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University of Chicago
University of Chicago admits 4 of every 100 applicants — a reach school for nearly everyone applying to University of Chicago, whatever the rest of the profile says.
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University of Chicago sits in Chicago proper — a private campus woven into the city rather than walled off from it. International students are a visible presence here — 17.6% of undergraduates come from outside the U.S.
Its highest-earning path is Computer Science, where graduates median $178,068 four years out. Faculty pay averages $237,672 a year here — a rough proxy for what the school spends on the teaching itself. With 7,569 undergraduates and a residential core, weekends happen on campus — and 99.3% of first-years come back for a second year.
Submitters admitted here typically landed between 1510 and 1570 — above the IL middle for four-year schools. Put your own practice estimate on University of Chicago's range with the SAT calculator, or bring a saved GPA from the grade tools.
Admissions
Scores help here but aren't the gate. If your SAT sits inside the 1510–1570 submitter range, sending it likely helps; below it, University of Chicago's own policy says you can leave it out.
| Score | 25th | 50th | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Reading & Writing | 740 | 760 | 770 |
| SAT Math | 770 | 790 | 800 |
| ACT Composite | 34 | 35 | 35 |
Percentiles are among students who submitted scores (Fall 2023 admissions cycle).
In the Fall 2023 cycle, University of Chicago received 38,631 applications and admitted 1,849 (4.8%), with 1,626 enrolling.
How University of Chicago compares
| University of Chicago | Illinois median | National median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 4.5% | 77% | 77.2% |
| Tuition (in-state) | $70,662 | $31,360 | $19,591 |
| Median earnings (10 yr) | $91,885 | $58,572 | $53,781 |
Ten years after enrolling, the median University of Chicago student earns $91,885 — 57% above the Illinois median of $58,572 for college-goers.
Cost, size & completion
University of Chicago lists tuition at $70,662 for everyone — private schools don't do residency pricing. University of Chicago's sticker and net price can differ sharply after aid; treat $70,662 as the ceiling, not the bill.
University of Chicago enrolls 7,569 undergraduates — mid-sized, with the trade-offs University of Chicago's scale implies: more programs than a small college, more anonymity too.
95.9% of University of Chicago students finish a bachelor's within six years — 41 points above the national 54.9% — and the single best predictor that the $70,662 price above buys a degree, not just enrollment.
Top majors by earnings at University of Chicago
| Bachelor's program | Median earnings, 4 yrs after completion |
|---|---|
| Computer Science | $178,068 |
| Mathematics | $172,826 |
| Economics | $159,578 |
| Statistics | $130,189 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | $96,510 |
| Public Policy Analysis | $94,237 |
| Political Science and Government | $87,869 |
| English Language and Literature, General | $78,169 |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | $73,483 |
| Philosophy | $71,709 |
| History | $64,330 |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | $59,898 |
| Biology, General | $59,794 |
Median earnings for these 13 University of Chicago programs come from a different federal cohort than the campus-wide $91,885 above — compare rows to each other, not to that 10-year figure. 39 additional University of Chicago programs have earnings withheld under federal privacy rules.
Frequently asked questions
What GPA and test scores do you need for University of Chicago?
Among admitted students who submitted scores, the middle 50% scored 1510–1570 on the SAT. There's no published GPA cutoff — pair these ranges with the 4.5% admission rate to judge your odds.
What is University of Chicago's acceptance rate?
4.8% in the Fall 2023 cycle — 1,849 admitted from 38,631 applicants.
How much does University of Chicago cost?
At University of Chicago, published tuition is $70,662 — net price after aid usually comes in lower. That number is University of Chicago's ceiling, not a quote.
What do University of Chicago graduates earn?
Federal data puts median earnings at $91,885 ten years after enrolling. The table above breaks this down by major.
Similar colleges in Illinois
- Northwestern University — 7.7% admitted
- Chicago State University — 43.3% admitted
- The Chicago School at Chicago — 34.5% admitted
- Columbia College Chicago — 89.5% admitted
Run your own numbers
Data: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (Jun 2026), IPEDS ADM2023/HD2024. Retrieved 2026-09-01. Figures reflect the latest federal cohorts, which lag the current admissions cycle.