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University of Chicago

University of Chicago is a private campus in Chicago proper — federal locale codes class it as urban. International students are a visible presence at University of Chicago — 17.6% of its 7,569 undergraduates come from outside the U.S.

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What could it cost?

Start with net price after grants, then read the published costs. Each chart names its academic year and the students it covers.

Net price by family income (partial)

key chart

Average annual cost after grants for each family-income band. These group averages are not personal price quotes.

IPEDS Income brackets, 2022–23

not reported

family income
under $30k

not reported

$30–48k

$770

$48–75k

$12,816

$75–110k

$54,800

over $110k

Only three of the five income brackets were filed for the same year at University of Chicago — this isn't a full distribution.

Average net price

$14,8602023–24Skip to data table

Average annual attendance cost after grants for the reported student group. Your own aid offer and costs may differ.

Average net price at University of Chicago fell from $23,129 (2008) to $14,860 (2023).

Average net price — data
Year	Net price
2008	$23,129
2009	$24,218
2010	$25,797
2011	$26,761
2012	$25,335
2013	$26,280
2014	$25,883
2015	$19,510
2016	$25,455
2017	$26,160
2018	$27,315
2019	$28,517
2020	$22,690
2021	$20,531
2022	$18,967
2023	$14,860

IPEDS 16 federal reports, 2008–2023

Total cost of attendance

$90,3602024–25Skip to data table

Estimated annual attendance budget before grants, including tuition, fees, housing, food and books. Not every expense is billed by the school.

Total cost at University of Chicago rose from $52,450 (2009) to $90,360 (2024).

Total cost of attendance — data
Year	Cost
2009	$52,450
2010	$55,195
2011	$57,590
2012	$59,950
2013	$62,425
2014	$64,988
2015	$67,572
2016	$70,100
2017	$72,717
2018	$75,735
2019	$78,555
2020	$81,531
2021	$81,531
2022	$84,126
2023	$86,856
2024	$90,360

IPEDS Academic-year cost 2009–2024

Tuition & fees

Skip to data table

Published tuition and fees before grants. Housing, food, books and other attendance costs are separate.

Tuition & fees — data
Year	Tuition & fees
2000	$24,807
2001	$26,475
2002	$27,825
2003	$29,238
2004	$30,729
2005	$32,265
2006	$34,005
2007	$35,868
2008	$38,492
2013	$47,514
2014	$49,380
2015	$51,351
2016	$53,649
2017	$56,034
2018	$58,230
2019	$60,552
2020	$60,552
2021	$62,241
2022	$64,260
2023	$66,939

IPEDS Published price 2000–01 to 2023–24 (not adjusted for inflation)

Cost, size & completion summary

Cost, size & completion

University of Chicago reports published tuition of $70,662 in this record. University of Chicago's $70,662 tuition excludes other attendance costs; aid can reduce the bill. Scorecard snapshot: 2026-06-10; historical charts show their own years.

University of Chicago reports 7,569 undergraduate students. Enrollment is a headcount, not a measure of teaching access.

95.9% of first-time, full-time bachelor's entrants completed at University of Chicago within six years (2026-06-10 release). This measure excludes other student groups.

Do students finish — and what comes after?

Graduation, debt and earnings cover different groups. Read each chart's entering class or fiscal period; they are not one group's journey.

Six-year graduation rate

key chart

95.9%entered Fall 2018Skip to data table

The share of first-time, full-time bachelor's entrants who completed at this institution within six years. Other students are not included.

The six-year graduation rate at University of Chicago rose from 83.4% (entered 1991) to 95.9% (entered 2018).

A six-year rate can only describe a class that entered six or more years ago — by definition the last point on the line is that old.

Six-year graduation rate — data
Year	Graduated within 6 yrs
1991 cohort	83.4%
1992 cohort	84.1%
1993 cohort	81.2%
1994 cohort	85%
1995 cohort	84.2%
1996 cohort	89.2%
1997 cohort	87.1%
1998 cohort	86.8%
1999 cohort	90.9%
2000 cohort	89.1%
2001 cohort	90.2%
2002 cohort	91.8%
2003 cohort	91.5%
2004 cohort	92.9%
2005 cohort	91.9%
2006 cohort	92%
2007 cohort	92.7%
2008 cohort	92.9%
2009 cohort	91.7%
2010 cohort	94.2%
2011 cohort	92.8%
2012 cohort	94.2%
2013 cohort	94.7%
2014 cohort	96%
2015 cohort	95.9%
2016 cohort	95.6%
2017 cohort	94.9%
2018 cohort	95.9%

IPEDS Entering cohorts 1991–2018

Median debt at exit (completers vs non-completers)

Historical student groups

key chart

Skip to data table

Median federal student loan debt when students left school, shown separately for those who completed and those who did not.

CompletedLeft without degree

Each point combines two years. Neighboring points share one year, so changes should be read with that overlap in mind.

These two-year windows closed before today's students borrowed — they describe past cohorts, not the current price of a degree.

Median debt at exit — data
Year	Completed	Left without degree
Left school in fiscal years 1997 and 1998 (FY1997/98)	$13,644	$6,125
Left school in fiscal years 1998 and 1999 (FY1998/99)	$14,500	$5,980
Left school in fiscal years 1999 and 2000 (FY1999/00)	$14,782	$6,125
Left school in fiscal years 2000 and 2001 (FY2000/01)	$14,500	$6,125
Left school in fiscal years 2001 and 2002 (FY2001/02)	$14,250	$8,042
Left school in fiscal years 2002 and 2003 (FY2002/03)	$14,500	$9,058
Left school in fiscal years 2003 and 2004 (FY2003/04)	$14,500	$6,625
Left school in fiscal years 2004 and 2005 (FY2004/05)	$14,208	$6,125
Left school in fiscal years 2005 and 2006 (FY2005/06)	$14,360	$5,700
Left school in fiscal years 2006 and 2007 (FY2006/07)	$14,000	$6,125
Left school in fiscal years 2007 and 2008 (FY2007/08)	$14,500	$6,100
Left school in fiscal years 2008 and 2009 (FY2008/09)	$13,292	$5,225
Left school in fiscal years 2009 and 2010 (FY2009/10)	$11,625	$4,500
Left school in fiscal years 2010 and 2011 (FY2010/11)	$11,685	$4,500
Left school in fiscal years 2011 and 2012 (FY2011/12)	$10,998	$4,500
Left school in fiscal years 2012 and 2013 (FY2012/13)	$11,295	$4,800
Left school in fiscal years 2013 and 2014 (FY2013/14)	$11,800	$5,500
Left school in fiscal years 2014 and 2015 (FY2014/15)	$12,229	$6,300
Left school in fiscal years 2015 and 2016 (FY2015/16)	$14,250	$6,300
Left school in fiscal years 2016 and 2017 (FY2016/17)	$15,900	$6,500
Left school in fiscal years 2017 and 2018 (FY2017/18)	$17,000	$11,417
Left school in fiscal years 2018 and 2019 (FY2018/19)	$16,378	$10,692
Left school in fiscal years 2019 and 2020 (FY2019/20)	$14,601	$7,310
Left school in fiscal years 2020 and 2021 (FY2020/21)	$15,000	$6,500

NSLDS GRAD_DEBT_MDN / WDRAW_DEBT_MDN, merged FY periods · via College Scorecard

Earnings after entry

Historical student groups

Median annual earnings after entering college, for federally aided students who were working and not enrolled when measured.

Entered: academic years 2013–14 or 2014–15

$80,870

6 years after entry

Entered: academic years 2011–12 or 2012–13

$87,164

8 years after entry

Entered: academic years 2009–10 or 2010–11

$91,885

10 years after entry

Each figure covers a different group of students who entered college in the stated years. Earnings were measured in the same two years; these are not one group followed over time.

Measured in 2020–21, adjusted for inflation to 2022 dollars. Each figure pools two entering academic years.

Treasury Pooled entering cohorts · Scorecard 2020–21 historical file

What does the admissions record show?

Rates and score ranges describe a past admissions cycle. Submitted scores are not cutoffs or a prediction of admission.

Admissions snapshot & test policies

University of Chicago admitted 1,955 of 43,612 applicants in Fall 2024. The 4.5% rate describes that application pool.

4.5%

acceptance rate · Fall 2024 admissions cycle

rate trend $66,939 tuition · 2023–24 7,569 undergraduates · Fall 2024

Test-optional (considered) · Fall 2024

400SAT range (section 25th/75th sums): 1510–15801600

Not sure where you stand? Estimate your GPA →

Admissions

University of Chicago reported scores as considered but not required for the Fall 2024 admissions cycle. For University of Chicago’s enrolled SAT submitters, Reading and Writing was 740–780 and Math was 770–800 (25th–75th percentiles). The section-percentile sums 1510–1580 are not composite-score percentiles. These are not admission cutoffs.

Check current requirements with admissions.

Score	25th	50th	75th
SAT Reading & Writing	740	760	780
SAT Math	770	790	800
ACT Composite	34	35	35

25th / 75th: a quarter of enrolled submitters scored below the first number, a quarter above the second. These are not cutoffs.

Only students who submitted scores are counted — at test-optional schools, many enrolled students aren't in this table.

Percentiles are among enrolled students who submitted scores (Fall 2024 admissions cycle).

In the Fall 2024 cycle, University of Chicago received 43,612 applications and admitted 1,955 (4.5%), with 1,726 enrolling.

Acceptance rate

4.5%Fall 2024Skip to data table

The share of applicants offered a spot — lower means more selective; read it alongside the score ranges below.

Read University of Chicago's change from 43.8% to 4.5% as a share of applications, not an explanation of admissions decisions. This describes Fall 2001 to Fall 2024.

Acceptance rate — data
Year	Acceptance rate
Fall 2001	43.8%
Fall 2002	41.5%
Fall 2003	39.6%
Fall 2004	40%
Fall 2005	40.3%
Fall 2006	40.2%
Fall 2007	38.5%
Fall 2008	27.9%
Fall 2009	27.3%
Fall 2010	18.8%
Fall 2011	16.3%
Fall 2012	13.2%
Fall 2013	8.8%
Fall 2014	8.8%
Fall 2015	8.4%
Fall 2016	7.9%
Fall 2017	8.7%
Fall 2018	7.3%
Fall 2019	6.2%
Fall 2020	7.3%
Fall 2021	6.5%
Fall 2022	5.4%
Fall 2023	4.8%
Fall 2024	4.5%

IPEDS Fall cycles 2001–2024

SAT range (section sums, 25th–75th)

1510–1580Fall 2024 · submittersSkip to data table

Sums of the reading/writing and math percentiles among enrolled submitters — not percentiles of total SAT scores or admission cutoffs.

SAT range (section sums) — data
Year	25th	75th
Fall 2001	1310	1490
Fall 2002	1310	1500
Fall 2003	1300	1510
Fall 2004	1330	1530
Fall 2005	1350	1530
Fall 2006	1370	1560
Fall 2007	1320	1530
Fall 2008	1310	1530
Fall 2009	1370	1560
Fall 2010	1400	1560
Fall 2011	1400	1570
Fall 2012	1400	1570
Fall 2013	1440	1590
Fall 2014	1435	1600
Fall 2015	1440	1600
Fall 2016	1450	1600
Fall 2017	1480	1580
Fall 2018	1470	1570
Fall 2019	1500	1570
Fall 2020	1500	1570
Fall 2021	1510	1580
Fall 2022	1500	1580
Fall 2023	1510	1570
Fall 2024	1510	1580

IPEDS Fall 2001–2024, submitters only

ACT middle 50%

34–35Fall 2024 · submittersSkip to data table

The middle half of enrolled ACT submitters, using published composite-score percentiles — not admission cutoffs.

ACT middle 50% — data
Year	25th	75th
Fall 2001	28	32
Fall 2002	31	32
Fall 2003	27	32
Fall 2004	28	33
Fall 2005	29	33
Fall 2006	29	33
Fall 2007	28	33
Fall 2008	28	33
Fall 2009	28	33
Fall 2010	30	34
Fall 2011	31	34
Fall 2012	31	34
Fall 2013	32	35
Fall 2014	32	35
Fall 2015	32	35
Fall 2016	32	35
Fall 2017	32	35
Fall 2018	33	35
Fall 2019	33	35
Fall 2020	34	35
Fall 2021	33	35
Fall 2022	34	35
Fall 2023	34	35
Fall 2024	34	35

IPEDS Fall 2001–2024, submitters only

What is the campus like?

Enrollment counts a campus population; retention follows first-years returning. Their dates and populations are shown separately.

Undergraduate enrollment

7,569Fall 2024Skip to data table

Reported undergraduate enrollment. This count does not measure class size or teaching access.

Undergraduate enrollment at University of Chicago rose from 4,215 (Fall 2002) to 7,569 (Fall 2024).

Undergraduate enrollment — data
Year	Undergraduates
Fall 2002	4,215
Fall 2003	4,325
Fall 2004	4,532
Fall 2005	4,638
Fall 2006	4,790
Fall 2007	4,898
Fall 2008	5,027
Fall 2009	5,101
Fall 2010	5,258
Fall 2011	5,377
Fall 2012	5,612
Fall 2013	5,697
Fall 2014	5,729
Fall 2015	5,869
Fall 2016	5,978
Fall 2017	6,298
Fall 2018	6,600
Fall 2019	6,800
Fall 2020	7,010
Fall 2021	7,558
Fall 2022	7,511
Fall 2023	7,540
Fall 2024	7,569

IPEDS Fall headcounts 2002–2024

First-year retention (full-time)

99%Fall 2023 cohortSkip to data table

The share of the reported first-time student group who returned the following year. This rate does not explain why others left.

First-year retention at University of Chicago has held near 99% from Fall 2002 to Fall 2023.

First-year retention — data
Year	Retention
Fall 2002 cohort	95%
Fall 2003 cohort	95%
Fall 2004 cohort	97%
Fall 2005 cohort	98%
Fall 2006 cohort	98%
Fall 2007 cohort	98%
Fall 2008 cohort	98%
Fall 2009 cohort	98%
Fall 2010 cohort	99%
Fall 2011 cohort	99%
Fall 2012 cohort	99%
Fall 2013 cohort	99%
Fall 2014 cohort	100%
Fall 2015 cohort	99%
Fall 2016 cohort	99%
Fall 2017 cohort	99%
Fall 2018 cohort	99%
Fall 2019 cohort	100%
Fall 2020 cohort	99%
Fall 2021 cohort	99%
Fall 2022 cohort	99%
Fall 2023 cohort	99%

IPEDS Full-time cohorts 2002–2023

More about University of Chicago

Faculty pay at University of Chicago averages $237,672 a year, annualized from reported monthly pay. Carnegie classes University of Chicago as a primarily residential campus of 7,569 undergraduates — and 99.3% of the reported first-time, full-time student group returned for a second year.

University of Chicago's SAT section-percentile sums are 1510–1580 — their midpoint is above the IL four-year benchmark. These are not total-score percentiles. Put your own practice estimate on University of Chicago's range with the SAT calculator, or bring a saved GPA from the grade tools.

Why some charts are marked “key chart”

key chart

Start with three useful questions: what costs were reported for families in your income band, how many first-time full-time students finished, and what federal debt borrowers held when leaving.

How University of Chicago compares

State and national medians cover active bachelor-primary institutions, mixing public and private schools. Tuition uses in-state rates at public schools. These are broad reference points, not a ranking of similar schools or your likely bill.

Scorecard dates identify the release snapshot, not a shared measurement year. Earnings describe federally aided students who were working and not enrolled ten years after entry; cohorts and populations differ from the admissions and tuition figures.

Acceptance rate

Fall 2024 admissions cycle · IPEDS

University of Chicago4.5%

Illinois median77%

National median76.8%

Tuition

Scorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot · published tuition before aid

University of Chicago$70,662

Illinois median$31,360

National median$19,591

Median earnings (10 yr)

Ten years after entry · Scorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot

University of Chicago's snapshot: calendar years and dollar basis unverified.

University of Chicago$91,885

Illinois median$58,572

National median$53,781

View comparison data & dates

University of Chicago, Illinois and national reference values
Metric & basis	University of Chicago	Illinois median	National median
Acceptance rateFall 2024 admissions cycle · IPEDS	4.5%	77%	76.8%
TuitionScorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot · published tuition before aid	$70,662	$31,360	$19,591
Median earnings (10 yr)Ten years after entry · Scorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot	$91,885	$58,572	$53,781

Published earnings by bachelor's field of study

For University of Chicago, these are federal subject groups (CIP), not departments. Median is the middle annual income.

University of Chicago federal-aid recipients · graduated 2017–18 or 2018–19 · income measured 2022 or 2023 · inflation-adjusted to 2024 dollars. Definitions and limits.

View 13 fields & earnings

Bachelor's field of study (CIP category)	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

These 13 fields listed for University of Chicago measure earnings after completion. The $91,885 institution-level snapshot above measures earnings after entry; it is not the same cohort or a total for these fields. 39 additional University of Chicago fields have earnings withheld under federal privacy rules.

Frequently asked questions

What test-score data does University of Chicago report?

University of Chicago's enrolled submitters had SAT section-percentile sums of 1510–1580 in Fall 2024. These are not total-score percentiles or a GPA requirement.

What is University of Chicago's acceptance rate?

4.5% in the Fall 2024 cycle — 1,955 admitted from 43,612 applicants.

How much does University of Chicago cost?

At University of Chicago, tuition is $70,662. Tuition is not the total cost of attendance; aid can reduce your bill.

What earnings data does University of Chicago report?

Median earnings ten years after entry: $91,885. Major figures measure four years after completion. Source and date limits.

Similar colleges in Illinois

Northwestern University — 7.7% admitted
Chicago State University — 43.3% admitted
The Chicago School at Chicago
Columbia College Chicago — 89.5% admitted

Run your own numbers

Data: IPEDS ADM2024 (Fall 2024 admissions, provisional) · IPEDS HD2024/IC2024 directory · College Scorecard 2026-06-10 release (institution and field-of-study files; earnings from Treasury records). Retrieved 2026-09-01. Chart dates follow this institution's available observations; the release date is not an academic year or an earnings year. Some records end earlier than others. Field-of-study cohort dates are shown with the table. Read the date and population definitions.