<p>There are several reasons why Michigan is more expensive than UIUC:</p>
<p>1) Michigan is more expensive for upper classmen than it is for Freshmen and Sophomores. Total cost of attendance for Freshmen and Sophomores this year is roughly $45,000/year, whereas it is closer to $47,000 for Juniors and Seniors.</p>
<p>2) Michigan’s cost of attendance increases annually, UIUC locks students for their four years of college. So Freshmen coming into Michigan this year will pay $45,000. However, by the time they are seniors, when you factor in annual increases in tuition and the upper-classmen premium, they will be paying over $50,000. Freshmen enterning UIUC in the fall will be paying slightly less than $45,000 (anywhere from $41,000-$44,000), but that tuition will stay the same throughout their college careers. As such, over 4 years, UIUC ends up being roughly $18,000-$30,000 cheaper than Michigan. As a side-by-side comparisonfor four years of college:</p>
<p>Michigan: $195,000
UIUC (Engineering and Sciences: $176,000
UIUC (Arts, Business, Humanities, Social Sciences): $166,000.</p>
<p>In short, Michigan is more expensive, but UIUC is not that much cheaper.</p>