FAU vs. ISU

Should I go to Florida Atlantic University or Illinois State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if FAU 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

FGCU Northern Illinois UCF Illinois Florida State Nova FIU UIC University of South Florida St. Petersburg UNF USF Main Campus UT
Florida Atlantic University vs. Illinois State University comparison
Florida Atlantic University Illinois State University College 3 College 4
Florida Atlantic University Illinois State University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 FAU ISU
Location Boca Raton, FL Normal, IL
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 29,592 20,683
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #738 #493
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fau.edu illinoisstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 FAU ISU
Tuition (In State) $2,522 $11,840
Tuition (Out of State) $14,374 $23,681
Room & Board $12,536 $10,602
Avg Net Price $9,711 $20,551
Avg Grant Aid $10,334 $11,619
% Receiving Grant Aid 85% 97%

Admission

 FAU ISU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 24,268 19,596
Admitted 19,734 16,899
Acceptance Rate 81.3% 86.2%
Enrolled % 22.1% 23.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.74 3.41
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/25 21/27
SAT Range 1020/1200 1000/1210
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline May 1, 2025 Apr 1, 2025

Academics

 FAU ISU
Student to Faculty Ratio 22:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (27%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

 FAU ISU
Graduation Rate 43% 71%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,200 $49,000
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $16,861 $22,000
Median Loan Payment $174 $227

Diversity

 FAU ISU
% Men 42% 42%
% Women 58% 58%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 43% 77%
% Black 20% 8%
% Hispanic 26% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

 FAU ISU
% In-State 72% 96%
% Out-of-State 22% 3%

Campus

 FAU 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

  • Florida Atlantic University is larger than than ISU based on total student enrollment (29,592 students vs. 20,683 students)

FAU vs. ISU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, FAU or ISU?

  • Illinois State University is 369.5% more expensive to attend than FAU for in-state tuition ($11,840.00 vs. $2,522.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 64.7% higher at ISU than Florida Atlantic University ($23,681.00 vs. $14,374.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Florida Atlantic University than ISU ($9,711 vs. $20,551)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois State University are 18.2% lower than costs at Florida Atlantic University ($10,602 vs. $12,536)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois State University than Florida Atlantic University (97% vs. 85%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois State University students is 12.4% larger than aid received Florida Atlantic University ($11,619 vs. $10,334)

FAU vs. ISU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Illinois State University (1090) is 43 points higher than at FAU (1047)
  • Incoming ISU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at FAU (23)
  • Accepted freshman FAU students have a 0.33 point higher average high school GPA (3.74) than students at ISU (3.41)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (86.2%) than FAU (81.3%)

FAU vs. ISU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, FAU 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 FAU.

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than Florida Atlantic University (71% vs. 43%)
  • Graduates from Illinois State University earn on average $2,800 more per year than FAU graduates after ten years. ($49,000 vs. $46,200)
  • Florida Atlantic University students graduate with a $5,139 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($16,861 vs. $22,000)
  • FAU graduates are paying $53 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($174 vs. $227)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former FAU 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/