ISU vs. BGSU

Should I go to Illinois State University or Bowling Green State University Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if ISU or BGSU 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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Illinois State University vs. Bowling Green State University Main Campus comparison
Illinois State University Bowling Green State University Main Campus College 3 College 4
Illinois State University Bowling Green State University Main Campus
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Overview

 ISU BGSU
Location Normal, IL Bowling Green, OH
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 20,683 16,920
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #493 #728
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinoisstate.edu bgsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 ISU BGSU
Tuition (In State) $11,840 $11,272
Tuition (Out of State) $23,681 $19,845
Room & Board $10,602 $12,584
Avg Net Price $20,551 $20,485
Avg Grant Aid $11,619 $8,898
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 95%

Admission

 ISU BGSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,596 17,447
Admitted 16,899 13,723
Acceptance Rate 86.2% 78.7%
Enrolled % 23.6% 21.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.6
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/27 20/25
SAT Range 1000/1210 990/1200
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
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Education (19%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)

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 42% 42%
% Women 58% 58%
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% 88%
% Out-of-State 3% 11%

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 (20,683 students vs. 16,920 students)

ISU vs. BGSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or BGSU?

  • Illinois State University is 5% more expensive to attend than BGSU for in-state tuition ($11,840.00 vs. $11,272.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 19.3% higher at ISU than Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($23,681.00 vs. $19,845.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bowling Green State University Main Campus than ISU ($20,485 vs. $20,551)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois State University are 18.7% lower than costs at Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($10,602 vs. $12,584)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois State University than Bowling Green State University Main Campus (97% vs. 95%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois State University students is 30.6% larger than aid received Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($11,619 vs. $8,898)

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 (86.2%) than BGSU (78.7%)

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/