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Naman Arora Study Abroad Course Specialist
Study Abroad Course Specialist
Illinois Institute of Technology (Illinois Tech) is a private research institution in Chicago, Illinois, within the Chicago metropolitan area. Admissions are relatively selective, with Illinois Tech's acceptance rate approximately 66%. It is a small-to-midsize institution with approximately 3,200 undergraduate students. Among some of the most sought-after programs at Illinois Tech are Engineering, Computer Science, Architecture, Business, and Biological Sciences. The six-year graduation rate is approximately 70%, and the median earnings of alumni are around INR 74,00,000 or USD 88,000 a decade post-graduation.
University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign (UIUC) is a public research university located in the twin cities of Urbana and Champaign, Illinois, within the Champaign–Urbana metropolitan area. The admissions are moderately competitive, with UIUC's acceptance rate being around 45%. It is a large university with around 34,000 undergraduates. Some of the most sought-after programs at UIUC are Engineering, Computer Science, Business, Social Sciences, and Biological Sciences. UIUC's six-year graduation rate is approximately 85%, and graduates earn median salaries of approximately INR 65,00,000 or USD 77,000 ten years after graduation.
| Illinois Institute of Technology | University of Illinois | |
|---|---|---|
| Collegedunia Score | 4.1 Out of 10 | 6 Out of 10 |
| ranking (overall) | # 591 QS World University 2026 # 351 Times Higher Education 2025 # 595 Center for World University Rankings 2025 | # 70 QS World University 2026 # 22 Center for World University Rankings 2025 # 46 Times Higher Education 2025 |
| Subject Strength | # 251 for Engineering by Times Higher Education 2025 # 107 for Law by US News 2025 | # 8 for Engineering by US News 2025 # 21 for Data Science and Analytics by QS World University 2025 # 201 for Medicine by QS World University 2025 |
| Programs | UG Programs -42 PG Programs -61 Doctorate Programs -4 | UG Programs -162 PG Programs -104 Doctorate Programs -4 |
| Acceptance Rate | 55.4 % | 43.7 % |
| Exam Score | GRE-300 IELTS-6.5 PTE-63 SAT-1230 TOEFL-80 | IELTS-6.5 SAT-1340 TOEFL-79 |
| Cost to Study | Average Tuition Fees 48670 [For UG Program] Average Tuition Fees 53262 [For PG Program] Hostel + Meal - 24382 Per Year | Average Tuition Fees 43996 [For UG Program] Average Tuition Fees 27323.63 [For PG Program] Hostel + Meal - 14522 Per Year |
| placement (average package) | Average salary 60,000 USD; Top recruiters: Enablon, Prada, Motorola Inc., Ferrovial Agroman, J.P. Morgan Chase & Co.; Masters in Science- 108,000 USD; Masters (Others)- 85,000 USD. | 89% of graduates were employed or were working within 6 months of graduation. 5,700+ companies visited for campus recruitment. Average Salaries of The Degree :
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| application requirements | Academic transcripts; 2-3 LORs; Personal Statement; Resume (for Business & Clinical programs); Standardized test scores; Proof of English language proficiency | 4 years of English and 3 to 3.5 years of Maths at high school level is required for UG admission; 300 to 400 words answer to Essay questions given by university; minimum 55% in bachelors for graduate admission |
| CollegeDunia Reviews | 7.7/10 Read 8 reviews | 7.9/10 Read 19 reviews |
Top Courses Comparison
| ranking | # 107 for Law by US News 2025 # 401 for Law by Times Higher Education 2023 | # 48 for Law by US News 2025 # 101 for Law by Times Higher Education 2025 # 201 for Law by QS World University 2025 |
| exam scores | Duolingo - 115/160IELTS - 6.5/9TOEFL - 80/120 | Duolingo - 135/160IELTS - 6/9TOEFL - 104/120 |
| cost to study | Total Cost (Tuition + Living) -50850 | Total Cost (Tuition + Living) -49339 |
| application dates | Jun 15, 2024 (Application Deadline For Fall 2024 Intake) Nov 15, 2024 (Application Deadline For Spring 2025 Intake) Mar 15, 2025 (Application Deadline For Summer 2025 Intake) | Sep 1, 2024 (Application Deadline For January 2025 Intake) Apr 1, 2025 (Application Deadline For Fall 2025 Intake) |
Other Popular Comparisons
| General Facts | Illinois Institute of Technology | University of Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Type of University | University | University |
| Established | 1890 | 1867 |
| Student:Faculty Ratio | 12:1 | 21:1 |
| Male:Female | 69% Male, 31% Female | 55% Male, 45% Female |
| Location Facts | five campuses in the Chicago area. Miles Campus (main campus) located on Chicago's south side; 15 minutes from downtown and less a mile away from Lake Michigan. | UIUC is located a few hours from Chicago, Indianapolis and St. Louis in east-central Illinois in the twin cities of Champaign and Urbana. |
| Library | over 1.8 million volumes (including books, journals, newspapers, videos, DVDs, maps, microforms, government documents, etc.); Electronic resources- full-text e-journals & e-books, over 100 online research databases, etc. | UIUC Library is one of the largest public university collections with over 24 million resources. Consists of 14 million volumes in 37 unit libraries. 53,000,000 people visit the online catalog every year. |
| Campus Life | over 150 student clubs; 664+ campus events every year; 17 Varsity Sports Teams; Illinois Tech Esports; Academic Resource Center (ARC); Student Health and Wellness Center; International Center; Sports facilities- Keating Sports Center, Ed Glancy Field, Stuart Field, Chicago Lakefront Trail, Dunbar Park, XS Tennis, etc. | Campus facilities include multipurpose State Farm Center (16,500 seats); Memorial Stadium (70,000 seats), site of Big Ten Conference football games; the Activities & Recreation Center (ARC), Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, Krannert Art Museum & Kinkead Pavilion, Spurlock Museum, 4 theatres, 24 residence halls, etc. |
| Hostel | #Room & Board - $10800 #Rooms - $6842 | #Food & Housing - $14522 |
| Famous Alumni | 80,701 living alumni; Martin Cooper (Inventor of the mobile phone); Sanjay Kirloskar (Chairman & MD at Kirloskar Brothers Ltd.); Rajeev Chandrasekhar (MP, Member of the team which designed the Pentium chip, Founder of BPL Mobile); Jack Steinberger (Physicist); Helmut Jahn (American-German architect); Robert Pritzker (American businessman); Susan Solomon (Chemist); Art Paul (American graphic designer); Nandamuri Kalyan Ram (Indian Actor); Sherwood Anderson (American novelist) | One of the largest alumni networks in the USA with 470,000+ alumni. 30 Nobel laureates, 2 Turing Award winners, 1 Fields medalist, 29 Pulitzer Prizes. John Bardeen (Nobel laureate); Jawed Karim and Steve Chen (Co-founders of YouTube); Jack Welch (former CEO of General Electric); Sushanth (Indian actor) |
| City Life | Chicago- 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. | Illinois is located at the industrial belt and fertile agriculture land of USA; its economy is supported by manufacturing, agriculture, mining, transportation, and tourism sector; unemployment rate was 4.2% in March 2020; major attractions are Art Institute of Chicago, Museum of Science and Industry, and Field Museum of National History |
| Weather |
Illinois Institute of Technology vs University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Subject Strength & World Rankings (2025/2026)
Illinois Institute of Technology (Illinois Tech or IIT Chicago), a private research university located in Chicago, is well known for its Engineering, Architecture, Computer Science, and Business disciplines. It places in the =751–800 range in QS 2026 and in the ?601–800 band in THE 2025. The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), one of the flagship public universities, is invariably in the world's top 100. It places at around 85 in QS 2026 and at around 42 in THE 2025. UIUC is internationally recognized for Engineering, Computer Science, Agriculture, and Business and frequently ranks in the top 5–10 in Computer Science and Engineering in the U.S.
General Information
Illinois Tech has around 7,000 students, with a significant global presence (particularly in computer science and engineering). Its downtown Chicago campus offers students direct exposure to corporate, tech, and law centers. UIUC, on the other hand, accommodates a much greater student enrollment of around 56,000, based in Urbana-Champaign. It provides a conventional big-campus life with Division I sports and a full scope of academic programs.
Acceptance Rate & Admission
Illinois Tech is moderately selective with an acceptance rate of approximately 66%, accepting students with a mean SAT score of 1230–1400. UIUC is more selective, with an acceptance rate of approximately 43%, although much lower for some programs such as Computer Science and Engineering, where acceptance falls below 20%. Admitted UIUC students generally score 1340–1500 on the SAT.
Research Impact & Facilities
Illinois Tech focuses on applied technology, engineering, and law research, with centers such as the Ed Kaplan Family Institute for Innovation and Tech Entrepreneurship. UIUC is an internationally ranked R1 research university, with the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA), Grainger College of Engineering, and research in AI, quantum computing, agriculture, and materials science. Its worldwide reputation and research funding are far greater than Illinois Tech's.
Cost & Financial Aid
At Illinois Tech, the cost is approximately $50,000 per year, but the institution is famous for its generous merit scholarships that cut the cost in half for many students, especially internationals. UIUC tuition for residents is approximately $17,500 per year, while out-of-state and internationals pay approximately $37,000–$40,000. UIUC provides financial aid and assistantships, but more direct merit-based assistance is typically offered to undergrads at Illinois Tech.
Graduate Studies & Research
Illinois Tech alumni specialize in engineering, computer science, business, and architecture, with average mid-career earnings of about $90,000 (INR 74 lakh). UIUC alumni, particularly from its high-end engineering and CS programs, have higher paychecks, with mid-career earnings averaging close to $110,000 (INR 91 lakh). UIUC's alumni pool is large, with a heavy presence in technology, finance, academia, and Fortune 500 corporations, whereas Illinois Tech's alumni pool is denser in engineering and technology companies, particularly around the Chicago region.
