Blackburn College vs. ISU

Should I go to Blackburn College or Illinois State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Blackburn College or ISU is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Blackburn College vs. Illinois State University comparison
Blackburn College Illinois State University College 3 College 4
Blackburn College Illinois State University
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Overview

Blackburn College ISU
Location Carlinville, IL Normal, IL
Setting Rural Fringe Small City
Enrollment 382 20,683
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #493
Religious Affiliation Presbyterian Church (USA) - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website blackburn.edu illinoisstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Blackburn College ISU
Tuition (In State) $26,055 $11,840
Tuition (Out of State) $26,055 $23,681
Room & Board $9,020 $10,602
Avg Net Price $21,575 $20,551
Avg Grant Aid $14,112 $11,619
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 97%

Admission

Blackburn College ISU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 783 19,596
Admitted 504 16,899
Acceptance Rate 64.4% 86.2%
Enrolled % 21% 23.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.23 3.41
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 16/24 21/27
SAT Range 888/1125 1000/1210
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Apr 1, 2025

Academics

Blackburn College ISU
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (16%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

Blackburn College ISU
Graduation Rate 48% 71%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,400 $49,000
Making Student Loan Payments 58% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $22,000
Median Loan Payment $268 $227

Diversity

Blackburn College ISU
% Men 44% 42%
% Women 56% 58%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 80% 77%
% Black 13% 8%
% Hispanic 2% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 0% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

Blackburn College ISU
% In-State 70% 96%
% Out-of-State 30% 3%

Campus

Blackburn College ISU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Illinois State University is larger than than Blackburn College based on total student enrollment (20,683 students vs. 382 students)

Blackburn College vs. ISU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Blackburn College or ISU?

  • Blackburn College is 120.1% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($26,055.00 vs. $11,840.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 10% higher at Blackburn College than Illinois State University ($26,055.00 vs. $23,681.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Illinois State University than Blackburn College ($20,551 vs. $21,575)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Blackburn College are 17.5% lower than costs at Illinois State University ($9,020 vs. $10,602)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Blackburn College than Illinois State University (100% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Blackburn College students is 21.5% larger than aid received Illinois State University ($14,112 vs. $11,619)

Blackburn College vs. ISU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Blackburn College or ISU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between ISU or Blackburn College .

  • The average SAT score at Illinois State University (1090) is 85 points higher than at Blackburn College (1005)
  • Incoming ISU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Blackburn College (22)
  • Accepted freshman ISU students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at Blackburn College (3.23)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (86.2%) than Blackburn College (64.4%)

Blackburn College vs. ISU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Blackburn College or ISU? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between ISU and Blackburn College.

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than Blackburn College (71% vs. 48%)
  • Graduates from Illinois State University earn on average $8,600 more per year than Blackburn College graduates after ten years. ($49,000 vs. $40,400)
  • Illinois State University students graduate with a $4,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Blackburn College graduates. ($22,000 vs. $26,000)
  • ISU graduates are paying $41 less per month on federal student loans than Blackburn College graduates. ($227 vs. $268)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Blackburn College students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 58%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/