Stanford University vs University of Chicago: Acceptance Rate, SAT & Net Price

Stanford University is the more selective of the two, admitting 3.6% of applicants versus 4.5% at University of Chicago. For a family earning $48,001–$75,000, the average net price is about $5,290 per year at Stanford University versus $8,950 at University of Chicago. Admitted students post SAT middle-50% ranges of 1510–1570 at Stanford University and 1510–1560 at University of Chicago.

Stanford University vs University of Chicago: admissions and cost statistics from the most recent Common Data Set, IPEDS, and College Scorecard
MetricStanford UniversityUniversity of Chicago
Overall acceptance rate3.6%4.5%
Early acceptance rate7.2%17.9%
SAT middle 50%1510–15701510–1560
Avg unweighted GPA3.963.95
Yield rate82.0%86.0%
Class size1,6931,726
Net price, $48,001–$75,000 income$5,290$8,950
Net price, over $110,000 income$39,717$40,166

Admissions and cost data as of July 3, 2026 (CDS 2024–25 cycle), from the most recent Common Data Set, IPEDS, and College Scorecard. Rows appear only where both colleges report the statistic.

Frequently asked questions

Is Stanford University harder to get into than University of Chicago?

Yes. Stanford University admits 3.6% of applicants, compared with 4.5% at University of Chicago, making it the harder school to get into, based on the most recent Common Data Set.

Which is cheaper for a middle-income family, Stanford University or University of Chicago?

For a family earning $48,001–$75,000, the average net price is about $5,290 per year at Stanford University and $8,950 at University of Chicago, so Stanford University is the lower-cost option at that income level (source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard/IPEDS data).

More comparisons

California Institute of Technology vs Stanford UniversityDuke University vs Stanford UniversityHarvard University vs Stanford UniversityJohns Hopkins University vs Stanford UniversityMassachusetts Institute of Technology vs Stanford UniversityStanford University vs University of California, Berkeley

Stats compare the schools — the simulation compares you against each school's applicant pool.

Estimate your chances at Stanford University and University of Chicago