University of Illinois Chicago
Chicago, Illinois · Public · 77.3% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 85/100 · Strong Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
University of Illinois Chicago is a large public research university serving 22,170 students in the heart of Chicago, with an ROI score of 85 - Strong Value. The numbers behind that score are impressive: net price of only $10,974, median debt of just $16,704, and a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.388. Ten-year median earnings of $68,740 reflect Chicago's high-wage labor market for tech, finance, and healthcare graduates. The 62% completion rate is the weak link. Computer Science (337 graduates), Registered Nursing (270 graduates), and Finance (302 graduates) anchor the strongest parts of the earnings distribution. For in-state students in particular, UIC combines access to a major metropolitan labor market with costs that stay well below the debt trouble zone.
University of Illinois Chicago scores in the top 9% of the schools we score, with strong earnings outcomes relative to cost.
University of Illinois Chicago
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $14,338/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $29,884/yr |
| Average net price | $10,974/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $43,896 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $68,740 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $43,100 |
| Median debt at graduation | $16,704 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $177 |
| Estimated payback period | 5.5 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 61.6% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 22,170 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $14,338/year ($29,884/year out-of-state), which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $10,974/year, or roughly $43,896 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $7,529/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $25,047/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $16,704, which works out to about $177 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($43,100) and comes to 0.39, which in our view is comfortably manageable.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $7,529 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $8,119 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $10,921 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $16,185 |
| $110,001+ | $25,047 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay just $7,529 per year at UIC.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $30-48k bracket pays $8,119 and the $48-75k bracket climbs to $10,921 - the steepest jump in the income scale. The $75-110k range reaches $16,185. The slope from $48k to $110k is substantial ($5,264 jump), but absolute numbers remain reasonable. Middle-income students are getting a strong value across all brackets here.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families over $110k pay $25,047 per year - about $100,000 over four years for in-state students paying near out-of-state tuition. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.388 and 10-year earnings of $68,740 make this a solid investment even at higher income brackets. High earners in CS, nursing, or finance face the most favorable economics.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at University of Illinois Chicago with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Biology | $59,119 | C |
| Psychology | $52,736 | C |
| Computer Science | $120,470 | A |
| Finance and Financial Management | $83,218 | B+ |
| Registered Nursing | $87,037 | B+ |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $59,295 | C+ |
| Marketing | $71,293 | B |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General | $50,429 | D |
| Mechanical Engineering | $87,384 | B+ |
| Accounting | $86,088 | B+ |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Computer Science
Computer Science is UIC's highest-earning program, producing 337 graduates into Chicago's growing technology sector. Early-career median pay of $78,040 rises to $120,470 by year four. Median debt is $19,087 and the ratio is 0.245 (A grade) for this program. Chicago's technology sector has expanded dramatically as companies including global consultancies, financial tech firms, and enterprise software providers have deepened their Chicago footprints. UIC graduates benefit from proximity to employers and a strong CS alumni network. At $10,974 average net price, this program's economics are hard to beat.
Registered Nursing
Registered Nursing produces 270 graduates annually into Chicago's massive healthcare system. Early-career pay of $75,045 and four-year median of $87,037 reflect Illinois nursing wages. Median debt of $20,500 and a ratio of 0.273 (B+ grade) signal that debt is well-managed relative to earnings. Chicago-area hospitals, health systems, and specialty clinics have persistent demand for registered nurses, creating a reliably tight labor market. This program is particularly valuable for students from lower-income backgrounds: Pell recipients enter nursing at UIC with manageable debt and high starting pay.
Finance and Financial Management
Finance is one of UIC's highest-volume programs at 302 graduates annually. Early-career median pay of $55,591 reaches $83,218 by year four, with a B+ ROI grade and $17,625 in median debt (ratio 0.317). Chicago is a global hub for financial services - the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, major commodity traders, large regional banks, and insurance companies all recruit actively. Finance at UIC is a strong-value proposition for students who want Chicago's financial sector access without private school tuition.
Accounting
Accounting at UIC produces 167 graduates per year. Early-career median earnings of $65,680 and four-year median of $86,088 (B+ grade) reflect the strong CPA-track pipeline that Illinois's major accounting firms support. Median debt of $18,750 and a ratio of 0.285 make this a strong-value accounting program. The Big Four and regional accounting firms actively recruit from UIC's business programs, and Chicago's regulatory and financial complexity creates sustained demand for accounting professionals. Students with CPA track ambitions benefit from the combination of reasonable cost and access to major firm recruiting.
Electrical Engineering
Electrical Engineering produces 86 graduates annually. Chicago's industrial base - including manufacturing, utilities, and defense contractors - absorbs electrical engineers, supplemented by tech sector demand. UIC's engineering college has grown in research activity and employer partnerships. Graduates benefit from the city's concentration of engineering employers across diverse industries.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 72.5% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 76.4% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 72.7% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 76.5% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How University of Illinois Chicago’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 77.3% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 560-680 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 570-670 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 25-31 |
| Enrollment | 22,170 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 48.9% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $14,621 |
UIC admits 77% of applicants - broadly accessible for most college-ready students. The ACT 25-31 middle 50% range means the school admits a wide performance range. Completion rate data (62%) suggests real attrition.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Illinois Chicago (this school) | 85 | $10,974 | $68,740 |
| University of California-Riverside | 83 | $14,304 | $67,699 |
| University at Buffalo | 83 | $20,995 | $70,814 |
| University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus | 83 | $15,300 | $63,126 |
| Eastern Illinois University | 54 | $12,786 | $51,989 |
| Chicago State University | 16 | $12,335 | $42,778 |
Head-to-Head ROI Comparisons
See University of Illinois Chicago side by side with similar schools on ROI, cost, earnings, and debt.
Who Thrives Here
UIC admits 77% of applicants with ACT 25-31 and SAT math 560-680, reading 570-670. The Pell rate of 49% signals this is a high-access institution serving genuinely lower-income students at scale. Students who succeed here are typically motivated, city-oriented, and prepared to navigate a large urban campus without hand-holding. Engineering, nursing, and business students with clear career goals tend to get the best outcomes. The surrounding Chicago ecosystem - Fortune 500 headquarters, major hospital systems, tech firms - rewards students who pursue internships aggressively.
The Verdict: The Investment Pays Off
For most students, University of Illinois Chicago pays off. You'd pay about $10,974 a year after aid ($43,896 over four years), and the typical graduate earns $68,740 ten years after enrollment. That puts the payback - the time it takes for the earnings bump to cover what you spent - at roughly 5.5 years, a solid return.
What it has going for it: a strong earnings premium over high school graduates, manageable debt relative to earnings.
Median debt of $16,704 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $43,100 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.39, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
University of Illinois Chicago: Common Questions
Is University of Illinois Chicago worth it?
In our view, yes - for most students University of Illinois Chicago pays off. It scores 85/100 on our ROI scale. You'd pay about $10,974 a year after aid ($43,896 over four years), and the typical graduate earns $68,740 ten years after enrollment, so the cost takes roughly 5.5 years to earn back.
How much does University of Illinois Chicago cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $10,974 a year, or roughly $43,896 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do University of Illinois Chicago graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $68,740 ten years after enrolling, roughly $26,940 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off University of Illinois Chicago?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 5.5 years for University of Illinois Chicago. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do University of Illinois Chicago graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $16,704, against average earnings of $43,100 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.39. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at University of Illinois Chicago?
The six-year graduation rate is 61.6%. The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
NewsletterCollege decisions are better with data.
From CampusROI, when there is something worth acting on.
Rankings & Links
Guides & Tools
Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.