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Northern Illinois Illinois UIC DePaul EIU IWU Western Illinois University WMU Bradley Southern Illinois University Augustana IIT| Illinois State University | Carthage College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
ISU | Carthage | ||
| Location | Normal, IL | Kenosha, WI | ||
| Setting | Small City | Midsize Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 20,683 | 2,667 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #493 | #604 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | Evangelical Lutheran Church | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | illinoisstate.edu | carthage.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
ISU | Carthage | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,840 | $34,500 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $23,681 | $34,500 | ||
| Room & Board | $10,602 | $12,648 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $20,551 | $26,209 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $11,619 | $20,535 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 97% | 100% |
Admission |
ISU | Carthage | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 19,596 | 8,112 | ||
| Admitted | 16,899 | 6,638 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 86.2% | 81.8% | ||
| Enrolled % | 23.6% | 11% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.41 | 3.36 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Moderate | Moderate | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 21/27 | 20/27 | ||
| SAT Range | 1000/1210 | 980/1200 | ||
| 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 |
Academics |
ISU | Carthage | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 19:1 | 13:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
ISU | Carthage | ||
| Graduation Rate | 71% | 59% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $49,000 | $48,800 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 74% | 73% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $22,000 | $27,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $227 | $279 |
Diversity |
ISU | Carthage | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 42% | 44% | ||
| % Women | 58% | 56% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 77% | 75% | ||
| % Black | 8% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 9% | 4% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 3% | ||
| % International | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 11% |
Students |
ISU | Carthage | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 96% | 34% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 3% | 64% | ||
Campus |
ISU | Carthage | ||
| 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 Carthage based on total student enrollment (20,683 students vs. 2,667 students)
ISU vs. Carthage Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, ISU or Carthage?
- Carthage College is 191.4% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($34,500.00 vs. $11,840.00)
- Out of state tuition is 45.7% higher at Carthage than Illinois State University ($34,500.00 vs. $23,681.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Illinois State University than Carthage ($20,551 vs. $26,209)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois State University are 19.3% lower than costs at Carthage College ($10,602 vs. $12,648)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Carthage College than Illinois State University (100% vs. 97%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Carthage College students is 76.7% larger than aid received Illinois State University ($20,535 vs. $11,619)
ISU vs. Carthage Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, ISU or Carthage? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Carthage or ISU .
- The average SAT score at Carthage College (1145) is 55 points higher than at ISU (1090)
- Incoming Carthage students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at ISU (24)
- Accepted freshman ISU students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at Carthage (3.36)
- ISU has a higher acceptance rate (86.2%) than Carthage (81.8%)
ISU vs. Carthage Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, ISU or Carthage? 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 Carthage and ISU.
- The graduation rate at ISU is higher than Carthage College (71% vs. 59%)
- Graduates from Illinois State University earn on average $200 more per year than Carthage graduates after ten years. ($49,000 vs. $48,800)
- Illinois State University students graduate with a $5,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Carthage graduates. ($22,000 vs. $27,000)
- ISU graduates are paying $52 less per month on federal student loans than Carthage graduates. ($227 vs. $279)
- More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Carthage students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 73%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/