ISU vs. Loyola

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

ISU Loyola
Location Normal, IL Chicago, IL
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 20,683 16,899
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #493 #223
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinoisstate.edu luc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ISU Loyola
Tuition (In State) $11,840 $48,100
Tuition (Out of State) $23,681 $48,100
Room & Board $10,602 $15,520
Avg Net Price $20,551 $37,511
Avg Grant Aid $11,619 $26,796
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 99%

Admission

ISU Loyola
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,596 40,909
Admitted 16,899 32,379
Acceptance Rate 86.2% 79.1%
Enrolled % 23.6% 8.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.71
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Moderate Very High
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/27 27/31
SAT Range 1000/1210 1180/1370
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 Loyola
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (24%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Health Professions (8%)

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 42% 31%
% Women 58% 69%
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% 45%
% 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 (20,683 students vs. 16,899 students)

ISU vs. Loyola Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or Loyola?

  • Loyola University Chicago is 306.2% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($48,100.00 vs. $11,840.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 103.1% higher at Loyola than Illinois State University ($48,100.00 vs. $23,681.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Illinois State University than Loyola ($20,551 vs. $37,511)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois State University are 46.4% lower than costs at Loyola University Chicago ($10,602 vs. $15,520)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Loyola University Chicago than Illinois State University (99% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Loyola University Chicago students is 130.6% larger than aid received Illinois State University ($26,796 vs. $11,619)

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 (86.2%) than Loyola (79.1%)

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/