ISU vs. Purdue Northwest

Should I go to Illinois State University or Purdue University Northwest? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if ISU or Purdue 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Northern Illinois Illinois UIC DePaul EIU IWU Western Illinois University WMU Bradley Southern Illinois University IIT ISU
Illinois State University vs. Purdue University Northwest comparison
Illinois State University Purdue University Northwest College 3 College 4
Illinois State University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

ISU Purdue Northwest
Location Normal, IL Hammond, Indiana
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 20,683 8,911
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #493
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinoisstate.edu pnw.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ISU Purdue Northwest
Tuition (In State) $11,840 $7,373
Tuition (Out of State) $23,681 $14,364
Room & Board $10,602 $8,215
Avg Net Price $20,551 $9,162
Avg Grant Aid $11,619 $7,070
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 75%

Admission

ISU Purdue Northwest
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,596 5,670
Admitted 16,899 4,129
Acceptance Rate 86.2% 72.8%
Enrolled % 23.6% 31.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.19
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Moderate Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/27 18/24
SAT Range 1000/1210 950/1170
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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

ISU Purdue Northwest
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

ISU Purdue Northwest
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 Purdue Northwest
% Men 42% 44%
% Women 58% 56%
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 Purdue Northwest
% In-State 96% 87%
% Out-of-State 3% 13%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Illinois State University is larger than than Purdue Northwest based on total student enrollment (20,683 students vs. 8,911 students)

ISU vs. Purdue Northwest Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or Purdue Northwest?

  • Illinois State University is 60.6% more expensive to attend than Purdue Northwest for in-state tuition ($11,840.00 vs. $7,373.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 64.9% higher at ISU than Purdue University Northwest ($23,681.00 vs. $14,364.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Purdue University Northwest than ISU ($9,162 vs. $20,551)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University Northwest are 29.1% lower than costs at Illinois State University ($8,215 vs. $10,602)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois State University than Purdue University Northwest (97% vs. 75%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois State University students is 64.3% larger than aid received Purdue University Northwest ($11,619 vs. $7,070)

ISU vs. Purdue Northwest Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman ISU students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at Purdue Northwest (3.19)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (86.2%) than Purdue Northwest (72.8%)

ISU vs. Purdue Northwest Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

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