Washington University in St Louis (WashU) vs UChicago

Washington University in St. Louis and the University of Chicago, two prestigious private research universities, offer distinct educational experiences. Washington University boasts a higher acceptance rate (17%) compared to Chicago's highly selective admissions (8%). Both universities excel in various disciplines, with Washington University known for its strength in medicine, engineering, and business, while Chicago is renowned for its humanities, social sciences, and physical sciences programs. Their student bodies reflect diverse backgrounds, with Chicago having a slightly larger international student population. While Washington University has a slightly higher graduation rate (89%), both institutions ensure their students receive a top-notch education that prepares them for successful careers. Explore our comprehensive comparison table to discover more key differences and make an informed decision about which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
University of Chicago logo

University of Chicago

Washington University in St Louis logo

Washington University in St Louis

Overview

Location Chicago, Illinois Saint Louis, Missouri
Campus setting City: Large Suburb: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Quarter Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 99.0% 96.0%
Common app member Yes No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 6.5% 13.0%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $75

Graduate: $90
Undergraduate: $75

Graduate: $45
SAT range 1510 - 1580 1490 - 1570
ACT range 33 - 35 33 - 35
Students submitting SAT score 49.0% 25.0%
Students submitting ACT score 35.0% 41.0%
Total number of applicants 37,974 33,634
Total number of admissions given out 2,460 4,373
Admitted students who chose to enroll 2,053 1,980
Yield rate 83.5% 45.3%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Not required Not required
Recommendation letters Required Required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $84,126 $81,620
Average net price $33,727 $28,298
Tuition $59,256 $57,750
Room & board $17,685
Room/dormitory: $12,350

Meal plan: $5,550
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Prepaid tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

52.0%
Average amount $48,412
44.0%
Average amount $51,288
Students receiving federal student loan 6.0%
Average amount $5,265
14.0%
Average amount $4,790
Students taking out private loans 2.0%
Average amount $37,860
2.0%
Average amount $25,095

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 7,636
Men 52.2% Women 47.8%
8,034
Men 46.4% Women 53.6%
Graduate students 11,196
Men 55.1% Women 44.9%
8,939
Men 47.6% Women 52.4%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Moderate
Out-of-state students N/A 88.2%
International students 28.5% 26.1%
Campus local/setting City: Large Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity 4,584 6,826
First year students are required to live on campus? Yes No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A California Missouri New York Illinois Florida

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Business
  • Social Sciences
  • Mathematics and Statistics
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Business
  • Legal Profession
  • Engineering
  • Health Professions
  • Computer and Information Science
Students to faculty ratio 5:1 7:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 95.9% 93.1%
Dropout rate 1.7% 6.5%
Transferred out N/A N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $181,006
  • Year 2: $171,510
  • Year 3: $219,263
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $159,677
  • Year 2: $159,442
  • Year 3: $178,485
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $93,918
  • Year 2: $91,211
  • Year 3: $142,172
Statistics (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $119,416
  • Year 2: $116,083
  • Year 3: $131,549
Computer Science (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $108,094
  • Year 2: $92,277
  • Year 3: $105,545
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $82,564
  • Year 2: $85,637
  • Year 3: $96,012
Criminal Justice and Corrections (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $99,684
  • Year 2: $84,653
  • Year 3: $91,550
Public Policy Analysis (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $71,121
  • Year 2: $70,083
  • Year 3: $82,672
Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $81,753
  • Year 2: $72,022
  • Year 3: $81,130
Public Policy Analysis (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $51,165
  • Year 2: $52,663
  • Year 3: $73,510
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $89,930
  • Year 2: $99,517
  • Year 3: $149,178
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $108,627
  • Year 2: $112,270
  • Year 3: $125,369
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $83,311
  • Year 2: $91,744
  • Year 3: $123,261
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $90,605
  • Year 2: $80,755
  • Year 3: $115,101
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $92,604
  • Year 2: $85,538
  • Year 3: $96,865
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $66,886
  • Year 2: $67,995
  • Year 3: $82,126
Medicine (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $57,989
  • Year 2: $58,334
  • Year 3: $73,030
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $65,467
  • Year 2: $64,379
  • Year 3: $68,070
Public Health (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $48,193
  • Year 2: $52,107
  • Year 3: $66,777
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,699
  • Year 2: $63,997
  • Year 3: $66,289

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