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Northern Illinois Illinois UIC DePaul EIU IWU Western Illinois University WMU Bradley Southern Illinois University IIT ISU| Illinois State University | Wisconsin Lutheran College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
ISU | WLC | ||
| Location | Normal, IL | Milwaukee, WI | ||
| Setting | Small City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 20,683 | 1,086 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #493 | #532 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | illinoisstate.edu | wlc.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
ISU | WLC | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,840 | $33,210 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $23,681 | $33,210 | ||
| Room & Board | $10,602 | $11,380 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $20,551 | $22,682 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $11,619 | $23,128 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 97% | 100% |
Admission |
ISU | WLC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 19,596 | 1,474 | ||
| Admitted | 16,899 | 1,383 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 86.2% | 93.8% | ||
| Enrolled % | 23.6% | 22.3% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.41 | 3.54 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Moderate | Average | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 21/27 | 22/27 | ||
| SAT Range | 1000/1210 | 1038/1243 | ||
| 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 | WLC | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 19:1 | 12:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
ISU | WLC | ||
| Graduation Rate | 71% | 63% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $49,000 | $43,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 74% | 77% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $22,000 | $25,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $227 | $258 |
Diversity |
ISU | WLC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 42% | 44% | ||
| % Women | 58% | 56% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Very Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 77% | 83% | ||
| % Black | 8% | 5% | ||
| % Hispanic | 9% | 5% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 2% | ||
| % International | 0% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 1% |
Students |
ISU | WLC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 96% | 66% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 3% | 33% | ||
Campus |
ISU | WLC | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Illinois State University is larger than than WLC based on total student enrollment (20,683 students vs. 1,086 students)
ISU vs. WLC Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, ISU or WLC?
- Wisconsin Lutheran College is 180.5% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($33,210.00 vs. $11,840.00)
- Out of state tuition is 40.2% higher at WLC than Illinois State University ($33,210.00 vs. $23,681.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Illinois State University than WLC ($20,551 vs. $22,682)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois State University are 7.3% lower than costs at Wisconsin Lutheran College ($10,602 vs. $11,380)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Wisconsin Lutheran College than Illinois State University (100% vs. 97%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Wisconsin Lutheran College students is 99.1% larger than aid received Illinois State University ($23,128 vs. $11,619)
ISU vs. WLC Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, ISU or WLC? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between WLC or ISU .
- The average SAT score at Wisconsin Lutheran College (1101) is 11 points higher than at ISU (1090)
- Incoming ISU students have at the same average ACT score (24) as students at WLC (24)
- Accepted freshman WLC students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.54) than students at ISU (3.41)
- WLC has a higher acceptance rate (93.8%) than ISU (86.2%)
ISU vs. WLC Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, ISU or WLC? 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 WLC and ISU.
- The graduation rate at ISU is higher than Wisconsin Lutheran College (71% vs. 63%)
- Graduates from Illinois State University earn on average $6,000 more per year than WLC graduates after ten years. ($49,000 vs. $43,000)
- Illinois State University students graduate with a $3,000 lower median federal student loan debt than WLC graduates. ($22,000 vs. $25,000)
- ISU graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than WLC graduates. ($227 vs. $258)
- More WLC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ISU students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 74%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/