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Northern Illinois Illinois UIC DePaul EIU IWU Western Illinois University WMU Bradley Southern Illinois University IIT ISU| Illinois State University | The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
ISU | SBTS | ||
| Location | Normal, IL | Louisville, Kentucky | ||
| Setting | Small City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 20,989 | 4,243 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #501 | |||
| Religious Affiliation | - | Southern Baptist | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | illinoisstate.edu | sbts.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
ISU | SBTS | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $12,066 | $12,336 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $24,131 | $12,336 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,584 | $8,142 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $20,871 | $19,873 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $11,590 | $1,588 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 96% | 40% |
Admission |
ISU | SBTS | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 20,884 | 289 | ||
| Admitted | 18,589 | 280 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 89% | 96.9% | ||
| Enrolled % | 22.3% | 62.5% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.41 | - | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | - | ||
| Admissions Standards | Average | Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 22/27 | 20/25 | ||
| SAT Range | 1010/1230 | 1028/1203 | ||
| 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 | Jul 15, 2026 |
Academics |
ISU | SBTS | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 19:1 | 16:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
ISU | SBTS | ||
| 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 | SBTS | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 4% | 65% | ||
| % Women | 8% | 12% | ||
| 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 | SBTS | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 96% | 19% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 3% | 78% | ||
Campus |
ISU | SBTS | ||
| 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 SBTS based on total student enrollment (20,989 students vs. 4,243 students)
ISU vs. SBTS Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, ISU or SBTS?
- The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary is 2.2% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($12,336.00 vs. $12,066.00)
- Out of state tuition is 95.6% higher at ISU than The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary ($24,131.00 vs. $12,336.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary than ISU ($19,873 vs. $20,871)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary are 42.3% lower than costs at Illinois State University ($8,142 vs. $11,584)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois State University than The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (96% vs. 40%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois State University students is 629.8% larger than aid received The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary ($11,590 vs. $1,588)
ISU vs. SBTS Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, ISU or SBTS? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between SBTS or ISU .
- SBTS has a higher acceptance rate (96.9%) than ISU (89%)
ISU vs. SBTS Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, ISU or SBTS? 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 SBTS and ISU.
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/