ISU vs. Stritch

Should I go to Illinois State University or Cardinal Stritch University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if ISU or Stritch 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. Cardinal Stritch University comparison
Illinois State University Cardinal Stritch University College 3 College 4
Illinois State University
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Overview

ISU Stritch
Location Normal, IL Milwaukee, WI
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 20,683 1,332
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #493 #561
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinoisstate.edu stritch.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ISU Stritch
Tuition (In State) $11,840 $34,744
Tuition (Out of State) $23,681 $34,744
Room & Board $10,602 $8,900
Avg Net Price $20,551 $20,002
Avg Grant Aid $11,619 $28,670
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 99%

Admission

ISU Stritch
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,596 728
Admitted 16,899 674
Acceptance Rate 86.2% 92.6%
Enrolled % 23.6% 15.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.18
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Moderate Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/27 18/21
SAT Range 1000/1210 1010/1220
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 Stritch
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 7:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (72%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Education (4%)
  • English and Literature (2%)
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies (1%)

Outcomes

ISU Stritch
Graduation Rate 71% 55%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,000 $52,500
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 51%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $227 $279

Diversity

ISU Stritch
% Men 42% 29%
% Women 58% 71%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 77% 54%
% Black 8% 21%
% Hispanic 9% 11%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 0% 6%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

ISU Stritch
% In-State 96% 51%
% Out-of-State 3% 24%

Campus

ISU Stritch
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Illinois State University is larger than than Stritch based on total student enrollment (20,683 students vs. 1,332 students)

ISU vs. Stritch Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or Stritch?

  • Cardinal Stritch University is 193.4% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($34,744.00 vs. $11,840.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 46.7% higher at Stritch than Illinois State University ($34,744.00 vs. $23,681.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Cardinal Stritch University than ISU ($20,002 vs. $20,551)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cardinal Stritch University are 19.1% lower than costs at Illinois State University ($8,900 vs. $10,602)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cardinal Stritch University than Illinois State University (99% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cardinal Stritch University students is 146.8% larger than aid received Illinois State University ($28,670 vs. $11,619)

ISU vs. Stritch Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Illinois State University (1090) is 62 points higher than at Stritch (1028)
  • Incoming ISU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Stritch (22)
  • Accepted freshman ISU students have a 0.23 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at Stritch (3.18)
  • Stritch has a higher acceptance rate (92.6%) than ISU (86.2%)

ISU vs. Stritch Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ISU or Stritch? 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 Stritch and ISU.

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than Cardinal Stritch University (71% vs. 55%)
  • Graduates from Cardinal Stritch University earn on average $3,500 more per year than ISU graduates after ten years. ($52,500 vs. $49,000)
  • Illinois State University students graduate with a $5,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Stritch graduates. ($22,000 vs. $27,000)
  • ISU graduates are paying $52 less per month on federal student loans than Stritch graduates. ($227 vs. $279)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Stritch students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 51%)

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