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Michigan State Northern Illinois UM-Dearborn Oakland Illinois UIC Detroit Mercy- UDM- U of D- University of Detroit Eastern Michigan University CMU DePaul Michigan GVSU| Illinois State University | Wayne State University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
ISU | WSU | ||
| Location | Normal, IL | Detroit, MI | ||
| Setting | Small City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 20,683 | 23,630 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #493 | #582 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | illinoisstate.edu | wayne.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
ISU | WSU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,840 | $12,933 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $23,681 | $29,622 | ||
| Room & Board | $10,602 | $11,321 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $20,551 | $15,347 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $11,619 | $10,605 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 97% | 96% |
Admission |
ISU | WSU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 19,596 | 14,002 | ||
| Admitted | 16,899 | 10,547 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 86.2% | 75.3% | ||
| Enrolled % | 23.6% | 24.4% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.41 | 3.42 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Moderate | Challenging | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 21/27 | 21/28 | ||
| SAT Range | 1000/1210 | 1040/1260 | ||
| 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 | WSU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 19:1 | 14:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
ISU | WSU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 71% | 26% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $49,000 | $51,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 74% | 38% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $22,000 | $22,258 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $227 | $230 |
Diversity |
ISU | WSU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 42% | 40% | ||
| % Women | 58% | 60% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 77% | 57% | ||
| % Black | 8% | 19% | ||
| % Hispanic | 9% | 5% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 3% | ||
| % International | 0% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 5% |
Students |
ISU | WSU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 96% | 93% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 3% | 3% | ||
Campus |
ISU | WSU | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Wayne State University is larger than than ISU based on total student enrollment (23,630 students vs. 20,683 students)
ISU vs. WSU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, ISU or WSU?
- Wayne State University is 9.2% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($12,933.00 vs. $11,840.00)
- Out of state tuition is 25.1% higher at WSU than Illinois State University ($29,622.00 vs. $23,681.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wayne State University than ISU ($15,347 vs. $20,551)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois State University are 6.8% lower than costs at Wayne State University ($10,602 vs. $11,321)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois State University than Wayne State University (97% vs. 96%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois State University students is 9.6% larger than aid received Wayne State University ($11,619 vs. $10,605)
ISU vs. WSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, ISU or WSU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between WSU or ISU .
- The average SAT score at Illinois State University (1090) is 20 points higher than at WSU (1070)
- Incoming ISU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at WSU (23)
- Accepted freshman WSU students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at ISU (3.41)
- ISU has a higher acceptance rate (86.2%) than WSU (75.3%)
ISU vs. WSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, ISU or WSU? 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 WSU and ISU.
- The graduation rate at ISU is higher than Wayne State University (71% vs. 26%)
- Graduates from Wayne State University earn on average $2,000 more per year than ISU graduates after ten years. ($51,000 vs. $49,000)
- Illinois State University students graduate with a $258 lower median federal student loan debt than WSU graduates. ($22,000 vs. $22,258)
- ISU graduates are paying $3 less per month on federal student loans than WSU graduates. ($227 vs. $230)
- More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WSU students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 38%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/