EIU vs. McNeese

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

 EIU McNeese
Location Charleston, IL Lake Charles, LA
Setting Remote Town Small City
Enrollment 8,804 6,060
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #714 #882
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website eiu.edu mcneese.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 EIU McNeese
Tuition (In State) $9,903 $5,147
Tuition (Out of State) $12,379 $6,647
Room & Board $11,298 $10,596
Avg Net Price $14,621 $11,393
Avg Grant Aid $11,122 $9,409
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 83%

Admission

 EIU McNeese
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,648 3,294
Admitted 7,892 2,225
Acceptance Rate 67.8% 67.5%
Enrolled % 10.4% 47.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.39 3.36
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 18/24
SAT Range 890/1110 810/1120
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline

Academics

 EIU McNeese
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (21%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
  • Health Professions (17%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Engineering (5%)

Outcomes

 EIU McNeese
Graduation Rate 59% 37%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,500 $44,000
Making Student Loan Payments 59% 49%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,650 $20,238
Median Loan Payment $244 $209

Diversity

 EIU McNeese
% Men 10% 2%
% Women 12% 6%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 68% 67%
% Black 19% 18%
% Hispanic 6% 3%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 1% 7%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

 EIU McNeese
% In-State 90% 85%
% Out-of-State 7% 10%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Eastern Illinois University is larger than than McNeese based on total student enrollment (8,804 students vs. 6,060 students)

EIU vs. McNeese Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, EIU or McNeese?

  • Eastern Illinois University is 92.4% more expensive to attend than McNeese for in-state tuition ($9,903.00 vs. $5,147.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 86.2% higher at EIU than McNeese State University ($12,379.00 vs. $6,647.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at McNeese State University than EIU ($11,393 vs. $14,621)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at McNeese State University are 6.6% lower than costs at Eastern Illinois University ($10,596 vs. $11,298)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Eastern Illinois University than McNeese State University (97% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Eastern Illinois University students is 18.2% larger than aid received McNeese State University ($11,122 vs. $9,409)

EIU vs. McNeese Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at McNeese State University (1029) is 19 points higher than at EIU (1010)
  • Incoming EIU students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at McNeese (22)
  • Accepted freshman EIU students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.39) than students at McNeese (3.36)
  • EIU has a higher acceptance rate (67.8%) than McNeese (67.5%)

EIU vs. McNeese Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, EIU or McNeese? 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 McNeese and EIU.

  • The graduation rate at EIU is higher than McNeese State University (59% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from McNeese State University earn on average $500 more per year than EIU graduates after ten years. ($44,000 vs. $43,500)
  • McNeese State University students graduate with a $3,412 lower median federal student loan debt than EIU graduates. ($20,238 vs. $23,650)
  • McNeese graduates are paying $35 less per month on federal student loans than EIU graduates. ($209 vs. $244)
  • More EIU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former McNeese students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 49%)

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