EIU vs. Wright State

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

 EIU Wright State
Location Charleston, IL Dayton, OH
Setting Remote Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 8,857 9,678
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #672 #873
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website eiu.edu wright.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 EIU Wright State
Tuition (In State) $9,709 $10,814
Tuition (Out of State) $12,136 $20,232
Room & Board $10,812 $10,686
Avg Net Price $13,380 $15,650
Avg Grant Aid $11,773 $8,867
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 92%

Admission

 EIU Wright State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,584 7,162
Admitted 7,873 6,820
Acceptance Rate 68% 95.2%Open
Enrolled % 11.1% 18.8%Open
Avg High School GPA 3.39 3.41
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 17/24
SAT Range 900/1120 913/1168
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 23, 2025

Academics

 EIU Wright State
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (21%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Business (29%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Education (7%)

Outcomes

 EIU Wright State
Graduation Rate 59% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,500 $43,400
Making Student Loan Payments 59% 51%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,650 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $244 $258

Diversity

 EIU Wright State
% Men 42% 45%
% Women 58% 55%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 68% 72%
% Black 19% 12%
% Hispanic 6% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 1% 5%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

 EIU Wright State
% In-State 91% 95%
% Out-of-State 7% 5%

Campus

 EIU Wright State
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

  • Wright State University Main Campus is larger than than EIU based on total student enrollment (9,678 students vs. 8,857 students)

EIU vs. Wright State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, EIU or Wright State?

  • Wright State University Main Campus is 11.4% more expensive to attend than EIU for in-state tuition ($10,814.00 vs. $9,709.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 66.7% higher at Wright State than Eastern Illinois University ($20,232.00 vs. $12,136.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Eastern Illinois University than Wright State ($13,380 vs. $15,650)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wright State University Main Campus are 1.2% lower than costs at Eastern Illinois University ($10,686 vs. $10,812)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Eastern Illinois University than Wright State University Main Campus (100% vs. 92%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Eastern Illinois University students is 32.8% larger than aid received Wright State University Main Campus ($11,773 vs. $8,867)

EIU vs. Wright State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Wright State University Main Campus (1034) is 24 points higher than at EIU (1010)
  • Incoming EIU students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at Wright State (22)
  • Accepted freshman Wright State students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at EIU (3.39)
  • Wright State has a higher acceptance rate (95.2%) than EIU (68%)

EIU vs. Wright State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, EIU or Wright State? 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 Wright State and EIU.

  • The graduation rate at EIU is higher than Wright State University Main Campus (59% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from Eastern Illinois University earn on average $100 more per year than Wright State graduates after ten years. ($43,500 vs. $43,400)
  • Eastern Illinois University students graduate with a $1,350 lower median federal student loan debt than Wright State graduates. ($23,650 vs. $25,000)
  • EIU graduates are paying $14 less per month on federal student loans than Wright State graduates. ($244 vs. $258)
  • More EIU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Wright State students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 51%)

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