University of Chicago: Cost, Graduate Salary, Acceptance Rate and Return on Investment
University of Chicago is a private nonprofit college in Chicago, IL. Students pay about $14,860 a year in net price, and the median graduate earns $91,885 ten years after enrolling. By our Degree-ROI measure the degree pays back in about 1.6 years and adds $377,410 over a decade, ranking it #24 of 918 (top 4%) by value added.
What is University of Chicago's acceptance rate?
University of Chicago has an acceptance rate of 4.5%, which makes it highly selective. It is a private nonprofit institution in Chicago, IL enrolling about 7,569 students, with a 95.4% graduation rate.
How much does University of Chicago cost?
University of Chicago costs about $14,860 per year in average net price, what a typical student actually pays after grants and scholarships. Over four years, including typical borrowing, that totals roughly $74,440. Published sticker cost of attendance is $90,360 per year.
How much do University of Chicago graduates earn?
Ten years after enrolling, the median University of Chicago student earns $91,885 per year. That is $45,185 more than the $46,700 that the typical worker with only a high-school diploma earns.
Is University of Chicago worth it? Degree ROI and payback period
University of Chicago pays back its roughly $74,440 cost in about 1.6 years, then keeps returning the earnings premium. Over the first decade the degree adds about $377,410 net of cost, a 6.07x return on the money invested. That ranks it #24 of 918 (top 4%) by value added. Its top-tier value is driven mainly by a low net price and strong graduate earnings.
Top 10% value
University of Chicago graduation rate and student debt
95.4% of University of Chicago students complete their degree, and the median graduate leaves with $15,000 in federal student debt. That debt is about 16% of one year of median graduate earnings.
University of Chicago by the numbers (vs the typical college)
How University of Chicago compares to the median four-year college in our snapshot. Percentile is its rank among the 918 colleges that report both earnings and cost (higher is better).
| Metric | This school | Median college | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avg net price / yr | $14,860 | $20,299 | cheaper than 76% |
| Median earnings (10 yrs) | $91,885 | $54,768 | 96th |
| Graduation rate | 95.4% | 57.0% | 99th |
| Acceptance rate | 4.5% | 75.7% | more selective than 100% |
| 10-yr value added | $377,410 | -$28,192 | 97th |
| ROI multiple (per $1) | 6.07x | 0.73x | 99th |
| Payback period | 1.6 yrs | 8.8 yrs | faster than 99% |
How University of Chicago compares with its nearest rivals
University of Chicago ranks #24 of 918 by ten-year value added. The five profiled colleges closest to it in that ranking are compared below on the same federal data: none of them costs less per year and 5 of them produce higher median earnings ten years after entry.
University of Chicago is a private nonprofit college in Chicago, IL with 7,569 undergraduates. Its published cost of attendance is $90,360 a year, but the average aided family pays $14,860, an 84% discount from the sticker price. The median borrower leaves owing $15,000, equal to 16% of one year of median earnings ten years out. Getting in is the binding constraint at University of Chicago: 4.5% of applicants are admitted.
- SUNY Maritime College (Throggs Neck, NY; #23 of 918; 69.5% graduate) costs $7,507 more per year ($22,367 net), and its graduates earn $4,066 more ten years out ($95,951). SUNY Maritime College adds $2,382 more ten-year value than University of Chicago. SUNY Maritime College pays back its cost in 2.3 years.
- California State University Maritime Academy (Vallejo, CA; #25 of 918; 63.3% graduate) costs $5,695 more per year ($20,555 net), and its graduates earn $2,899 more ten years out ($94,784). University of Chicago adds $3,755 more ten-year value than California State University Maritime Academy. California State University Maritime Academy pays back its cost in 2.2 years.
- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Troy, NY; #22 of 918; 83.4% graduate) costs $21,368 more per year ($36,228 net), and its graduates earn $10,166 more ten years out ($102,051). Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute adds $7,438 more ten-year value than University of Chicago. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute pays back its cost in 3 years.
- Dartmouth College (Hanover, NH; #26 of 918; 95.8% graduate) costs $14,659 more per year ($29,519 net), and its graduates earn $5,549 more ten years out ($97,434). University of Chicago adds $5,646 more ten-year value than Dartmouth College. Dartmouth College pays back its cost in 2.7 years.
- Boston College (Chestnut Hill, MA; #21 of 918; 90.9% graduate) costs $26,844 more per year ($41,704 net), and its graduates earn $12,052 more ten years out ($103,937). Boston College adds $9,144 more ten-year value than University of Chicago. Boston College pays back its cost in 3.2 years.
| College | Value rank | Net price / yr | Earnings (10 yrs) | Graduation | 10-yr value added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston College | #21 | $41,704 | $103,937 | 90.9% | $386,554 |
| Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | #22 | $36,228 | $102,051 | 83.4% | $384,848 |
| SUNY Maritime College | #23 | $22,367 | $95,951 | 69.5% | $379,792 |
| University of Chicago | #24 | $14,860 | $91,885 | 95.4% | $377,410 |
| California State University Maritime Academy | #25 | $20,555 | $94,784 | 63.3% | $373,655 |
| Dartmouth College | #26 | $29,519 | $97,434 | 95.8% | $371,764 |
Paying for University of Chicago
Net price is what a family pays after grants, so the aid a student qualifies for moves every figure above. Our sister sites cover that side of the decision: the Pell Grant 2026-2027 guide sets out who qualifies and the maximum award, the education grants guide lists federal, state and institutional grants beyond Pell, and the best AI tools for students compares what is worth paying for once enrolled.
Frequently asked
Is University of Chicago worth the cost compared to other colleges?
By value added net of cost, University of Chicago ranks #24 of 918 (top 4%) of the 918 four-year colleges we rank, and returns about 6.07x the money invested over a decade.
Is University of Chicago expensive compared to other colleges?
Its $14,860 average net price is below the $20,299 median for the colleges in this snapshot, making it cheaper than 76% of them.
Do University of Chicago graduates earn more than average?
Median earnings of $91,885 ten years out are above the $54,768 median, higher than 96% of the colleges here.
How hard is it to get into University of Chicago compared to other colleges?
Its 4.5% acceptance rate is below the 75.7% median, making it more selective than 100% of the colleges in the snapshot.
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Federal data behind this page
What a programme costs, what its graduates earn, and what aid is available are published by federal statistical agencies rather than by any provider's marketing page, and the sources below are the primary ones. They are linked so a reader can check a figure here directly.
- College Scorecard publishes the federal cost, completion and post-enrolment earnings data used to compare programmes.
- National Center for Education Statistics is the federal statistical agency for education and the source most published figures trace back to.
- IPEDS holds the institution-level survey data behind enrolment, price and completion comparisons.
- Federal Student Aid states what aid exists, who qualifies, and what repayment actually obligates a borrower to.
- CFPB paying for college documents how education financing works and where its common traps are.
- US Department of Education sets the policy framework the accreditation and aid systems operate under.
- Department of Education laws and policy carries the rules that decide whether a provider or credential is recognised.
This page compares programmes on published data. Outcomes vary by student, and a reader's own aid package and circumstances decide what a programme actually costs them.