GSU vs. Wartburg College

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

 GSU Wartburg College
Location University Park, IL Waverly, IA
Setting Rural Fringe Distant Town
Enrollment 4,427 1,444
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #654
Religious Affiliation - Evangelical Lutheran Church - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website govst.edu wartburg.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 GSU Wartburg College
Tuition (In State) $7,512 $46,740
Tuition (Out of State) $15,024 $46,740
Room & Board $11,000 $10,280
Avg Net Price $9,833 $23,683
Avg Grant Aid $11,987 $36,157
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 97%

Admission

 GSU Wartburg College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,865 2,779
Admitted 1,072 2,708
Acceptance Rate 57.5% 97.4%
Enrolled % 29.5% 13%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.48
Typical High School Grades A/A+ B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/25
SAT Range 830/1060 970/1120
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 Apr 1, 2025

Academics

 GSU Wartburg College
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Biology (15%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)

Outcomes

 GSU Wartburg College
Graduation Rate - 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,600 $48,100
Making Student Loan Payments 48% 81%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,250 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $178 $279

Diversity

 GSU Wartburg College
% Men 36% 49%
% Women 64% 51%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 36% 77%
% Black 38% 5%
% Hispanic 11% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 1% 8%
% Unknown Race 9% 4%

Students

 GSU Wartburg College
% In-State 95% 70%
% Out-of-State 3% 27%

Campus

 GSU Wartburg College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Governors State University is larger than than Wartburg College based on total student enrollment (4,427 students vs. 1,444 students)

GSU vs. Wartburg College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, GSU or Wartburg College?

  • Wartburg College is 522.2% more expensive to attend than GSU for in-state tuition ($46,740.00 vs. $7,512.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 211.1% higher at Wartburg College than Governors State University ($46,740.00 vs. $15,024.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Governors State University than Wartburg College ($9,833 vs. $23,683)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wartburg College are 7% lower than costs at Governors State University ($10,280 vs. $11,000)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Governors State University than Wartburg College (100% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wartburg College students is 201.6% larger than aid received Governors State University ($36,157 vs. $11,987)

GSU vs. Wartburg College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Wartburg College (1105) is 194 points higher than at GSU (911)
  • Incoming Wartburg College students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at GSU (19)
  • Accepted freshman GSU students have a 0.52 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Wartburg College (3.48)
  • Wartburg College has a higher acceptance rate (97.4%) than GSU (57.5%)

GSU vs. Wartburg College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, GSU or Wartburg College? 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 Wartburg College and GSU.

  • Graduates from Wartburg College earn on average $5,500 more per year than GSU graduates after ten years. ($48,100 vs. $42,600)
  • Governors State University students graduate with a $9,750 lower median federal student loan debt than Wartburg College graduates. ($17,250 vs. $27,000)
  • GSU graduates are paying $101 less per month on federal student loans than Wartburg College graduates. ($178 vs. $279)
  • More Wartburg College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former GSU students, three years after graduation. (81% vs. 48%)

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