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Northern Illinois Illinois UIC DePaul EIU IWU Western Illinois University Purdue North Central WMU IU Bradley Southern Illinois University| Illinois State University | Ball State University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
ISU | BSU | ||
| Location | Normal, IL | Muncie, IN | ||
| Setting | Small City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 20,683 | 19,777 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #493 | #547 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | illinoisstate.edu | bsu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
ISU | BSU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,840 | $8,434 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $23,681 | $25,918 | ||
| Room & Board | $10,602 | $10,904 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $20,551 | $12,615 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $11,619 | $11,418 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 97% | 97% |
Admission |
ISU | BSU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 19,596 | 22,859 | ||
| Admitted | 16,899 | 15,761 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 86.2% | 68.9% | ||
| Enrolled % | 23.6% | 22.1% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.41 | 3.52 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Moderate | Challenging | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 21/27 | 23/28 | ||
| SAT Range | 1000/1210 | 1090/1260 | ||
| 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 |
ISU | BSU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 19:1 | 15:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
ISU | BSU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 71% | 55% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $49,000 | $42,500 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 74% | 63% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $22,000 | $25,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $227 | $258 |
Diversity |
ISU | BSU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 42% | 35% | ||
| % Women | 58% | 65% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Very Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 77% | 81% | ||
| % Black | 8% | 8% | ||
| % Hispanic | 9% | 4% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 3% | ||
| % International | 0% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 1% |
Students |
ISU | BSU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 96% | 90% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 3% | 9% | ||
Campus |
ISU | BSU | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Illinois State University is larger than than BSU based on total student enrollment (20,683 students vs. 19,777 students)
ISU vs. BSU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, ISU or BSU?
- Illinois State University is 40.4% more expensive to attend than BSU for in-state tuition ($11,840.00 vs. $8,434.00)
- Out of state tuition is 9.4% higher at BSU than Illinois State University ($25,918.00 vs. $23,681.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Ball State University than ISU ($12,615 vs. $20,551)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois State University are 2.8% lower than costs at Ball State University ($10,602 vs. $10,904)
- The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Illinois State University as Ball State University (97% vs. 97%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois State University students is 1.8% larger than aid received Ball State University ($11,619 vs. $11,418)
ISU vs. BSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, ISU or BSU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between BSU or ISU .
- The average SAT score at Illinois State University (1090) is 20 points higher than at BSU (1070)
- Incoming ISU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at BSU (22)
- Accepted freshman BSU students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.52) than students at ISU (3.41)
- ISU has a higher acceptance rate (86.2%) than BSU (68.9%)
ISU vs. BSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, ISU or BSU? 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 BSU and ISU.
- The graduation rate at ISU is higher than Ball State University (71% vs. 55%)
- Graduates from Illinois State University earn on average $6,500 more per year than BSU graduates after ten years. ($49,000 vs. $42,500)
- Illinois State University students graduate with a $3,000 lower median federal student loan debt than BSU graduates. ($22,000 vs. $25,000)
- ISU graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than BSU graduates. ($227 vs. $258)
- More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BSU students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 63%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/