University of Illinois acceptance rate and your odds of getting in
With an acceptance rate near 42%, University of Illinois is a selective public university in Illinois. Because it admits a minority of applicants, admission turns on the strength of your whole profile rather than any one number.
Use this page to see what University of Illinois weighs, where it ranks among Illinois schools, and how a profile like yours is likely to land. Admitted students post a 75th-percentile SAT around 1480, a useful checkpoint for where your scores sit, though it is a reference range and not a cutoff.
University of Illinois application deadlines, 2026-27 · University of Illinois supplemental essays, 2026-27
What do students study at University of Illinois?
Bachelor's degrees awarded by field in 2023 (IPEDS completions). Each field has its own page with the school's numbers, the model's major adjustment, and peers offering it.
Will I get into University of Illinois?
Direct answers to what applicants ask about getting into University of Illinois, plus a free way to calculate your own odds.
What are my chances of getting into University of Illinois?
University of Illinois admits roughly 42% of applicants, but that overall rate is not your personal chance. Your real odds depend on how your GPA, course rigor, test scores, and activities compare to its admitted students. Run your profile through the free CollegeCalcAI calculator to get a personalized acceptance percentage for University of Illinois in about three minutes, with no account needed to start.
Is University of Illinois hard to get into?
University of Illinois is selective: it admits a minority of applicants, with about a 42% acceptance rate. A solid academic record puts you in good position, and the rest of your profile can tip the result either way.
What GPA do you need to get into University of Illinois?
There is no hard GPA cutoff at University of Illinois, but admitted students commonly present roughly a 3.5 to 3.9 GPA. University of Illinois reads your GPA alongside the rigor of your courses, so a challenging schedule matters as much as the number itself.
Your chances at University of Illinois by GPA and SAT
Estimated chance of admission at University of Illinois for plain profiles, from the same model as the calculator. Unweighted GPA, 3 AP courses, Regular Decision, no legacy, athletic or first-generation hook. The last column is test-optional (no score sent).
What are my chances at University of Illinois with a 3.5 GPA and a 1420 SAT?
About 60% (Likely), by CollegeCalcAI's deterministic model, for an applicant with a 3.5 unweighted GPA and a 1420 SAT, the middle of University of Illinois's admitted range, applying Regular Decision without a hook. A 3.8 GPA with a 1520 SAT comes out near 80%. Courses, activities, essays and the application round move the number; the free calculator includes them.
Estimates, not guarantees. Get yours with your real courses and activities. Assistants and developers can fetch this table from the free API: /api/v1/colleges/university-of-illinois.
How to get into University of Illinois
Built from University of Illinois's admitted class and what it reports weighing. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled figures, not published cutoffs.
Here is how to get into University of Illinois, built from what its admitted class actually looks like and what the school says it weighs.
CollegeCalcAI's modeled typical admit at University of Illinois carries about a 3.54 core GPA and a 1470 SAT, in the most rigorous schedule available. Meeting it puts you in the admitted range for most applicants.
The admitted middle 50% is 1310 to 1520 SAT (30 to 34 ACT). Submit a score at 1415 or higher; below 1310, apply test-optional if the policy allows.
University of Illinois rates rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores highest in its own Common Data Set. Put your depth there: and a transcript whose rigor rises through junior year.
Most public universities read early applicants first without a binding commitment. Apply by University of Illinois's early or priority deadline (confirm dates at www.illinois.edu), and if you are out of state, know that residency changes both the bar and the price.
How many students apply to University of Illinois, and how many get in?
For the fall 2023 entering class, University of Illinois received 67,398 applications and admitted 29,446, an acceptance rate of 43.7%. 8,325 enrolled. Only about 28% of admitted students enrolled, so the school admits several students for every seat it expects to fill, which is why its acceptance rate reads higher than its selectivity feels. University of Illinois enrolls about 36,258 undergraduates in total, 48% of them women, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 20 to 1.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2023 admissions and enrollment.
What SAT and ACT scores do you need for University of Illinois?
Admitted students at University of Illinois post SAT scores of 1310 to 1520 in the middle 50%, with an average of 1440. On the ACT the middle 50% runs from 30 to 34. A score above 1520 puts you in the top quarter of admits and turns the test into an asset; a score below 1310 puts you in the bottom quarter, where the rest of the application has to carry more weight. University of Illinois is test-optional: scores are considered if you submit them but not required. Send a score at or above the middle of the admitted range; otherwise apply without one and let your transcript lead.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10.
What University of Illinois looks for
What University of Illinois weighs most heavily in its admissions review, informed by its reported Common Data Set.
In its review, University of Illinois leans most on rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores. Solid grades in a challenging schedule do most of the work here, with the rest of the application providing context. These ratings come from University of Illinois's reported Common Data Set, so the full chart below reflects what the school itself says it values, not a generic guess.
SAT score positioning at University of Illinois
How common SAT scores sit relative to the admitted middle. This is context, not a probability. Your full profile determines the real estimate.
How much does University of Illinois cost after financial aid?
The full sticker price at University of Illinois (tuition, fees, housing, food, books) is about $33,642 a year. Tuition and fees are $16,004 for IL residents and $35,124 for out-of-state students, a $19,120 gap that makes residency the single biggest lever on cost. What families actually pay is different: the average net price after grants and scholarships is $14,355 a year, and it ranges from $2,038 for families earning under $30,000 to $28,761 for families earning over $110,000. 23% of undergraduates receive a federal Pell Grant.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Net price is what students receiving aid paid after grants, by family income.
What do University of Illinois graduates earn, and how many graduate?
Median earnings for University of Illinois students ten years after entry are $81,054 ($64,802 at the six-year mark). 85% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 95% return for a second year. Among graduates who borrowed, median federal debt at graduation is $19,500; 27% of undergraduates take federal loans.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Earnings cover students who received federal aid.
How University of Illinois compares in Illinois
University of Illinois ranks #4 most selective of 37 schools in Illinois in our database.
Among the 37 Illinois schools we track, University of Illinois ranks #4 most selective by acceptance rate. Schools like University of Chicago (4%) and Northwestern University (8%) sit nearby, which makes Illinois a useful frame for calibrating a balanced list. As a public university, residency matters: in-state applicants generally see meaningfully better odds than the headline rate suggests.
Similar to University of Illinois
Schools with a similar selectivity profile, worth comparing as you build a balanced list.
Build around University of Illinois with peers at a comparable selectivity, such as NC State University, UC Davis, and University of Tennessee. Running the same profile against each one in the free calculator is the fastest way to see where you are a reach, a match, or a likely.
Frequently asked questions
What is University of Illinois's acceptance rate?
University of Illinois admitted 29,446 of 67,398 applicants for the fall 2023 entering class, an acceptance rate of 43.7% (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS). 28% of admitted students enrolled.
What SAT score do you need for University of Illinois?
The middle 50% of admitted students scored 1310 to 1520 on the SAT and 30 to 34 on the ACT. A score above 1520 is in the top quarter of admits. University of Illinois is test-optional, so only submit a score that helps.
Is University of Illinois test-optional?
Yes. University of Illinois reports that test scores are considered but not required. Submit a score at or above the middle of the admitted range; otherwise apply without one.
How much does University of Illinois cost after financial aid?
The average net price at University of Illinois, what students receiving aid paid after grants and scholarships, is $14,355 a year against a sticker price of about $33,642. Families earning under $30,000 paid about $2,038 on average.
What do University of Illinois graduates earn?
Median earnings ten years after entering University of Illinois are $81,054 a year among students who received federal aid, and 85% of students graduate within six years (College Scorecard).
What does University of Illinois value most in applicants?
Based on its admissions profile, University of Illinois weighs rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores most heavily. The full factor breakdown is on this page.
Does University of Illinois favor in-state applicants?
As a public university, University of Illinois generally admits in-state applicants at a higher rate than out-of-state applicants, so your home state affects your odds. CollegeCalcAI applies an in-state residency boost when you select your state.
How can I improve my chances at University of Illinois?
Focus on the highest-leverage parts of your application: course rigor and GPA trajectory first, then test scores, then a focused leadership or activity spike. CollegeCalcAI's Power-Ups quantify how much each change would move your odds at University of Illinois specifically.
How does residency affect admission to University of Illinois?
As a public university, University of Illinois typically admits in-state students at a higher rate, and tuition differs sharply by residency. Select your home state in the calculator to fold the in-state effect into your estimate.
Is University of Illinois a target or a reach for an average applicant?
For an applicant whose GPA and scores sit near University of Illinois's admitted range, it generally reads as a target rather than a reach. Run your exact profile through the free calculator to see your personal verdict.
Acceptance rate, application counts, admitted test ranges, cost, and outcomes reflect publicly reported federal data (U.S. Department of Education: IPEDS 2023 and the College Scorecard) and each school's Common Data Set; figures are rounded and lag the current cycle by one to two years, so confirm deadlines and policies on the school's own site. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled estimates. Estimates from CollegeCalcAI are a planning tool computed by a fixed, transparent model, not a guarantee of any admission decision.