ISU vs. KY State

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

ISU KY State
Location Normal, IL Frankfort, KY
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 20,683 1,726
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #493 #1014
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinoisstate.edu kysu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ISU KY State
Tuition (In State) $11,840 $7,854
Tuition (Out of State) $23,681 $11,732
Room & Board $10,602 $8,076
Avg Net Price $20,551 $11,473
Avg Grant Aid $11,619 $8,257
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 99%

Admission

ISU KY State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,596 2,870
Admitted 16,899 2,626
Acceptance Rate 86.2% 91.5%
Enrolled % 23.6% 14.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 2.72
Typical High School Grades B+ B-
Admissions Standards Moderate Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/27 14/20
SAT Range 1000/1210 783/978
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 KY State
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

ISU KY State
Graduation Rate 71% 21%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,000 $31,000
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 24%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,000 $29,000
Median Loan Payment $227 $299

Diversity

ISU KY State
% Men 42% 42%
% Women 58% 58%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No Yes
% White 77% 27%
% Black 8% 57%
% Hispanic 9% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 0% 0%
% Unknown Race 0% 9%

Students

ISU KY State
% In-State 96% 23%
% Out-of-State 3% 76%

Campus

ISU KY State
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 KY State based on total student enrollment (20,683 students vs. 1,726 students)

ISU vs. KY State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or KY State?

  • Illinois State University is 50.8% more expensive to attend than KY State for in-state tuition ($11,840.00 vs. $7,854.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 101.8% higher at ISU than Kentucky State University ($23,681.00 vs. $11,732.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Kentucky State University than ISU ($11,473 vs. $20,551)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Kentucky State University are 31.3% lower than costs at Illinois State University ($8,076 vs. $10,602)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Kentucky State University than Illinois State University (99% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois State University students is 40.7% larger than aid received Kentucky State University ($11,619 vs. $8,257)

ISU vs. KY State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Illinois State University (1090) is 159 points higher than at KY State (931)
  • Incoming ISU students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at KY State (20)
  • Accepted freshman ISU students have a 0.69 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at KY State (2.72)
  • KY State has a higher acceptance rate (91.5%) than ISU (86.2%)

ISU vs. KY State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ISU or KY State? 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 KY State and ISU.

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than Kentucky State University (71% vs. 21%)
  • Graduates from Illinois State University earn on average $18,000 more per year than KY State graduates after ten years. ($49,000 vs. $31,000)
  • Illinois State University students graduate with a $7,000 lower median federal student loan debt than KY State graduates. ($22,000 vs. $29,000)
  • ISU graduates are paying $72 less per month on federal student loans than KY State graduates. ($227 vs. $299)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former KY State students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 24%)

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