Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $90,360. College Scorecard.
Net price by family income
Average after grants and scholarships for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year
Sticker price, line by line
| Per year, living on campus | All students |
|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $70,662 |
| Housing & meals | $19,221 |
| Books & supplies | $1,800 |
| Personal & travel | $2,400 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$3,723 |
| Total cost of attendance | $90,360 |
Cost items: IPEDS 2023-24, on-campus budget. Total: College Scorecard, which averages students living on and off campus; the adjustment row reconciles the two.
Debt after graduation
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
Who gets aid
College Scorecard
Need-based and merit aid at University of Chicago
What University of Chicago reported for full-time first-year students in fall 2025. Merit aid is the money net price averages miss for families who don't qualify for need-based aid.
If you qualify for need-based aid
If you don't qualify for need-based aid
Items H2-H2A. Common Data Set 2025-26 (fall 2025 first-year students), published by the college.
University of Chicago net price compared with other Illinois colleges
University of Chicago has the 15th-lowest average net price of 52 Illinois colleges we cover. Schools around it:
| Rank | College | Avg. net price | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | $13,297 | 62% | $53,390 |
| 12 | Northern Illinois University | $13,391 | 49% | $57,808 |
| 13 | Northeastern Illinois University | $14,109 | 22% | $52,234 |
| 14 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | $14,355 | 85% | $81,054 |
| 15 | University of Chicago | $14,860 | 96% | $91,885 |
| 16 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | $14,889 | 57% | $56,346 |
| 17 | North Park University | $16,948 | 58% | $59,572 |
| 18 | Lewis University | $17,028 | 67% | $66,099 |
| 19 | Monmouth College | $17,133 | 65% | $51,110 |
College Scorecard, latest year. Average for all aided students; your price depends on income. All Illinois colleges →
Why University of Chicago costs more or less than similar schools
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Chicago | 4% | $14,860 | 96% | $91,885 | This school |
| Northwestern University | 8% | $29,167 | 95% | $89,363 | |
| Illinois Wesleyan University | 39% | $28,199 | 75% | $70,871 | |
| Illinois Institute of Technology | 55% | $18,425 | 75% | $82,592 | |
| Principia College | 44% | — | 74% | — |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
University of Chicago would cost you $14,307 less per year than Northwestern University, on average.
- Lower sticker price at University of Chicago, mostly from more University of Chicago students living at home, which lowers its average (−$1,358).
- University of Chicago gives aided families $13,417 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Illinois resident | University of Chicago | Northwestern University | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $70,662 | $68,322 | +$2,340 |
| Books & supplies | $1,800 | $1,686 | +$114 |
| Housing & meals | $19,221 | $20,334 | −$1,113 |
| Personal & travel | $2,400 | $3,273 | −$873 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$3,723 | −$2,365 | −$1,358 |
| Sticker price | $90,360 | $91,250 | −$890 |
| Average grants | −$75,500 | −$62,083 | −$13,417 |
| You pay | $14,860 | $29,167 | −$14,307 |
“+” means University of Chicago costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
University of Chicago cost questions
How much is tuition at University of Chicago?
Tuition and fees are $70,662 a year.
What is the total cost of attending University of Chicago?
The total cost of attendance, including housing, meals, books and personal costs, is $90,360 a year.
What do families actually pay at University of Chicago?
After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $14,860 a year on average. Families earning $0–30k pay $0; $48–75k pay $226; $110k+ pay $48,524.
Does University of Chicago give merit scholarships?
For fall 2025, 57 full-time first-year students with no financial need received merit scholarships or grants from University of Chicago, averaging $16,333 (Common Data Set 2025-26, excluding athletic awards).
How much debt do University of Chicago graduates have?
The median federal loan debt at graduation is $13,368, and 1.0% of borrowers defaulted within three years of entering repayment (2017 cohort).
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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By). Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote; confirm with the school's net price calculator. Back to University of Chicago overview