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Northern Illinois Southern Illinois University Illinois UIC DePaul EIU IWU Western Illinois University WMU Bradley IIT ISU| Illinois State University | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
ISU | SIUE | ||
| Location | Normal, IL | Edwardsville, IL | ||
| Setting | Small City | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 20,989 | 12,045 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #501 | #554 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | illinoisstate.edu | siue.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
ISU | SIUE | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $12,066 | $9,576 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $24,131 | $9,576 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,584 | $10,562 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $20,871 | $15,182 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $11,590 | $9,934 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 96% | 90% |
Admission |
ISU | SIUE | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 20,884 | 8,937 | ||
| Admitted | 18,589 | 8,688 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 89% | 97.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 22.3% | 18.4% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.41 | 3.54 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Average | Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 22/27 | 20/26 | ||
| SAT Range | 1010/1230 | 900/1160 | ||
| 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, 2026 | May 1, 2026 |
Academics |
ISU | SIUE | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 19:1 | 15:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
ISU | SIUE | ||
| Graduation Rate | 71% | 52% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $49,000 | $47,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 74% | 61% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $22,000 | $21,430 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $227 | $221 |
Diversity |
ISU | SIUE | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 4% | 10% | ||
| % Women | 8% | 15% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 77% | 73% | ||
| % Black | 8% | 15% | ||
| % Hispanic | 9% | 4% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 3% | ||
| % International | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 1% |
Students |
ISU | SIUE | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 96% | 98% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 3% | 2% | ||
Campus |
ISU | SIUE | ||
| 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 SIUE based on total student enrollment (20,989 students vs. 12,045 students)
ISU vs. SIUE Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, ISU or SIUE?
- Illinois State University is 26% more expensive to attend than SIUE for in-state tuition ($12,066.00 vs. $9,576.00)
- Out of state tuition is 152% higher at ISU than Southern Illinois University Edwardsville ($24,131.00 vs. $9,576.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville than ISU ($15,182 vs. $20,871)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville are 9.7% lower than costs at Illinois State University ($10,562 vs. $11,584)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois State University than Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (96% vs. 90%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois State University students is 16.7% larger than aid received Southern Illinois University Edwardsville ($11,590 vs. $9,934)
ISU vs. SIUE Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, ISU or SIUE? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between SIUE or ISU .
- The average SAT score at Illinois State University (1090) is 20 points higher than at SIUE (1070)
- Incoming ISU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at SIUE (23)
- Accepted freshman SIUE students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.54) than students at ISU (3.41)
- SIUE has a higher acceptance rate (97.2%) than ISU (89%)
ISU vs. SIUE Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, ISU or SIUE? 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 SIUE and ISU.
- The graduation rate at ISU is higher than Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (71% vs. 52%)
- Graduates from Illinois State University earn on average $2,000 more per year than SIUE graduates after ten years. ($49,000 vs. $47,000)
- Southern Illinois University Edwardsville students graduate with a $570 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($21,430 vs. $22,000)
- SIUE graduates are paying $6 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($221 vs. $227)
- More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SIUE students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 61%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/