ISU vs. IU East

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

ISU IU East
Location Normal, IL Richmond, IN
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 20,683 3,039
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #493 #855
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinoisstate.edu iue.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ISU IU East
Tuition (In State) $11,840 $7,274
Tuition (Out of State) $23,681 $20,634
Room & Board $10,602 $9,412
Avg Net Price $20,551 $8,837
Avg Grant Aid $11,619 $7,874
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 93%

Admission

ISU IU East
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,596 1,586
Admitted 16,899 1,230
Acceptance Rate 86.2% 77.6%
Enrolled % 23.6% 28.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.41
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/27 18/26
SAT Range 1000/1210 960/1200
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 Aug 18, 2025

Academics

ISU IU East
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (32%)
  • Health Professions (18%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Human Services (7%)

Outcomes

ISU IU East
Graduation Rate 71% 19%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,000 $32,900
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 40%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,000 $20,500
Median Loan Payment $227 $211

Diversity

ISU IU East
% Men 42% 35%
% Women 58% 65%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 77% 87%
% Black 8% 4%
% Hispanic 9% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 0% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

ISU IU East
% In-State 96% 74%
% Out-of-State 3% 25%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Illinois State University is larger than than IU East based on total student enrollment (20,683 students vs. 3,039 students)

ISU vs. IU East Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or IU East?

  • Illinois State University is 62.8% more expensive to attend than IU East for in-state tuition ($11,840.00 vs. $7,274.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 14.8% higher at ISU than Indiana University East ($23,681.00 vs. $20,634.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Indiana University East than ISU ($8,837 vs. $20,551)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Indiana University East are 12.6% lower than costs at Illinois State University ($9,412 vs. $10,602)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois State University than Indiana University East (97% vs. 93%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois State University students is 47.6% larger than aid received Indiana University East ($11,619 vs. $7,874)

ISU vs. IU East Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Illinois State University (1090) is 129 points higher than at IU East (961)
  • Incoming ISU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at IU East (21)
  • Accepted freshman ISU students have at the same average high school GPA (3.41) as students at IU East (3.41)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (86.2%) than IU East (77.6%)

ISU vs. IU East Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ISU or IU East? 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 IU East and ISU.

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than Indiana University East (71% vs. 19%)
  • Graduates from Illinois State University earn on average $16,100 more per year than IU East graduates after ten years. ($49,000 vs. $32,900)
  • Indiana University East students graduate with a $1,500 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($20,500 vs. $22,000)
  • IU East graduates are paying $16 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($211 vs. $227)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former IU East students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 40%)

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