ISU vs. Oakland

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

ISU Oakland
Location Normal, IL Rochester Hills, MI
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 20,989 15,922
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #501 #764
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinoisstate.edu oakland.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ISU Oakland
Tuition (In State) $12,066 $14,694
Tuition (Out of State) $24,131 $23,188
Room & Board $11,584 $11,309
Avg Net Price $20,871 $15,734
Avg Grant Aid $11,590 $9,641
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 92%

Admission

ISU Oakland
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 20,884 12,398
Admitted 18,589 8,708
Acceptance Rate 89% 70.2%
Enrolled % 22.3% 25.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.51
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/27
SAT Range 1010/1230 995/1185
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 Oakland
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Health Professions (26%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)

Outcomes

ISU Oakland
Graduation Rate 71% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,000 $46,700
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 51%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,000 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $227 $258

Diversity

ISU Oakland
% Men 4% 8%
% Women 8% 12%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 77% 76%
% Black 8% 8%
% Hispanic 9% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 4%

Students

ISU Oakland
% In-State 96% 96%
% Out-of-State 3% 2%

Campus

ISU Oakland
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Illinois State University is larger than than Oakland based on total student enrollment (20,989 students vs. 15,922 students)

ISU vs. Oakland Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or Oakland?

  • Oakland University is 21.8% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($14,694.00 vs. $12,066.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.1% higher at ISU than Oakland University ($24,131.00 vs. $23,188.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Oakland University than ISU ($15,734 vs. $20,871)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Oakland University are 2.4% lower than costs at Illinois State University ($11,309 vs. $11,584)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois State University than Oakland University (96% vs. 92%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois State University students is 20.2% larger than aid received Oakland University ($11,590 vs. $9,641)

ISU vs. Oakland Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Illinois State University (1090) is 20 points higher than at Oakland (1070)
  • Incoming ISU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Oakland (23)
  • Accepted freshman Oakland students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.51) than students at ISU (3.41)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (89%) than Oakland (70.2%)

ISU vs. Oakland Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than Oakland University (71% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from Illinois State University earn on average $2,300 more per year than Oakland graduates after ten years. ($49,000 vs. $46,700)
  • Illinois State University students graduate with a $3,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Oakland graduates. ($22,000 vs. $25,000)
  • ISU graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than Oakland graduates. ($227 vs. $258)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Oakland students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 51%)

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