Quad

Head-to-head

Illinois
Cornerstone

Key differences

The biggest gaps between these schools, largest first.

  1. 1

    Cornerstone's yield is 10 pts higher than Illinois's

    Yield rate
  2. 2

    Illinois has 6 pts more Pell recipients than Cornerstone (38% vs. 33%)

    Pell Grant recipients
  3. 3

    Illinois grads earn $5.3K more ten years out than Cornerstone's ($52,575 vs. $47,314)

    Median earnings, 10 yrs
  4. 4

    Cornerstone is a bit larger (1,298 vs. 930)

    Undergrads
  5. 5

    Cornerstone has 4 pts more first-gen students than Illinois (35% vs. 31%)

    First-generation students
  6. 6

    Illinois graduates 3 pts more of its students than Cornerstone (67% vs. 64%)

    Graduation rate

The shape of each school

Each axis is a national rank among 4-year colleges; further out = more of it.

SelectivityTest scoresSizePell shareFirst-genDiversity

Hollow dots at the center mean that measure isn't reported.

Who's hardest to get into

Cornerstone admits 78%, Illinois 78%; Cornerstone's yield is higher, at 19%.

Acceptance rate
Illinois78%
Cornerstone78%
Quad's selectivity
  • IllinoisAccessible
  • CornerstoneAccessible
SAT middle 50%Axis 800–1600
Illinois
883–1180
CornerstoneTest-blind
How they read a recordfirst-years at 3.75+
  • IllinoisGPA, school record, and prep program required
  • CornerstoneGPA and school record required

Who's on each campus

Cornerstone is a bit larger than Illinois (1,298 vs. 930 undergrads); Illinois has the larger Pell share.

Undergrads
Illinois930
Cornerstone1.3K
Pell Grant share
Illinois38%
Cornerstone33%

Majors and faculty

Exercise Physiology and Kinesiology leads at Illinois, and Elementary Education and Teaching at Cornerstone.

Students per faculty member
Illinois12 to 1
Cornerstone15 to 1
Most popular majorshare of graduates
  • IllinoisExercise Physiology and Kinesiology10%
  • CornerstoneElementary Education and Teaching7%

What each costs

Only Cornerstone reports an average cost ($24K).

Average cost, all students
IllinoisNot reported
Cornerstone$24K
Aid generosity
IllinoisNot reported
Cornerstone46%

What each pays off

Illinois's former students earn more, a median $52.6K ten years after enrolling; both graduate more than 60% within six years.

Median earnings, 10 years
Illinois$52.6K
Cornerstone$47.3K
Graduation rate
Illinois67%
Cornerstone64%

How each has changed

Applications grew at Illinois but fell at Cornerstone; both got less selective.

Applications, 10-year change
  • IllinoisGrowing+39%
  • CornerstoneShrinking−16%
All the numbersEvery figure for these colleges in one table, with differences highlighted.
Sources for this comparisonEvery dataset and year behind the numbers in this comparison; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Sources:IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;College Scorecard, Fall 2024;College Scorecard, most recent release;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2023–24;IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey, 2023–24;College Scorecard, Entered fall 2023;IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D), Fall 2024;IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field), 2024–25 graduates;College Scorecard, 2023–24;IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients), Entered fall 2018About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)

Figures are the newest each college has published; years can differ between colleges. Each value's ⓘ shows its source and year. Why