In-state vs. out-of-state tuition at Illinois
The University of Illinois charges $16,004 a year in published tuition and fees for Illinois residents, about $8,002 a semester, and $35,124 a year for students from other states, about $17,562 a semester, a difference of $19,120. About 29% of first-year students came from out of state. You may pay less if receiving grants or scholarships. Compare out-of-state tuition at 100 public universities →
What makes Illinois different
- Engineering and computing at scale. The Grainger College of Engineering is one of the largest in the country, and computer engineering and computer science are among the biggest majors.
- You apply to a major. Applicants choose a major or college when they apply, so it helps to know your direction.
- A research park on campus connects students with internships at technology companies.
What Illinois students study
The most common bachelor's degrees (class of 2024): psychology (601), computer engineering (392), computer science (361), molecular and cellular biology (282), mechanical engineering (269), agricultural economics (264) and finance (262). Source: IPEDS Completions, first majors only.
You may thrive at Illinois if…
- You're drawn to engineering, computing or the sciences and want a big program around you.
- You'd enjoy a classic college town where campus is the center of life.
- You like having a huge range of classes, clubs and people.
Worth asking about
- How hard is it to switch majors after you're admitted to one?
- How large are first-year classes in your intended major?
How Illinois compares with the other Big Ten schools
Illinois is one of the conference's engineering and computing hubs, alongside Purdue. See how the 18 Big Ten schools differ.
FAQ
What is the University of Illinois acceptance rate? 36.6% for fall 2025: 30,384 of 83,045 first-year applicants were admitted, according to its Common Data Set 2025–26. Source For fall 2024 it was 42.4%.
What is the University of Illinois out-of-state acceptance rate? The University of Illinois admitted 36.6% of all first-year applicants for fall 2025, according to its Common Data Set 2025–26, and 29% of first-year students came from out of state. Out-of-state tuition and fees are $35,124 a year before aid; you may pay less if receiving grants or scholarships. Lens doesn't show a separate rate by residency for Illinois, so it's worth asking the Illinois admissions office.
Is Illinois in the Big Ten? Yes. Illinois is one of the 18 Big Ten universities.
How much does Illinois cost? Published tuition and fees are $16,004 a year in-state and $35,124 out-of-state, before any aid.
How much is UIUC tuition per semester? About $8,002 a semester for Illinois residents and $17,562 for out-of-state students, based on published yearly tuition and fees of $16,004 and $35,124 before aid.
Is UIUC an R1 university? Yes. In the 2025 Carnegie Classifications, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is an R1 university, the group with the highest research spending and doctoral degrees. What R1 means →
How many students go to UIUC? About 36,300 undergraduates (fall 2024).
Not sure a big engineering school fits you?
Lens's assessments show which kinds of colleges and majors fit you. Start with Lens →