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Northern Illinois Illinois Iowa ISU UIC DePaul EIU IWU Western Illinois University WMU Bradley Southern Illinois University| Illinois State University | University of Northern Iowa | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
ISU | UNI | ||
| Location | Normal, IL | Cedar Falls, IA | ||
| Setting | Small City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 20,989 | 9,013 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #501 | #509 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | illinoisstate.edu | uni.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
ISU | UNI | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $12,066 | $8,396 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $24,131 | $19,940 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,584 | $9,648 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $20,871 | $15,931 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $11,590 | $5,325 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 96% | 74% |
Admission |
ISU | UNI | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 20,884 | 4,913 | ||
| Admitted | 18,589 | 4,638 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 89% | 94.4% | ||
| Enrolled % | 22.3% | 33.5% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.41 | 3.61 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Average | Moderate | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 22/27 | 20/26 | ||
| SAT Range | 1010/1230 | 860/1210 | ||
| 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 |
Academics |
ISU | UNI | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 19:1 | 17:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
ISU | UNI | ||
| Graduation Rate | 71% | 67% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $49,000 | $47,700 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 74% | 72% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $22,000 | $20,625 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $227 | $213 |
Diversity |
ISU | UNI | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 4% | 4% | ||
| % Women | 8% | 11% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Very Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 77% | 83% | ||
| % Black | 8% | 3% | ||
| % Hispanic | 9% | 3% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 2% | ||
| % International | 0% | 4% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 3% |
Students |
ISU | UNI | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 96% | 91% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 3% | 9% | ||
Campus |
ISU | UNI | ||
| 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 UNI based on total student enrollment (20,989 students vs. 9,013 students)
ISU vs. UNI Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, ISU or UNI?
- Illinois State University is 43.7% more expensive to attend than UNI for in-state tuition ($12,066.00 vs. $8,396.00)
- Out of state tuition is 21% higher at ISU than University of Northern Iowa ($24,131.00 vs. $19,940.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Northern Iowa than ISU ($15,931 vs. $20,871)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Northern Iowa are 20.1% lower than costs at Illinois State University ($9,648 vs. $11,584)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois State University than University of Northern Iowa (96% vs. 74%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois State University students is 117.7% larger than aid received University of Northern Iowa ($11,590 vs. $5,325)
ISU vs. UNI Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, ISU or UNI? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UNI or ISU .
- The average SAT score at Illinois State University (1090) is 40 points higher than at UNI (1050)
- Incoming ISU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at UNI (23)
- Accepted freshman UNI students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at ISU (3.41)
- UNI has a higher acceptance rate (94.4%) than ISU (89%)
ISU vs. UNI Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, ISU or UNI? 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 UNI and ISU.
- The graduation rate at ISU is higher than University of Northern Iowa (71% vs. 67%)
- Graduates from Illinois State University earn on average $1,300 more per year than UNI graduates after ten years. ($49,000 vs. $47,700)
- University of Northern Iowa students graduate with a $1,375 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($20,625 vs. $22,000)
- UNI graduates are paying $14 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($213 vs. $227)
- More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNI students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 72%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/