University of Cincinnati vs. University of Louisville
A side-by-side comparison of Cincinnati and Louisville — acceptance rates (88% vs. 79%), SAT scores (1160–1340 vs. 1010–1230), tuition, financial aid, and majors, drawn from each school's official Common Data Set.
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Acceptance rate
Overall acceptance rate, plus the in-state and out-of-state admit rates the school reports separately.
Admit rate by residency
% admittedEarly admissions
Cincinnati does not offer an Early Decision or Early Action plan; all applicants apply through Regular Decision.
Standardized tests
Cincinnati is currently test-optional — you may apply without submitting scores.
SAT Accepted?
ACT Accepted?
Test Optional?
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
Class rank
Where Cincinnati's enrolled first-years placed in their high school graduating class.
Based on the 43.59% of enrolled students who reported a class rank. Cincinnati does not publish an average GPA.
Admissions factors
How Cincinnati weighs each part of your application.
Rigor of High School Record
Academic GPA
Standardized Test Scores
Application Essay
Recommendations
Extracurricular Activities
Character / Personal Qualities
Talent / Ability
First Generation
Level of Applicant's Interest
Class Rank
Volunteer Work
Work Experience
Geographical Residence
State Residency
Alumni Relation
Racial / Ethnic Status
Religious Affiliation
Cost of attendance
Estimated full-time annual cost from Cincinnati's Common Data Set. Only tuition changes with residency.
Financial aid
Need-based aid statistics for full-time first-year students.
Popular majors
Bachelor's degrees awarded in the past year by academic major.
Student-faculty ratio
The number of students for every one faculty member, indicating the average level of access students have to instructional staff.
Campus life
On-campus housing and Greek life participation rates.
Enrollment by gender
Student diversity
Racial and ethnic breakdown of enrolled undergraduate students.
Acceptance rate
Overall acceptance rate, plus the in-state and out-of-state admit rates the school reports separately.
Admit rate by residency
% admittedEarly admissions
Louisville does not offer an Early Decision or Early Action plan; all applicants apply through Regular Decision.
Standardized tests
Louisville is currently test-optional — you may apply without submitting scores.
SAT Accepted?
ACT Accepted?
Test Optional?
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
Class rank
Where Louisville's enrolled first-years placed in their high school graduating class.
Based on the 33.4% of enrolled students who reported a class rank. Louisville does not publish an average GPA.
Admissions factors
How Louisville weighs each part of your application.
Rigor of High School Record
Academic GPA
Standardized Test Scores
Application Essay
Recommendations
Extracurricular Activities
Character / Personal Qualities
Talent / Ability
First Generation
Level of Applicant's Interest
Class Rank
Volunteer Work
Work Experience
Geographical Residence
State Residency
Alumni Relation
Racial / Ethnic Status
Religious Affiliation
Cost of attendance
Estimated full-time annual cost from Louisville's Common Data Set. Only tuition changes with residency.
Financial aid
Need-based aid statistics for full-time first-year students.
Popular majors
Bachelor's degrees awarded in the past year by academic major.
Student-faculty ratio
The number of students for every one faculty member, indicating the average level of access students have to instructional staff.
Campus life
On-campus housing and Greek life participation rates.
Enrollment by gender
Student diversity
Racial and ethnic breakdown of enrolled undergraduate students.
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Cincinnati vs. Louisville: frequently asked questions
Louisville is more selective: it admits about 79% of applicants, compared with 88% at Cincinnati. Both are competitive, and your odds depend on far more than the overall rate.
The middle 50% of admitted students scored 1160–1340 at Cincinnati and 1010–1230 at Louisville on the SAT. Treat the ranges as a benchmark — a score inside or above a school's range keeps you competitive there.
Cincinnati has the lower published price for out-of-state students — $29,728 in tuition and fees versus $30,288 at Louisville, a gap of about $560 a year before financial aid.
Cincinnati graduates a higher share of its students within six years — 75% versus 61% at Louisville.
Neither — about equally. Both Common Data Sets rate the application essay considered, so the same draft does the same work in either application.
Source: University of Cincinnati Common Data Set 2025-2026. Figures transcribed 2026-08-20. In-State Cost and Out-of-State Cost are from UC Cost of Attendance. Esslo aggregates publicly reported data and is not affiliated with Cincinnati. Banner photo by Steinsky, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Source: University of Louisville Common Data Set 2024-2025. Figures transcribed 2026-06-11. Esslo aggregates publicly reported data and is not affiliated with Louisville. Banner photo by Censusdata, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0).