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Northern Illinois Illinois Kent State UIC DePaul EIU IWU Western Illinois University University of Toledo WMU Cleveland State Ohio University| Illinois State University | Bowling Green State University Main Campus | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
ISU | BGSU | ||
| Location | Normal, IL | Bowling Green, OH | ||
| Setting | Small City | Distant Town | ||
| Enrollment | 20,989 | 17,027 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #501 | #687 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | illinoisstate.edu | bgsu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
ISU | BGSU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $12,066 | $11,611 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $24,131 | $19,600 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,584 | $11,784 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $20,871 | $20,987 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $11,590 | $8,795 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 96% | 94% |
Admission |
ISU | BGSU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 20,884 | 18,629 | ||
| Admitted | 18,589 | 15,016 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 89% | 80.6% | ||
| Enrolled % | 22.3% | 20.7% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.41 | 3.6 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Average | Moderate | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 22/27 | 20/26 | ||
| SAT Range | 1010/1230 | 1020/1230 | ||
| 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 | Jul 15, 2025 |
Academics |
ISU | BGSU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 19:1 | 17:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
ISU | BGSU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 71% | 58% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $49,000 | $43,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 74% | 53% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $22,000 | $26,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $227 | $268 |
Diversity |
ISU | BGSU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 4% | 7% | ||
| % Women | 8% | 11% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 77% | 78% | ||
| % Black | 8% | 10% | ||
| % Hispanic | 9% | 4% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 3% | ||
| % International | 0% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 2% |
Students |
ISU | BGSU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 96% | 87% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 3% | 12% | ||
Campus |
ISU | BGSU | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Illinois State University is larger than than BGSU based on total student enrollment (20,989 students vs. 17,027 students)
ISU vs. BGSU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, ISU or BGSU?
- Illinois State University is 3.9% more expensive to attend than BGSU for in-state tuition ($12,066.00 vs. $11,611.00)
- Out of state tuition is 23.1% higher at ISU than Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($24,131.00 vs. $19,600.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Illinois State University than BGSU ($20,871 vs. $20,987)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois State University are 1.7% lower than costs at Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($11,584 vs. $11,784)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois State University than Bowling Green State University Main Campus (96% vs. 94%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois State University students is 31.8% larger than aid received Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($11,590 vs. $8,795)
ISU vs. BGSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, ISU or BGSU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between BGSU or ISU .
- The average SAT score at Illinois State University (1090) is 78 points higher than at BGSU (1012)
- Incoming ISU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at BGSU (22)
- Accepted freshman BGSU students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.6) than students at ISU (3.41)
- ISU has a higher acceptance rate (89%) than BGSU (80.6%)
ISU vs. BGSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, ISU or BGSU? 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 BGSU and ISU.
- The graduation rate at ISU is higher than Bowling Green State University Main Campus (71% vs. 58%)
- Graduates from Illinois State University earn on average $5,400 more per year than BGSU graduates after ten years. ($49,000 vs. $43,600)
- Illinois State University students graduate with a $4,000 lower median federal student loan debt than BGSU graduates. ($22,000 vs. $26,000)
- ISU graduates are paying $41 less per month on federal student loans than BGSU graduates. ($227 vs. $268)
- More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BGSU students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 53%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/