ISU vs. Principia College

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

ISU Principia College
Location Normal, IL Elsah, Illinois
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 20,683 323
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #493
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinoisstate.edu principiacollege.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ISU Principia College
Tuition (In State) $11,840 $31,200
Tuition (Out of State) $23,681 $31,200
Room & Board $10,602 $12,870
Avg Net Price $20,551 $18,039
Avg Grant Aid $11,619 $27,051
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 94%

Admission

ISU Principia College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,596 209
Admitted 16,899 100
Acceptance Rate 86.2% 47.8%
Enrolled % 23.6% 61%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.34
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/27
SAT Range 1000/1210 970/1300
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 Principia College
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 6:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

ISU Principia College
Graduation Rate 71% -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,000 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 74% -
Median Student Loan Debt $22,000 N/A
Median Loan Payment $227 N/A

Diversity

ISU Principia College
% Men 42% 59%
% Women 58% 41%
Racial Diversity Low -
HBCU No No
% White 77% 0%
% Black 8% 0%
% Hispanic 9% 0%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 0%
% International 0% 0%
% Unknown Race 0% 0%

Students

ISU Principia College
% In-State 96% 3%
% Out-of-State 3% 41%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Illinois State University is larger than than Principia College based on total student enrollment (20,683 students vs. 323 students)

ISU vs. Principia College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or Principia College?

  • Principia College is 163.5% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($31,200.00 vs. $11,840.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 31.8% higher at Principia College than Illinois State University ($31,200.00 vs. $23,681.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Principia College than ISU ($18,039 vs. $20,551)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois State University are 21.4% lower than costs at Principia College ($10,602 vs. $12,870)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois State University than Principia College (97% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Principia College students is 132.8% larger than aid received Illinois State University ($27,051 vs. $11,619)

ISU vs. Principia College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman ISU students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at Principia College (3.34)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (86.2%) than Principia College (47.8%)

ISU vs. Principia College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ISU or Principia College? 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 Principia College and ISU.

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