Boise State vs. ISU

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

Boise State ISU
Location Boise, ID Normal, IL
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 26,115 20,683
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #899 #493
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website boisestate.edu illinoisstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Boise State ISU
Tuition (In State) $5,532 $11,840
Tuition (Out of State) $22,869 $23,681
Room & Board $13,841 $10,602
Avg Net Price $17,724 $20,551
Avg Grant Aid $9,892 $11,619
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 97%

Admission

Boise State ISU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,795 19,596
Admitted 14,096 16,899
Acceptance Rate 83.9% 86.2%
Enrolled % 22.2% 23.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.41
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/26 21/27
SAT Range 1030/1210 1000/1210
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025 Apr 1, 2025

Academics

Boise State ISU
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Health Professions (17%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

Boise State ISU
Graduation Rate 29% 71%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,600 $49,000
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,929 $22,000
Median Loan Payment $237 $227

Diversity

Boise State ISU
% Men 42% 42%
% Women 58% 58%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 74% 77%
% Black 2% 8%
% Hispanic 11% 9%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 5% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

Boise State ISU
% In-State 59% 96%
% Out-of-State 40% 3%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Boise State University is larger than than ISU based on total student enrollment (26,115 students vs. 20,683 students)

Boise State vs. ISU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Boise State or ISU?

  • Illinois State University is 114% more expensive to attend than Boise State for in-state tuition ($11,840.00 vs. $5,532.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 3.6% higher at ISU than Boise State University ($23,681.00 vs. $22,869.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Boise State University than ISU ($17,724 vs. $20,551)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois State University are 30.6% lower than costs at Boise State University ($10,602 vs. $13,841)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois State University than Boise State University (97% vs. 93%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois State University students is 17.5% larger than aid received Boise State University ($11,619 vs. $9,892)

Boise State vs. ISU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Illinois State University (1090) is 44 points higher than at Boise State (1046)
  • Incoming ISU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Boise State (23)
  • Accepted freshman ISU students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at Boise State (3.37)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (86.2%) than Boise State (83.9%)

Boise State vs. ISU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Boise State 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 Boise State.

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than Boise State University (71% vs. 29%)
  • Graduates from Illinois State University earn on average $7,400 more per year than Boise State graduates after ten years. ($49,000 vs. $41,600)
  • Illinois State University students graduate with a $929 lower median federal student loan debt than Boise State graduates. ($22,000 vs. $22,929)
  • ISU graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than Boise State graduates. ($227 vs. $237)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Boise State students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 54%)

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