Blackburn College vs. Western Illinois University

Should I go to Blackburn College or Western Illinois University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Blackburn College or Western Illinois University 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. Western Illinois University comparison
Blackburn College Western Illinois University College 3 College 4
Blackburn College Western Illinois University
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Overview

Blackburn College Western Illinois University
Location Carlinville, IL Macomb, IL
Setting Rural Fringe Remote Town
Enrollment 382 7,643
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #579
Religious Affiliation Presbyterian Church (USA) - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website blackburn.edu wiu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Blackburn College Western Illinois University
Tuition (In State) $26,055 $9,515
Tuition (Out of State) $26,055 $9,515
Room & Board $9,020 $10,500
Avg Net Price $21,575 $11,213
Avg Grant Aid $14,112 $15,632
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 94%

Admission

Blackburn College Western Illinois University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 783 9,219
Admitted 504 6,914
Acceptance Rate 64.4% 75%
Enrolled % 21% 15.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.23 3.45
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 16/24 18/24
SAT Range 888/1125 880/1090
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline

Academics

Blackburn College Western Illinois University
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (16%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (14%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (12%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Communication (6%)

Outcomes

Blackburn College Western Illinois University
Graduation Rate 48% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,400 $46,000
Making Student Loan Payments 58% 61%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $24,704
Median Loan Payment $268 $255

Diversity

Blackburn College Western Illinois University
% Men 44% 43%
% Women 56% 57%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 80% 62%
% Black 13% 19%
% Hispanic 2% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

Blackburn College Western Illinois University
% In-State 70% 89%
% Out-of-State 30% 10%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Western Illinois University is larger than than Blackburn College based on total student enrollment (7,643 students vs. 382 students)

Blackburn College vs. Western Illinois University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Blackburn College or Western Illinois University?

  • Blackburn College is 173.8% more expensive to attend than Western Illinois University for in-state tuition ($26,055.00 vs. $9,515.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 173.8% higher at Blackburn College than Western Illinois University ($26,055.00 vs. $9,515.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Illinois University than Blackburn College ($11,213 vs. $21,575)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Blackburn College are 16.4% lower than costs at Western Illinois University ($9,020 vs. $10,500)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Blackburn College than Western Illinois University (100% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Western Illinois University students is 10.8% larger than aid received Blackburn College ($15,632 vs. $14,112)

Blackburn College vs. Western Illinois University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Blackburn College (1005) is 35 points higher than at Western Illinois University (970)
  • Incoming Blackburn College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Western Illinois University (21)
  • Accepted freshman Western Illinois University students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.45) than students at Blackburn College (3.23)
  • Western Illinois University has a higher acceptance rate (75%) than Blackburn College (64.4%)

Blackburn College vs. Western Illinois University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Blackburn College or Western Illinois University? 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 Western Illinois University and Blackburn College.

  • The graduation rate at Western Illinois University is higher than Blackburn College (53% vs. 48%)
  • Graduates from Western Illinois University earn on average $5,600 more per year than Blackburn College graduates after ten years. ($46,000 vs. $40,400)
  • Western Illinois University students graduate with a $1,296 lower median federal student loan debt than Blackburn College graduates. ($24,704 vs. $26,000)
  • Western Illinois University graduates are paying $13 less per month on federal student loans than Blackburn College graduates. ($255 vs. $268)
  • More Western Illinois University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Blackburn College students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 58%)

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