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Northern Illinois Illinois UIC DePaul EIU IWU Western Illinois University WMU Bradley Southern Illinois University IIT ISU| Illinois State University | Central College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
ISU | Central College | ||
| Location | Normal, IL | Pella, IA | ||
| Setting | Small City | Distant Town | ||
| Enrollment | 20,683 | 1,169 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #493 | #519 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | Reformed Church in America | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | illinoisstate.edu | central.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
ISU | Central College | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,840 | $19,800 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $23,681 | $19,800 | ||
| Room & Board | $10,602 | $10,860 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $20,551 | $23,303 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $11,619 | $10,999 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 97% | 100% |
Admission |
ISU | Central College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 19,596 | 1,970 | ||
| Admitted | 16,899 | 1,561 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 86.2% | 79.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 23.6% | 22.5% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.41 | 3.52 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Moderate | Moderate | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 21/27 | 19/26 | ||
| SAT Range | 1000/1210 | 1040/1218 | ||
| 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 | Central College | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 19:1 | 13:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
ISU | Central College | ||
| Graduation Rate | 71% | 63% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $49,000 | $48,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 74% | 78% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $22,000 | $27,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $227 | $279 |
Diversity |
ISU | Central College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 42% | 52% | ||
| % Women | 58% | 48% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Very Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 77% | 87% | ||
| % Black | 8% | 2% | ||
| % Hispanic | 9% | 4% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 1% | ||
| % International | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 3% |
Students |
ISU | Central College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 96% | 73% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 3% | 26% | ||
Campus |
ISU | Central College | ||
| 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 Central College based on total student enrollment (20,683 students vs. 1,169 students)
ISU vs. Central College Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, ISU or Central College?
- Central College is 67.2% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($19,800.00 vs. $11,840.00)
- Out of state tuition is 19.6% higher at ISU than Central College ($23,681.00 vs. $19,800.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Illinois State University than Central College ($20,551 vs. $23,303)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois State University are 2.4% lower than costs at Central College ($10,602 vs. $10,860)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Central College than Illinois State University (100% vs. 97%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois State University students is 5.6% larger than aid received Central College ($11,619 vs. $10,999)
ISU vs. Central College Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, ISU or Central College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Central College or ISU .
- The average SAT score at Illinois State University (1090) is 22 points higher than at Central College (1068)
- Incoming ISU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Central College (23)
- Accepted freshman Central College 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 Central College (79.2%)
ISU vs. Central College Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, ISU or Central College? 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 Central College and ISU.
- The graduation rate at ISU is higher than Central College (71% vs. 63%)
- Graduates from Illinois State University earn on average $1,000 more per year than Central College graduates after ten years. ($49,000 vs. $48,000)
- Illinois State University students graduate with a $5,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Central College graduates. ($22,000 vs. $27,000)
- ISU graduates are paying $52 less per month on federal student loans than Central College graduates. ($227 vs. $279)
- More Central College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ISU students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 74%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/