Career orientation
highhealth sciences, engineering, business, architecture, public policy, and the liberal arts create visible professional pathways.
COLLEGE FIT GUIDE
Evidence checked · 2026-10-06
University of Illinois Chicago
University of Illinois Chicago is a large urban public research university with strengths in health sciences, engineering, business, architecture, public policy, and the liberal arts. A diverse commuter and residential population studies near downtown, major hospitals, employers, and cultural institutions.
- Undergraduate Research
- Academic choices and structure
- Separate institutional opportunity from individual access
QUICK READ
- Location
- Chicago, Illinois · Urban setting
- Undergraduate enrollment
- 22,170
- Aggregate admission rate
- 77.3%
- Average net price
- $10,974
FIT SNAPSHOT
How this environment may feel
These are directional interpretations of the college environment, not a score or universal verdict.
Learning by doing
highResearch, clinical placements, internships, and community partnerships use Chicago as a learning environment.
Urban access
highThe surrounding city provides direct institutional and employer access.
School spirit
moderateCampus traditions and student organizations provide shared entry points.
WHY IT MAY FIT
Consider University of Illinois Chicago if…
- You want Chicago access.
- You want health or professional programs.
- You want a diverse urban university.
- You want research and internships.
POSSIBLE TENSIONS
It may not fit if…
- You do not want a secluded residential campus.
- You do not want a small college.
- You do not want a classic college town.
- You do not want automatic campus cohesion.
WHAT STANDS OUT
The environment behind the name
Undergraduate Research
Research, clinical placements, internships, and community partnerships use Chicago as a learning environment.
Source: Undergraduate Research
Academic choices and structure
Programs in health sciences, engineering, business, architecture, public policy, and the liberal arts sit within a large urban public research university, with the campus setting influencing access, community, and daily life.
Source: Academics
A setting that shapes the experience
Chicago, Illinois gives students a distinct context for campus life, work, community, and recreation.
Source: Undergraduate Research
LOOK CLOSER
Questions worth asking before you decide
Use these prompts during a visit, an information session, or a conversation with a current student.
- 1
Separate institutional opportunity from individual access
University of Illinois Chicago documents substantial opportunities, but availability can differ by program, timing, prerequisites, capacity, and student initiative.
Source: Undergraduate Research
- 2
Interpret scale and selectivity carefully
Federal data report 22,170 undergraduates and an aggregate admission rate of 77.3%. These figures describe the institution, not an individual applicant’s probability or a particular program’s experience.
- 3
Use the current price for your circumstances
Federal data report an average net price of $10,974. This historical average is not a quote; residency, income, housing, aid eligibility, and program costs can materially change what a family pays.
FEDERAL CLERY DATA
Campus safety statistics, with context
Federal Clery records describe reported incidents within defined campus geography. They are not a measure of crime prevalence or an overall safety rating.
2024 reported on-campus offenses:133
Per 1,000 enrolled:3.9
Reporting campuses:7
COMPARE THE TRADEOFFS
Schools that sharpen the question
A useful comparison for students evaluating University of Illinois Chicago across academics, setting, scale, and student experience.
A useful comparison for students evaluating University of Illinois Chicago across academics, setting, scale, and student experience.
A useful comparison for students evaluating University of Illinois Chicago across academics, setting, scale, and student experience.
EVIDENCE
Sources and method
View the reviewed sources
- Undergraduate Research - University of Illinois Chicago (official, retrieved 2026-10-06)
- Academics - University of Illinois Chicago (official, retrieved 2026-10-06)
- University of Illinois Chicago institutional data - U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (federal, retrieved 2026-10-06)
Navastra interprets University of Illinois Chicago’s documented academic environment, setting, opportunities, and federal reference fields through preference dimensions. The page describes documented structures, not every student’s experience. It does not calculate an individual fit score, predict admission, or estimate a financial-aid award. Read the methodology →
Programs, policies, costs, and campus life change. Verify current details with the college ↗
PERSONALIZE THE QUESTION