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Northern Illinois Michigan State Illinois WMU CMU UIC Oakland Ferris State University Saginaw Valley State University DePaul WSU EIU| Illinois State University | Grand Valley State University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
ISU | GVSU | ||
| Location | Normal, IL | Allendale, MI | ||
| Setting | Small City | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 20,683 | 21,648 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #493 | #583 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | illinoisstate.edu | gvsu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
ISU | GVSU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,840 | $13,952 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $23,681 | $19,856 | ||
| Room & Board | $10,602 | $10,140 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $20,551 | $17,105 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $11,619 | $8,811 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 97% | 93% |
Admission |
ISU | GVSU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 19,596 | 17,123 | ||
| Admitted | 16,899 | 15,474 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 86.2% | 90.4% | ||
| Enrolled % | 23.6% | 25% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.41 | 3.65 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Moderate | Moderate | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 21/27 | 21/27 | ||
| SAT Range | 1000/1210 | 960/1210 | ||
| 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 | May 1, 2025 |
Academics |
ISU | GVSU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 19:1 | 15:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
ISU | GVSU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 71% | 63% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $49,000 | $44,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 74% | 62% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $22,000 | $25,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $227 | $258 |
Diversity |
ISU | GVSU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 42% | 38% | ||
| % Women | 58% | 62% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Very Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 77% | 83% | ||
| % Black | 8% | 5% | ||
| % Hispanic | 9% | 5% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 3% | ||
| % International | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 0% |
Students |
ISU | GVSU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 96% | 91% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 3% | 8% | ||
Campus |
ISU | GVSU | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Grand Valley State University is larger than than ISU based on total student enrollment (21,648 students vs. 20,683 students)
ISU vs. GVSU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, ISU or GVSU?
- Grand Valley State University is 17.8% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($13,952.00 vs. $11,840.00)
- Out of state tuition is 19.3% higher at ISU than Grand Valley State University ($23,681.00 vs. $19,856.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Grand Valley State University than ISU ($17,105 vs. $20,551)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Grand Valley State University are 4.6% lower than costs at Illinois State University ($10,140 vs. $10,602)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois State University than Grand Valley State University (97% vs. 93%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois State University students is 31.9% larger than aid received Grand Valley State University ($11,619 vs. $8,811)
ISU vs. GVSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, ISU or GVSU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between GVSU or ISU .
- The average SAT score at Illinois State University (1090) is the same at GVSU (1090)
- Incoming ISU students have at the same average ACT score (24) as students at GVSU (24)
- Accepted freshman GVSU students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.65) than students at ISU (3.41)
- GVSU has a higher acceptance rate (90.4%) than ISU (86.2%)
ISU vs. GVSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, ISU or GVSU? 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 GVSU and ISU.
- The graduation rate at ISU is higher than Grand Valley State University (71% vs. 63%)
- Graduates from Illinois State University earn on average $4,400 more per year than GVSU graduates after ten years. ($49,000 vs. $44,600)
- Illinois State University students graduate with a $3,000 lower median federal student loan debt than GVSU graduates. ($22,000 vs. $25,000)
- ISU graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than GVSU graduates. ($227 vs. $258)
- More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former GVSU students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 62%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/