ISU vs. IWU

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

ISU IWU
Location Normal, IL Marion, IN
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 20,683 2,603
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #493 #299
Religious Affiliation - Wesleyan - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinoisstate.edu indwes.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ISU IWU
Tuition (In State) $11,840 $29,684
Tuition (Out of State) $23,681 $29,684
Room & Board $10,602 $10,050
Avg Net Price $20,551 $21,755
Avg Grant Aid $11,619 $20,194
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 100%

Admission

ISU IWU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,596 3,946
Admitted 16,899 3,422
Acceptance Rate 86.2% 86.7%
Enrolled % 23.6% 16.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.61
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/27 21/27
SAT Range 1000/1210 1000/1190
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 IWU
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (56%)
  • Health Professions (22%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (3%)
  • Education (3%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (3%)

Outcomes

ISU IWU
Graduation Rate 71% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,000 $54,300
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 55%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,000 $24,104
Median Loan Payment $227 $249

Diversity

ISU IWU
% Men 42% 34%
% Women 58% 66%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 77% 73%
% Black 8% 19%
% Hispanic 9% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 0% 0%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

ISU IWU
% In-State 96% 60%
% Out-of-State 3% 39%

Campus

ISU IWU
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 IWU based on total student enrollment (20,683 students vs. 2,603 students)

ISU vs. IWU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or IWU?

  • Indiana Wesleyan University is 150.7% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($29,684.00 vs. $11,840.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 25.3% higher at IWU than Illinois State University ($29,684.00 vs. $23,681.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Illinois State University than IWU ($20,551 vs. $21,755)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Indiana Wesleyan University are 5.5% lower than costs at Illinois State University ($10,050 vs. $10,602)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Indiana Wesleyan University than Illinois State University (100% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Indiana Wesleyan University students is 73.8% larger than aid received Illinois State University ($20,194 vs. $11,619)

ISU vs. IWU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Illinois State University (1090) is 4 points higher than at IWU (1086)
  • Incoming ISU students have at the same average ACT score (24) as students at IWU (24)
  • Accepted freshman IWU students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at ISU (3.41)
  • IWU has a higher acceptance rate (86.7%) than ISU (86.2%)

ISU vs. IWU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than Indiana Wesleyan University (71% vs. 70%)
  • Graduates from Indiana Wesleyan University earn on average $5,300 more per year than ISU graduates after ten years. ($54,300 vs. $49,000)
  • Illinois State University students graduate with a $2,104 lower median federal student loan debt than IWU graduates. ($22,000 vs. $24,104)
  • ISU graduates are paying $22 less per month on federal student loans than IWU graduates. ($227 vs. $249)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former IWU students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 55%)

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