Admit rate has ranged 55%–66% over the last 5 years — notably volatile. Source: IPEDS via Urban Institute.
Acceptance & SAT from Common Data Set / IPEDS; net price, earnings & graduation from the U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~1–2 years — verify with the school.
Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) is a tech-driven powerhouse in Chicago, where Mies van der Rohe's modernist campus meets rigorous STEM programs and a no-nonsense, career-focused student body. With a 55% acceptance rate and median starting salaries well above national averages, IIT attracts pragmatic innovators who thrive in its intense academic environment—think late-night lab sessions, not frat parties. Its prime South Side location offers urban opportunities without the distractions of a Big Ten football culture.
Admission requirements
Test-optional — scores considered if submitted
Required
High school transcript
Letters of recommendation
College-prep program
TOEFL (non-native English)
Considered (not required)
Grade point average
Class rank
Test scores (SAT/ACT)
Demonstrated competencies
Source: IPEDS Admissions survey (2022) via Urban Institute. Covers formal factors only — it does not reflect essays, extracurriculars, or other holistic criteria.
More details
Undergrad enrollment
2,833
In-state tuition
$52,386
Out-of-state tuition
$52,386
Campus Vibe
STEM-focused, urban, low-key
Acceptance Rate
54.9%
Student/Faculty Ratio
13:1
4-Year Graduation Rate
59%
Avg Debt at Graduation
$28,440
Median Salary (6 Years Out)
$70,803
Outcomes & value
Outcomes & value
Median earnings (10 yr)
$82,592
Value (earnings ÷ net price)
4.5×
Median debt at graduation
$25,000
Graduation rate
75%
First-year retention
86%
Reducing loan balance (3 yr)
80%
Pell (lower-income) share
62%
First-generation share
32%
Endowment / student
$93,118
Financial health
0.6 / 3.0Below the federal standard — financial stress
U.S. Dept. of Education Financial Responsibility Composite Score (FY2022-23). Scale −1.0 to 3.0; ≥1.5 meets the standard. Reported for private nonprofit & for-profit institutions only — public universities are state-backed and not scored, so this is a stability signal, not a ranking.
Top-earning majors
Median earnings by field of study (highest credential), ~2 years after completion.
Computer Science$78,971
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering$68,499
Computer Engineering$63,749
Architectural Engineering$63,005
Engineering-Related Fields$63,005
Civil Engineering$62,111
Campus & location
Campus safety
On-campus violent crimes (2024)
5
Per 1,000 students
1.76
On-campus criminal offenses classed as violent (murder/non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) for the most recent reported year. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Campus Safety and Security (Clery Act). Counts reflect what’s reported to the school, and urban campuses often report more partly due to non-student incidents nearby — read alongside campus size and setting, not as a standalone safety verdict.
Climate
Pleasant days / yr
88
Summer high
79°F
Winter low
23°F
Annual rain
47.2"
Annual snow
30.1"
Natural-hazard risk
Very High
Pleasant days counts days per year with a mean temperature of 55–75°F, a high at or below 90°F, a low at or above 45°F, and little precipitation — a transparent comfort measure, not a weighting we invented. Computed from Open-Meteo ERA5 daily history (2019–2023). Natural-hazard risk is the county’s composite rating from the FEMA National Risk Index.
Deep dive — research, future-scholar output & economic mobility▾
Research output
Institutional h-index
405
Scholarly works
35,088
Institutional research volume and impact from OpenAlex. The h-index reflects large research universities and will be low for teaching-focused liberal-arts colleges — not a measure of undergraduate quality.
Economic mobility
Mobility rate
3.6%
Bottom → top quintile
61%
From bottom quintile
6%
Mobility rate = the share of students who both start in the bottom household-income quintile and reach the top quintile; bottom → top is that chance conditional on starting at the bottom. Source: Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Cards (Chetty, Friedman, Saez, Turner & Yagan). Reflects 1980–82 birth cohorts, so it’s directional, not current.
Quick answers
What is the acceptance rate at Illinois Institute of Technology?
Illinois Institute of Technology's acceptance rate is approximately 55% (Chicago, IL), based on the most recent figures we compiled from public and primary sources.
What SAT score do you need for Illinois Institute of Technology?
Admitted students at Illinois Institute of Technology typically score 1180–1440 on the SAT (the middle-50% range). Scores outside this band are still admitted, especially with strong applications.
How much does Illinois Institute of Technology cost?
At Illinois Institute of Technology, the average net price (after aid) is about $18,425 per year. Actual cost varies with financial aid and residency.
How many undergraduates attend Illinois Institute of Technology?
Illinois Institute of Technology enrolls approximately 2,833 undergraduate students.
Where is Illinois Institute of Technology located?
Illinois Institute of Technology is located in Chicago, IL.
Admissions
IIT maintains a 54.9% acceptance rate, making it moderately selective—more accessible than elite tech schools but still competitive, especially for its flagship engineering and architecture programs. The middle 50% of admitted students score between 1190–1390 on the SAT or 26–32 on the ACT, though the university is test-optional (scores are considered if submitted but not required). Notably, the male/female Acceptance rateThe share of applicants a college admits in a given year. A 10% acceptance rate means it admits about 1 in 10 applicants. skews slightly: 59% of female applicants are admitted compared to 52.5% of male applicants, likely reflecting efforts to balance gender ratios in STEM fields. Applications are rolling, with a final deadline of August 1—a rare late cutoff that suggests IIT prioritizes filling seats with qualified candidates over exclusivity.
Key factors: Academic GPA, rigor of high school coursework, and STEM aptitude weigh heavily.
Demographics: Over 5,050 applications were submitted in Fall 2020, with international students comprising a significant portion of the student body.
Earnings = median of students working ~10 years after entry; debt = median of graduates. Value divides 10-yr earnings by one year’s net price — read it as earnings per dollar of annual cost, not a full lifetime ROI; it favors lower-cost schools. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~2 years and reflect all students, not your intended major.
Chemical Engineering
$62,012
Computer and Information Sciences, General$61,516
Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings). Figures cover graduates who received federal aid and lag ~2 years; not all programs report data.
IIT’s 50+ undergraduate majors are unapologetically technical, with engineering, computer science, and architecture dominating the curriculum. The most popular programs include Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science, and Aerospace Engineering, alongside niche offerings like Industrial Technology and Cybersecurity. Graduate programs (60+ options) emphasize interdisciplinary collaboration—think AI paired with law or sustainable design with business. The workload is notoriously intense: Quora reviews warn to 'get ready to study really hard,' and the lack of a robust sports culture underscores the academic focus.
Standout feature: The campus itself is a living classroom for architecture students, designed by Mies van der Rohe and dubbed a 'masterpiece' by The Princeton Review.
Teaching style: Small class sizes (student/faculty ratio of 13:1) foster close mentorship, particularly in research and lab-based courses.
This is not a party school. Reddit users describe IIT as 'small, less party-oriented'—perfect for students who prefer robotics clubs over tailgates. The South Side location provides easy access to Chicago’s internships and cultural scenes, but campus life revolves around academic clubs (esports, urban farming, dance) rather than Greek life. Housing is guaranteed, and the compact, walkable campus (praised for its 'convenience') fosters tight-knit communities among STEM grinders. Diversity is a strength, with active LGBTQ+ groups and international students contributing to a global vibe.
Quirks: The Bog (a student-run game room) stays open until 10 pm, offering respite for late-night study breaks.
Vibe: 'Historic but forward-looking,' per Niche reviews, with a mix of Miesian minimalism and student-led cosplay events.
IIT delivers on its career-prep promise: Median earnings six years post-graduation hit $70,803, far surpassing national averages. The university reports that 95% of graduates with known outcomes land jobs or pursue advanced degrees within six months, with STEM majors commanding especially high starting salaries. Debt at graduation averages $28,440—manageable given the earning potential. The 4-year graduation rate is solid but not stellar (59%), suggesting some students stretch degrees to accommodate co-ops or research.
Employer pipeline: Chicago’s tech and engineering firms (Motorola, Boeing) actively recruit on campus.
Alumni network: Tight-knit and industry-specific, particularly in engineering and architecture.
At $77,568 sticker price, IIT is expensive, but 66.99% of students receive financial aid, bringing the average Net priceWhat a family actually pays after grants and scholarships are subtracted from the sticker price — usually far less than the published cost. down to $25,001. Merit scholarships are generous, with 100% of students getting some form of grant aid (average award: $28,297). The university meets 100% of demonstrated need, though aid packages lean heavily on institutional grants rather than federal loans. Use the Net Price Calculator for a personalized estimate—just don’t expect much sympathy from alumni who insist the ROI justifies the cost.
Pro tip: IIT’s rolling admissions means earlier applicants may snag better aid packages.
IIT is Chicago’s pragmatic tech workhorse—less flashy than MIT or Caltech but fiercely practical, with a curriculum designed to turn out employable engineers and architects. Its Mies-designed campus is a modernist marvel, and its urban location provides unmatched access to internships. The student body self-selects for seriousness: If you’re the type who’d rather debug code than attend a football game, you’ll find your people here. Just brace for the workload—this is a place where 'sleep deprivation is a badge of honor,' as one Quora user quipped.
Illinois Institute of Technology logo · sourceOur Location | Illinois Institute of Technology · sourceIllinois Institute of Technology Academic Campus - Wikipedia · sourceIllinois Institute of Technology | IIT | 4K Campus Drone Tour · source
