CSU vs. UW-Eau Claire

Should I go to Chicago State University or University of Wisconsin Eau Claire? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if CSU or UW-Eau Claire 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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Chicago State University vs. University of Wisconsin Eau Claire comparison
Chicago State University University of Wisconsin Eau Claire College 3 College 4
Chicago State University University of Wisconsin Eau Claire
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Overview

CSU UW-Eau Claire
Location Chicago, IL Eau Claire, WI
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 2,317 10,104
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #870 #565
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website csu.edu uwec.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CSU UW-Eau Claire
Tuition (In State) $7,656 $7,361
Tuition (Out of State) $7,656 $16,074
Room & Board $13,800 $9,014
Avg Net Price $6,446 $15,000
Avg Grant Aid $15,891 $4,251
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 76%

Admission

CSU UW-Eau Claire
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,404 10,403
Admitted 3,592 7,971
Acceptance Rate 48.5% 76.6%
Enrolled % 4.8% 26.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.18 3.59
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 15/19 21/26
SAT Range 750/963
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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

CSU UW-Eau Claire
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (31%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

CSU UW-Eau Claire
Graduation Rate 21% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,300 $47,900
Making Student Loan Payments 25% 76%
Median Student Loan Debt $31,250 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $323 $240

Diversity

CSU UW-Eau Claire
% Men 33% 40%
% Women 67% 60%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 3% 89%
% Black 75% 1%
% Hispanic 8% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 2%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 12% 0%

Students

CSU UW-Eau Claire
% In-State 77% 64%
% Out-of-State 20% 35%

Campus

CSU UW-Eau Claire
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

  • University of Wisconsin Eau Claire is larger than than CSU based on total student enrollment (10,104 students vs. 2,317 students)

CSU vs. UW-Eau Claire Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CSU or UW-Eau Claire?

  • Chicago State University is 4% more expensive to attend than UW-Eau Claire for in-state tuition ($7,656.00 vs. $7,361.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 110% higher at UW-Eau Claire than Chicago State University ($16,074.00 vs. $7,656.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Chicago State University than UW-Eau Claire ($6,446 vs. $15,000)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Wisconsin Eau Claire are 53.1% lower than costs at Chicago State University ($9,014 vs. $13,800)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Chicago State University than University of Wisconsin Eau Claire (93% vs. 76%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Chicago State University students is 273.8% larger than aid received University of Wisconsin Eau Claire ($15,891 vs. $4,251)

CSU vs. UW-Eau Claire Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, CSU or UW-Eau Claire? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UW-Eau Claire or CSU .

  • The average SAT score at University of Wisconsin Eau Claire (1110) is 235 points higher than at CSU (875)
  • Incoming UW-Eau Claire students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at CSU (18)
  • Accepted freshman UW-Eau Claire students have a 0.41 point higher average high school GPA (3.59) than students at CSU (3.18)
  • UW-Eau Claire has a higher acceptance rate (76.6%) than CSU (48.5%)

CSU vs. UW-Eau Claire Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CSU or UW-Eau Claire? 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 UW-Eau Claire and CSU.

  • The graduation rate at UW-Eau Claire is higher than Chicago State University (65% vs. 21%)
  • Graduates from University of Wisconsin Eau Claire earn on average $9,600 more per year than CSU graduates after ten years. ($47,900 vs. $38,300)
  • University of Wisconsin Eau Claire students graduate with a $8,000 lower median federal student loan debt than CSU graduates. ($23,250 vs. $31,250)
  • UW-Eau Claire graduates are paying $83 less per month on federal student loans than CSU graduates. ($240 vs. $323)
  • More UW-Eau Claire graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CSU students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 25%)

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