University of Chicago acceptance rate, cost and outcomes
University of Chicago · Private nonprofit · Chicago, IL · 7,643 undergraduates (IPEDS fall 2023)
University of Chicago admitted 4.8% of applicants for fall 2023, down from 8.8% in 2013. Tuition and fees are $73,962 for every student in 2025-26.
Admit rate, 2013 to 2023
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| Fall | Admit rate | Applicants | Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 8.8% | 30,304 | 2,670 |
| 2014 | 8.8% | 27,500 | 2,409 |
| 2015 | 8.4% | 30,069 | 2,521 |
| 2016 | 7.9% | 31,484 | 2,499 |
| 2017 | 8.7% | 27,694 | 2,419 |
| 2018 | 7.3% | 32,283 | 2,345 |
| 2019 | 6.2% | 34,641 | 2,137 |
| 2020 | 7.3% | 34,350 | 2,510 |
| 2021 | 6.5% | 37,974 | 2,460 |
| 2022 | 5.4% | 37,522 | 2,039 |
| 2023 | 4.8% | 38,631 | 1,849 |
Applications went from 30,304 in fall 2013 to 38,631 in fall 2023. Admit rate = admitted ÷ applicants. Source: IPEDS fall admissions.1
What families actually pay
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| Family income | Net price / year, 2024-25 |
|---|---|
| $0 to $30,000 | $394 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $1,148 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $2,800 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $7,744 |
| Over $110,000 | $49,769 |
| Tuition and fees, all students (2025-26) | $73,962 |
| Cost of attendance (2024-25) | $94,971 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid (2024-25) | $16,776 |
Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants, for first-time full-time students with federal aid, 2024-25. Tuition is 2025-26. Source: College Scorecard.2
SAT and ACT
Middle 50% (25th to 75th percentile) of enrolled first-year students who submitted scores: 46% submitted the SAT, 30% the ACT. Source: IPEDS fall 2023.1
Similar private colleges
| College | Admit rate | Tuition and fees |
|---|---|---|
| Northwestern IL | 7.2% | $70,589 same for all |
| DePaul IL | 73.5% | $47,676 same for all |
| Loyola Chicago IL | 81.4% | $56,060 same for all |
Same state and type first, then the nearest admit rate. Fall 2023 and 2025-26 figures.
What the numbers say
For fall 2023 the University of Chicago received 38,631 applications and offered admission to 1,849 applicants, an admit rate of 4.8%.1 The rate stood at 8.8% in fall 2013, so it has fallen by 4.0 percentage points since then.1 Within that span it declined in 7 of the 10 yearly comparisons.1 Applications grew 27% while the number of admitted students fell 31%, from 2,670 in 2013 to 1,849 in 2023.1
Test scores are optional here. Among enrolled students, 46% submitted SAT scores and 30% submitted ACT scores.1 The middle 50% of SAT reading and writing scores ran from 740 to 770, with math from 770 to 800, and ACT composite scores ran from 34 to 35.1
Tuition and fees for 2025-26 are $73,962 for every student, since the university is a private nonprofit with a single price.2 That is well above the $38,325 median among the 48 private nonprofit colleges in Illinois.2 After grants, the average net price in 2024-25 was $394 for families earning $0 to $30,000, $2,800 for those earning $48,001 to $75,000, and $49,769 for those earning over $110,000.2
Of students who entered in 2019, 95% finished within 6 years, against a state median of 57%.2 First-year retention was 99% for the fall 2023 entering class.2 Graduates working 10 years after entry had median earnings of $103,872, and borrowers left with a median debt of $12,000.2
Every number on this page, with its source field
| Figure | Value | File, field, year |
|---|---|---|
| Applicants | 38,631 | IPEDS ADM2023, APPLCN, fall 20231 |
| Admitted | 1,849 | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMSSN, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled first-years | 1,626 | IPEDS ADM2023, ENRLT, fall 20231 |
| Undergraduates | 7,643 | IPEDS DRVEF2023, EFUG, fall 20234 |
| Admission policy | Selective (not open admission) | IPEDS IC2023, OPENADMP, 2023-243 |
| Test policy | Test-optional | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMCON7, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 25th percentile | 740 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR25, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 75th percentile | 770 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR75, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 25th percentile | 770 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT25, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 75th percentile | 800 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT75, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 25th percentile | 34 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM25, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 75th percentile | 35 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM75, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting SAT | 46% | IPEDS ADM2023, SATPCT, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting ACT | 30% | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTPCT, fall 20231 |
| Tuition and fees, all students | $73,962 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_IN, 2025-262 |
| Cost of attendance | $94,971 | College Scorecard, COSTT4_A, 2024-252 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid | $16,776 | College Scorecard, NPT4_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $0 to $30,000 | $394 | College Scorecard, NPT41_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $30,001 to $48,000 | $1,148 | College Scorecard, NPT42_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $48,001 to $75,000 | $2,800 | College Scorecard, NPT43_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $75,001 to $110,000 | $7,744 | College Scorecard, NPT44_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income over $110,000 | $49,769 | College Scorecard, NPT45_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Graduation rate within 6 years | 95% | College Scorecard, C150_4, 2019 entrants2 |
| First-year retention | 99% | College Scorecard, RET_FT4, fall 2023 entrants2 |
| Undergraduates with a Pell grant | 17% | College Scorecard, PCTPELL, 2024-252 |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $103,872 | College Scorecard, MD_EARN_WNE_P10, 2022-232 |
| Median federal debt of graduates | $12,000 | College Scorecard, GRAD_DEBT_MDN, FY2024-252 |
| Median tuition and fees, private nonprofit colleges, Illinois (N = 48) | $38,325 | College Scorecard, median TUITIONFEE_IN, private nonprofit bachelor's institutions, 2025-262 |
| Median graduation rate within 6 years, Illinois (N = 59) | 57% | College Scorecard, median C150_4, bachelor's institutions, 2019 entrants2 |
Sources
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS admissions files, fall 2013 to fall 2023 (IC2013, ADM2014, ADM2015, ADM2016, ADM2017, ADM2018, ADM2019, ADM2020, ADM2021, ADM2022, ADM2023). Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- U.S. Department of Education: College Scorecard, Most Recent Institution-Level Data (Most-Recent-Cohorts-Institution (release of 15 Oct 2026)). Data years: 2019 entrants, 2022-23, 2024-25, 2025-26, FY2024-25, fall 2023 entrants. Checked 25 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Institutional Characteristics 2023-24 (IC2023.zip). Data years: 2023-24. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Fall Enrollment, derived variables, fall 2023 (DRVEF2023.zip). Data years: 2023. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
AdmitFacts is not affiliated with University of Chicago, the U.S. Department of Education or NCES. Missing values are shown as Not reported, never estimated. The file field behind each figure is listed under "Every number on this page". How we build each page