DePaul vs. ISU

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

DePaul ISU
Location Chicago, IL Normal, IL
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 20,917 20,683
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #251 #493
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website depaul.edu illinoisstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

DePaul ISU
Tuition (In State) $42,189 $11,840
Tuition (Out of State) $42,189 $23,681
Room & Board $16,068 $10,602
Avg Net Price $32,151 $20,551
Avg Grant Aid $26,004 $11,619
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 97%

Admission

DePaul ISU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 31,785 19,596
Admitted 22,302 16,899
Acceptance Rate 70.2% 86.2%
Enrolled % 13.3% 23.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.8 3.41
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 24/30 21/27
SAT Range 1070/1300 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 Feb 1, 2025 Apr 1, 2025

Academics

DePaul ISU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (33%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

DePaul ISU
Graduation Rate 66% 71%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $56,900 $49,000
Making Student Loan Payments 62% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,332 $22,000
Median Loan Payment $241 $227

Diversity

DePaul ISU
% Men 44% 42%
% Women 56% 58%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 55% 77%
% Black 8% 8%
% Hispanic 18% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 3% 0%
% Unknown Race 4% 0%

Students

DePaul ISU
% In-State 63% 96%
% Out-of-State 36% 3%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • DePaul University is larger than than ISU based on total student enrollment (20,917 students vs. 20,683 students)

DePaul vs. ISU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, DePaul or ISU?

  • DePaul University is 256.3% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($42,189.00 vs. $11,840.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 78.2% higher at DePaul than Illinois State University ($42,189.00 vs. $23,681.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Illinois State University than DePaul ($20,551 vs. $32,151)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois State University are 51.6% lower than costs at DePaul University ($10,602 vs. $16,068)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at DePaul University than Illinois State University (99% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by DePaul University students is 123.8% larger than aid received Illinois State University ($26,004 vs. $11,619)

DePaul vs. ISU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman DePaul students have a 0.39 point higher average high school GPA (3.8) than students at ISU (3.41)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (86.2%) than DePaul (70.2%)

DePaul vs. ISU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, DePaul 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 DePaul.

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than DePaul University (71% vs. 66%)
  • Graduates from DePaul University earn on average $7,900 more per year than ISU graduates after ten years. ($56,900 vs. $49,000)
  • Illinois State University students graduate with a $1,332 lower median federal student loan debt than DePaul graduates. ($22,000 vs. $23,332)
  • ISU graduates are paying $14 less per month on federal student loans than DePaul graduates. ($227 vs. $241)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former DePaul students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 62%)

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