ISU vs. Western Illinois University

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

ISU Western Illinois University
Location Normal, IL Macomb, IL
Setting Small City Remote Town
Enrollment 20,683 7,643
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #493 #579
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinoisstate.edu wiu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ISU Western Illinois University
Tuition (In State) $11,840 $9,515
Tuition (Out of State) $23,681 $9,515
Room & Board $10,602 $10,500
Avg Net Price $20,551 $11,213
Avg Grant Aid $11,619 $15,632
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 94%

Admission

ISU Western Illinois University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,596 9,219
Admitted 16,899 6,914
Acceptance Rate 86.2% 75%
Enrolled % 23.6% 15.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.45
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/27 18/24
SAT Range 1000/1210 880/1090
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

Academics

ISU Western Illinois University
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (14%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (12%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Communication (6%)

Outcomes

ISU Western Illinois University
Graduation Rate 71% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,000 $46,000
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 61%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,000 $24,704
Median Loan Payment $227 $255

Diversity

ISU Western Illinois University
% Men 42% 43%
% Women 58% 57%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 77% 62%
% Black 8% 19%
% Hispanic 9% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

ISU Western Illinois University
% In-State 96% 89%
% Out-of-State 3% 10%

Campus

ISU Western Illinois University
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Illinois State University is larger than than Western Illinois University based on total student enrollment (20,683 students vs. 7,643 students)

ISU vs. Western Illinois University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or Western Illinois University?

  • Illinois State University is 24.4% more expensive to attend than Western Illinois University for in-state tuition ($11,840.00 vs. $9,515.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 148.9% higher at ISU than Western Illinois University ($23,681.00 vs. $9,515.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Illinois University than ISU ($11,213 vs. $20,551)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Illinois University are 1% lower than costs at Illinois State University ($10,500 vs. $10,602)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois State University than Western Illinois University (97% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Western Illinois University students is 34.5% larger than aid received Illinois State University ($15,632 vs. $11,619)

ISU vs. Western Illinois University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Illinois State University (1090) is 120 points higher than at Western Illinois University (970)
  • Incoming ISU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Western Illinois University (21)
  • Accepted freshman Western Illinois University students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.45) than students at ISU (3.41)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (86.2%) than Western Illinois University (75%)

ISU vs. Western Illinois University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ISU or Western Illinois University? 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 Western Illinois University and ISU.

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than Western Illinois University (71% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from Illinois State University earn on average $3,000 more per year than Western Illinois University graduates after ten years. ($49,000 vs. $46,000)
  • Illinois State University students graduate with a $2,704 lower median federal student loan debt than Western Illinois University graduates. ($22,000 vs. $24,704)
  • ISU graduates are paying $28 less per month on federal student loans than Western Illinois University graduates. ($227 vs. $255)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Western Illinois University students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 61%)

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