ISU vs. University of St Francis

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

ISU University of St Francis
Location Normal, IL Joliet, IL
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 20,683 3,297
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #493 #339
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinoisstate.edu stfrancis.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ISU University of St Francis
Tuition (In State) $11,840 $36,000
Tuition (Out of State) $23,681 $36,000
Room & Board $10,602 $11,430
Avg Net Price $20,551 $18,560
Avg Grant Aid $11,619 $25,392
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 100%

Admission

ISU University of St Francis
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,596 2,198
Admitted 16,899 1,284
Acceptance Rate 86.2% 58.4%
Enrolled % 23.6% 16.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.47
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/27 21/30
SAT Range 1000/1210 1030/1240
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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

ISU University of St Francis
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Health Professions (41%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Biology (4%)
  • Psychology (3%)

Outcomes

ISU University of St Francis
Graduation Rate 71% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,000 $50,600
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 62%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,000 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $227 $258

Diversity

ISU University of St Francis
% Men 42% 26%
% Women 58% 74%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 77% 67%
% Black 8% 8%
% Hispanic 9% 16%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

ISU University of St Francis
% In-State 96% 93%
% Out-of-State 3% 4%

Campus

ISU University of St Francis
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

  • Illinois State University is larger than than University of St Francis based on total student enrollment (20,683 students vs. 3,297 students)

ISU vs. University of St Francis Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or University of St Francis?

  • University of St Francis is 204.1% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($36,000.00 vs. $11,840.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 52% higher at University of St Francis than Illinois State University ($36,000.00 vs. $23,681.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of St Francis than ISU ($18,560 vs. $20,551)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois State University are 7.8% lower than costs at University of St Francis ($10,602 vs. $11,430)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of St Francis than Illinois State University (100% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of St Francis students is 118.5% larger than aid received Illinois State University ($25,392 vs. $11,619)

ISU vs. University of St Francis Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Illinois State University (1090) is 21 points higher than at University of St Francis (1069)
  • Incoming ISU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at University of St Francis (23)
  • Accepted freshman University of St Francis students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.47) than students at ISU (3.41)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (86.2%) than University of St Francis (58.4%)

ISU vs. University of St Francis Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ISU or University of St Francis? 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 University of St Francis and ISU.

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than University of St Francis (71% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from University of St Francis earn on average $1,600 more per year than ISU graduates after ten years. ($50,600 vs. $49,000)
  • Illinois State University students graduate with a $3,000 lower median federal student loan debt than University of St Francis graduates. ($22,000 vs. $25,000)
  • ISU graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than University of St Francis graduates. ($227 vs. $258)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of St Francis students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 62%)

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