ISU vs. Washington State

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

ISU Washington State
Location Normal, IL Pullman, WA
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 20,683 27,539
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #493 #386
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinoisstate.edu wsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ISU Washington State
Tuition (In State) $11,840 $10,708
Tuition (Out of State) $23,681 $26,392
Room & Board $10,602 $12,396
Avg Net Price $20,551 $17,911
Avg Grant Aid $11,619 $10,689
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 83%

Admission

ISU Washington State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,596 19,401
Admitted 16,899 16,123
Acceptance Rate 86.2% 83.1%
Enrolled % 23.6% 24.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.5
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/27 20/26
SAT Range 1000/1210 1020/1210
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Apr 1, 2025 Jan 31, 2025

Academics

ISU Washington State
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

ISU Washington State
Graduation Rate 71% 67%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,000 $54,400
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 71%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,000 $20,429
Median Loan Payment $227 $211

Diversity

ISU Washington State
% Men 42% 46%
% Women 58% 54%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 77% 63%
% Black 8% 3%
% Hispanic 9% 13%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 8%
% International 0% 5%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

ISU Washington State
% In-State 96% 83%
% Out-of-State 3% 15%

Campus

ISU Washington State
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

  • Washington State University is larger than than ISU based on total student enrollment (27,539 students vs. 20,683 students)

ISU vs. Washington State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or Washington State?

  • Illinois State University is 10.6% more expensive to attend than Washington State for in-state tuition ($11,840.00 vs. $10,708.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 11.4% higher at Washington State than Illinois State University ($26,392.00 vs. $23,681.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Washington State University than ISU ($17,911 vs. $20,551)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois State University are 16.9% lower than costs at Washington State University ($10,602 vs. $12,396)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois State University than Washington State University (97% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois State University students is 8.7% larger than aid received Washington State University ($11,619 vs. $10,689)

ISU vs. Washington State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Illinois State University (1090) is 51 points higher than at Washington State (1039)
  • Incoming ISU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Washington State (23)
  • Accepted freshman Washington State students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at ISU (3.41)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (86.2%) than Washington State (83.1%)

ISU vs. Washington State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ISU or Washington 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 Washington State and ISU.

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than Washington State University (71% vs. 67%)
  • Graduates from Washington State University earn on average $5,400 more per year than ISU graduates after ten years. ($54,400 vs. $49,000)
  • Washington State University students graduate with a $1,571 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($20,429 vs. $22,000)
  • Washington State graduates are paying $16 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($211 vs. $227)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Washington State students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 71%)

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