ISU vs. Texas State

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

ISU Texas State
Location Normal, IL San Marcos, TX
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 20,683 38,171
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #493 #667
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinoisstate.edu txstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ISU Texas State
Tuition (In State) $11,840 $8,606
Tuition (Out of State) $23,681 $20,030
Room & Board $10,602 $11,460
Avg Net Price $20,551 $14,120
Avg Grant Aid $11,619 $11,791
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 77%

Admission

ISU Texas State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,596 28,908
Admitted 16,899 25,353
Acceptance Rate 86.2% 87.7%
Enrolled % 23.6% 30%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.38
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/27 19/26
SAT Range 1000/1210 980/1180
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 Jun 1, 2025

Academics

ISU Texas State
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 21:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (20%)
  • General Studies (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

ISU Texas State
Graduation Rate 71% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,000 $49,200
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 55%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,000 $21,250
Median Loan Payment $227 $219

Diversity

ISU Texas State
% Men 42% 40%
% Women 58% 60%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 77% 49%
% Black 8% 9%
% Hispanic 9% 35%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 0% 0%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

ISU Texas State
% In-State 96% 97%
% Out-of-State 3% 2%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Texas State University is larger than than ISU based on total student enrollment (38,171 students vs. 20,683 students)

ISU vs. Texas State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or Texas State?

  • Illinois State University is 37.6% more expensive to attend than Texas State for in-state tuition ($11,840.00 vs. $8,606.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 18.2% higher at ISU than Texas State University ($23,681.00 vs. $20,030.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Texas State University than ISU ($14,120 vs. $20,551)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois State University are 8.1% lower than costs at Texas State University ($10,602 vs. $11,460)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois State University than Texas State University (97% vs. 77%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Texas State University students is 1.5% larger than aid received Illinois State University ($11,791 vs. $11,619)

ISU vs. Texas State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Illinois State University (1090) is 52 points higher than at Texas State (1038)
  • Incoming ISU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Texas State (23)
  • Accepted freshman ISU students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at Texas State (3.38)
  • Texas State has a higher acceptance rate (87.7%) than ISU (86.2%)

ISU vs. Texas State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ISU or Texas State? 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 Texas State and ISU.

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than Texas State University (71% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from Texas State University earn on average $200 more per year than ISU graduates after ten years. ($49,200 vs. $49,000)
  • Texas State University students graduate with a $750 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($21,250 vs. $22,000)
  • Texas State graduates are paying $8 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($219 vs. $227)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Texas State students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 55%)

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