ISU vs. Northwest

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

ISU Northwest
Location Normal, IL Maryville, MO
Setting Small City Remote Town
Enrollment 20,683 8,505
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #493 #914
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinoisstate.edu nwmissouri.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ISU Northwest
Tuition (In State) $11,840 $6,015
Tuition (Out of State) $23,681 $12,082
Room & Board $10,602 $10,428
Avg Net Price $20,551 $14,197
Avg Grant Aid $11,619 $8,387
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 95%

Admission

ISU Northwest
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,596 6,877
Admitted 16,899 5,884
Acceptance Rate 86.2% 85.6%
Enrolled % 23.6% 18.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.45
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/27 18/24
SAT Range 1000/1210 938/1158
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 Northwest
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (29%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Agriculture (6%)
  • General Studies (6%)

Outcomes

ISU Northwest
Graduation Rate 71% 49%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,000 $41,200
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,000 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $227 $258

Diversity

ISU Northwest
% Men 42% 38%
% Women 58% 62%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 77% 79%
% Black 8% 7%
% Hispanic 9% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 0% 6%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

ISU Northwest
% In-State 96% 65%
% Out-of-State 3% 33%

Campus

ISU Northwest
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 Northwest based on total student enrollment (20,683 students vs. 8,505 students)

ISU vs. Northwest Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or Northwest?

  • Illinois State University is 96.8% more expensive to attend than Northwest for in-state tuition ($11,840.00 vs. $6,015.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 96% higher at ISU than Northwest Missouri State University ($23,681.00 vs. $12,082.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northwest Missouri State University than ISU ($14,197 vs. $20,551)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northwest Missouri State University are 1.7% lower than costs at Illinois State University ($10,428 vs. $10,602)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois State University than Northwest Missouri State University (97% vs. 95%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois State University students is 38.5% larger than aid received Northwest Missouri State University ($11,619 vs. $8,387)

ISU vs. Northwest Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Illinois State University (1090) is 43 points higher than at Northwest (1047)
  • Incoming ISU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Northwest (23)
  • Accepted freshman Northwest students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.45) than students at ISU (3.41)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (86.2%) than Northwest (85.6%)

ISU vs. Northwest Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than Northwest Missouri State University (71% vs. 49%)
  • Graduates from Illinois State University earn on average $7,800 more per year than Northwest graduates after ten years. ($49,000 vs. $41,200)
  • Illinois State University students graduate with a $3,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Northwest graduates. ($22,000 vs. $25,000)
  • ISU graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than Northwest graduates. ($227 vs. $258)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northwest students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 63%)

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