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Northern Illinois Illinois Eastern Murray State University UIC Kentucky DePaul EIU IWU Western Illinois University WMU Louisville| Illinois State University | Western Kentucky University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
ISU | WKU | ||
| Location | Normal, IL | Bowling Green, KY | ||
| Setting | Small City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 20,989 | 16,759 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #501 | #968 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | illinoisstate.edu | wku.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
ISU | WKU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $12,066 | $11,436 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $24,131 | $27,000 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,584 | $12,043 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $20,871 | $12,054 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $11,590 | $10,906 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 96% | 99% |
Admission |
ISU | WKU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 20,884 | 7,720 | ||
| Admitted | 18,589 | 7,492 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 89% | 97% | ||
| Enrolled % | 22.3% | 37.7% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.41 | 3.42 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Average | Extremely Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 22/27 | 16/20 | ||
| SAT Range | 1010/1230 | 820/1010 | ||
| 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, 2026 | Aug 1, 2026 |
Academics |
ISU | WKU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 19:1 | 18:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
ISU | WKU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 71% | 50% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $49,000 | $37,100 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 74% | 47% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $22,000 | $24,250 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $227 | $250 |
Diversity |
ISU | WKU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 4% | 4% | ||
| % Women | 8% | 9% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 77% | 76% | ||
| % Black | 8% | 10% | ||
| % Hispanic | 9% | 3% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 3% | ||
| % International | 0% | 6% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 1% |
Students |
ISU | WKU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 96% | 70% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 3% | 29% | ||
Campus |
ISU | WKU | ||
| 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
- Illinois State University is larger than than WKU based on total student enrollment (20,989 students vs. 16,759 students)
ISU vs. WKU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, ISU or WKU?
- Illinois State University is 5.5% more expensive to attend than WKU for in-state tuition ($12,066.00 vs. $11,436.00)
- Out of state tuition is 11.9% higher at WKU than Illinois State University ($27,000.00 vs. $24,131.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Kentucky University than ISU ($12,054 vs. $20,871)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois State University are 4% lower than costs at Western Kentucky University ($11,584 vs. $12,043)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Western Kentucky University than Illinois State University (99% vs. 96%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois State University students is 6.3% larger than aid received Western Kentucky University ($11,590 vs. $10,906)
ISU vs. WKU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, ISU or WKU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between WKU or ISU .
- The average SAT score at Illinois State University (1090) is 43 points higher than at WKU (1047)
- Incoming ISU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at WKU (23)
- Accepted freshman WKU students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at ISU (3.41)
- WKU has a higher acceptance rate (97%) than ISU (89%)
ISU vs. WKU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, ISU or WKU? 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 WKU and ISU.
- The graduation rate at ISU is higher than Western Kentucky University (71% vs. 50%)
- Graduates from Illinois State University earn on average $11,900 more per year than WKU graduates after ten years. ($49,000 vs. $37,100)
- Illinois State University students graduate with a $2,250 lower median federal student loan debt than WKU graduates. ($22,000 vs. $24,250)
- ISU graduates are paying $23 less per month on federal student loans than WKU graduates. ($227 vs. $250)
- More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WKU students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 47%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/