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Marquette University UIC Northern Illinois Illinois Northwestern UChicago Butler DePaul Bradley EIU Purdue Michigan State| Illinois State University | Loyola University Chicago | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
ISU | Loyola | ||
| Location | Normal, IL | Chicago, IL | ||
| Setting | Small City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 20,989 | 17,397 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #501 | #224 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | Roman Catholic | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | illinoisstate.edu | luc.edu | ||
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Costs |
ISU | Loyola | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $12,066 | $50,270 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $24,131 | $50,270 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,584 | $16,894 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $20,871 | $37,592 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $11,590 | $27,123 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 96% | 99% |
Admission |
ISU | Loyola | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 20,884 | 40,468 | ||
| Admitted | 18,589 | 32,937 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 89% | 81.4% | ||
| Enrolled % | 22.3% | 9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.41 | 3.71 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Average | Difficult | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 22/27 | 27/31 | ||
| SAT Range | 1010/1230 | 1160/1340 | ||
| 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, 2026 |
Academics |
ISU | Loyola | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 19:1 | 13:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
ISU | Loyola | ||
| Graduation Rate | 71% | 70% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $49,000 | $59,800 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 74% | 76% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $22,000 | $25,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $227 | $258 |
Diversity |
ISU | Loyola | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 4% | 9% | ||
| % Women | 8% | 20% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 77% | 58% | ||
| % Black | 8% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 9% | 14% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 5% | ||
| % International | 0% | 5% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 1% |
Students |
ISU | Loyola | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 96% | 56% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 3% | 42% | ||
Campus |
ISU | Loyola | ||
| 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 Loyola based on total student enrollment (20,989 students vs. 17,397 students)
ISU vs. Loyola Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, ISU or Loyola?
- Loyola University Chicago is 316.6% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($50,270.00 vs. $12,066.00)
- Out of state tuition is 108.3% higher at Loyola than Illinois State University ($50,270.00 vs. $24,131.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Illinois State University than Loyola ($20,871 vs. $37,592)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois State University are 45.8% lower than costs at Loyola University Chicago ($11,584 vs. $16,894)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Loyola University Chicago than Illinois State University (99% vs. 96%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Loyola University Chicago students is 134% larger than aid received Illinois State University ($27,123 vs. $11,590)
ISU vs. Loyola Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, ISU or Loyola? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Loyola or ISU .
- The average SAT score at Loyola University Chicago (1195) is 105 points higher than at ISU (1090)
- Incoming Loyola students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at ISU (24)
- Accepted freshman Loyola students have a 0.3 point higher average high school GPA (3.71) than students at ISU (3.41)
- ISU has a higher acceptance rate (89%) than Loyola (81.4%)
ISU vs. Loyola Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, ISU or Loyola? 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 Loyola and ISU.
- The graduation rate at ISU is higher than Loyola University Chicago (71% vs. 70%)
- Graduates from Loyola University Chicago earn on average $10,800 more per year than ISU graduates after ten years. ($59,800 vs. $49,000)
- Illinois State University students graduate with a $3,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Loyola graduates. ($22,000 vs. $25,000)
- ISU graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than Loyola graduates. ($227 vs. $258)
- More Loyola graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ISU students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 74%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/