. By discipline, Stanford leads in Engineering & Technology, Computer Science, Natural Sciences, and Business due to its Silicon Valley surroundings. The University of Chicago leads in Economics, Law, Political Science, Sociology, and Math and frequently ranks in the top 5 worldwide in these fields, with the "Chicago School" of Economics particularly dominant.
General Information
Stanford University, established in 1885, is situated in California's Silicon Valley. It has about 16,000 students in undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools, and is globally renowned for entrepreneurship culture, inter-disciplinary research, and innovation. The University of Chicago was established in 1890 and is located in Hyde Park, Chicago. It has an enrollment of about 17,000 students and is characterized by intellectual intensity, a rigorous core curriculum for undergraduate students, and extremely competitive graduate programs, especially in the humanities, social sciences, law, and business.
Acceptance Rate & Admissions
Both are highly selective, with acceptance rates usually being 3–5%. Stanford seeks leadership, innovation potential, and interdisciplinary interest, while Chicago focuses on academic intensity, intellectual curiosity, and writing strength. Both universities get some of the most talented candidates in the world.
Research Impact & Facilities
Stanford boasts an enormous research infrastructure in the fields of AI, life sciences, engineering, sustainability, and entrepreneurship, with state-of-the-art laboratories and a close relationship with Silicon Valley industry leaders. Chicago has world-class research excellence in economics, law, political science, mathematics, and the humanities, with historic research libraries, the Booth School of Business, and distinguished social science institutes.
Cost & Financial Aid
Both are expensive private universities with both generous need-based scholarships, however, including for international students. Stanford, one of the world's richest endowments, has particularly wide-ranging resources and funding options. Chicago offers excellent support too, although on a relatively smaller scale.
Career Outcomes & Alumni Success
Stanford alumni do well in technology, entrepreneurship, venture capital, business, and the sciences, with numerous founders of startups and industry leaders among its graduates. Chicago graduates dominate academia, law, economics, public policy, and finance, boasting a Nobel Prize-winning record that is second to none, especially in economics. While Stanford dominates technology career-oriented fields and innovation, Chicago boasts unparalleled reputation in intellectual and policy circles.
