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UT Arlington UT Dallas Texas Tech UH Northern Illinois Illinois Texas A&M UT Austin Texas State Texas Woman's University UIC DePaul| Illinois State University | University of North Texas | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
ISU | UNT | ||
| Location | Normal, IL | Denton, TX | ||
| Setting | Small City | Midsize City | ||
| Enrollment | 20,989 | 47,507 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #501 | #690 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | illinoisstate.edu | unt.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
ISU | UNT | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $12,066 | $8,319 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $24,131 | $18,399 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,584 | $10,805 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $20,871 | $14,675 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $11,590 | $11,142 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 96% | 83% |
Admission |
ISU | UNT | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 20,884 | 36,807 | ||
| Admitted | 18,589 | 26,671 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 89% | 72.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 22.3% | 26% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.41 | 3.46 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Average | Average | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 22/27 | 19/27 | ||
| SAT Range | 1010/1230 | 980/1230 | ||
| 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 | Aug 1, 2026 |
Academics |
ISU | UNT | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 19:1 | 23:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
ISU | UNT | ||
| Graduation Rate | 71% | 49% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $49,000 | $47,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 74% | 55% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $22,000 | $20,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $227 | $206 |
Diversity |
ISU | UNT | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 4% | 13% | ||
| % Women | 8% | 15% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 77% | 47% | ||
| % Black | 8% | 12% | ||
| % Hispanic | 9% | 22% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 8% | ||
| % International | 0% | 4% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 1% |
Students |
ISU | UNT | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 96% | 90% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 3% | 4% | ||
Campus |
ISU | UNT | ||
| 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
- University of North Texas is larger than than ISU based on total student enrollment (47,507 students vs. 20,989 students)
ISU vs. UNT Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, ISU or UNT?
- Illinois State University is 45% more expensive to attend than UNT for in-state tuition ($12,066.00 vs. $8,319.00)
- Out of state tuition is 31.2% higher at ISU than University of North Texas ($24,131.00 vs. $18,399.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of North Texas than ISU ($14,675 vs. $20,871)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of North Texas are 7.2% lower than costs at Illinois State University ($10,805 vs. $11,584)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois State University than University of North Texas (96% vs. 83%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois State University students is 4% larger than aid received University of North Texas ($11,590 vs. $11,142)
ISU vs. UNT Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, ISU or UNT? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UNT or ISU .
- The average SAT score at University of North Texas (1093) is 3 points higher than at ISU (1090)
- Incoming ISU students have at the same average ACT score (24) as students at UNT (24)
- Accepted freshman UNT students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.46) than students at ISU (3.41)
- ISU has a higher acceptance rate (89%) than UNT (72.5%)
ISU vs. UNT Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, ISU or UNT? 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 UNT and ISU.
- The graduation rate at ISU is higher than University of North Texas (71% vs. 49%)
- Graduates from Illinois State University earn on average $2,000 more per year than UNT graduates after ten years. ($49,000 vs. $47,000)
- University of North Texas students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($20,000 vs. $22,000)
- UNT graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($206 vs. $227)
- More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNT 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/