ISU vs. WVU

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

ISU WVU
Location Normal, IL Morgantown, WV
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 20,683 24,741
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #493 #559
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinoisstate.edu wvu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ISU WVU
Tuition (In State) $11,840 $9,360
Tuition (Out of State) $23,681 $26,568
Room & Board $10,602 $11,618
Avg Net Price $20,551 $12,202
Avg Grant Aid $11,619 $11,685
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 94%

Admission

ISU WVU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,596 18,206
Admitted 16,899 16,091
Acceptance Rate 86.2% 88.4%
Enrolled % 23.6% 28.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.45
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/27 20/26
SAT Range 1000/1210 1000/1220
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

Academics

ISU WVU
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)

Outcomes

ISU WVU
Graduation Rate 71% 57%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,000 $50,600
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,000 $24,001
Median Loan Payment $227 $248

Diversity

ISU WVU
% Men 42% 47%
% Women 58% 53%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 77% 81%
% Black 8% 5%
% Hispanic 9% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 0% 6%
% Unknown Race 0% 0%

Students

ISU WVU
% In-State 96% 42%
% Out-of-State 3% 57%

Campus

ISU WVU
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

  • West Virginia University is larger than than ISU based on total student enrollment (24,741 students vs. 20,683 students)

ISU vs. WVU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or WVU?

  • Illinois State University is 26.5% more expensive to attend than WVU for in-state tuition ($11,840.00 vs. $9,360.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 12.2% higher at WVU than Illinois State University ($26,568.00 vs. $23,681.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at West Virginia University than ISU ($12,202 vs. $20,551)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois State University are 9.6% lower than costs at West Virginia University ($10,602 vs. $11,618)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois State University than West Virginia University (97% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by West Virginia University students is 0.6% larger than aid received Illinois State University ($11,685 vs. $11,619)

ISU vs. WVU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Illinois State University (1090) is 12 points higher than at WVU (1078)
  • Incoming ISU students have at the same average ACT score (24) as students at WVU (24)
  • Accepted freshman WVU students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.45) than students at ISU (3.41)
  • WVU has a higher acceptance rate (88.4%) than ISU (86.2%)

ISU vs. WVU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ISU or WVU? 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 WVU and ISU.

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than West Virginia University (71% vs. 57%)
  • Graduates from West Virginia University 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 $2,001 lower median federal student loan debt than WVU graduates. ($22,000 vs. $24,001)
  • ISU graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than WVU graduates. ($227 vs. $248)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WVU students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 59%)

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