IWU vs. Earlham

Should I go to Illinois Wesleyan University or Earlham College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if IWU or Earlham 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 Wesleyan University vs. Earlham College comparison
Illinois Wesleyan University Earlham College College 3 College 4
Illinois Wesleyan University Earlham College
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Overview

IWU Earlham
Location Bloomington, IL Richmond, IN
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 1,527 677
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #144
Religious Affiliation - Friends - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iwu.edu earlham.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

IWU Earlham
Tuition (In State) $53,610 $49,218
Tuition (Out of State) $53,610 $49,218
Room & Board $12,418 $12,448
Avg Net Price $30,096 $25,746
Avg Grant Aid $36,614 $37,303
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

IWU Earlham
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,408 1,375
Admitted 1,861 1,007
Acceptance Rate 42.2% 73.2%
Enrolled % 20.5% 17.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.86 3.67
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 25/30 24/32
SAT Range 1120/1330 1130/1380
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 Mar 1, 2025

Academics

IWU Earlham
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 6:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • General Studies (18%)
  • Biology (17%)
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Physical Sciences (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)

Outcomes

IWU Earlham
Graduation Rate 82% 66%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $60,500 $39,100
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $268

Diversity

IWU Earlham
% Men 51% 46%
% Women 49% 54%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 71% 51%
% Black 4% 12%
% Hispanic 7% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 0%
% International 9% 22%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

IWU Earlham
% In-State 77% 32%
% Out-of-State 14% 51%

Campus

IWU Earlham
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Illinois Wesleyan University is larger than than Earlham based on total student enrollment (1,527 students vs. 677 students)

IWU vs. Earlham Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, IWU or Earlham?

  • Illinois Wesleyan University is 8.9% more expensive to attend than Earlham for in-state tuition ($53,610.00 vs. $49,218.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 8.9% higher at IWU than Earlham College ($53,610.00 vs. $49,218.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Earlham College than IWU ($25,746 vs. $30,096)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois Wesleyan University are 0.2% lower than costs at Earlham College ($12,418 vs. $12,448)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Illinois Wesleyan University as Earlham College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Earlham College students is 1.9% larger than aid received Illinois Wesleyan University ($37,303 vs. $36,614)

IWU vs. Earlham Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman IWU students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.86) than students at Earlham (3.67)
  • Earlham has a higher acceptance rate (73.2%) than IWU (42.2%)

IWU vs. Earlham Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, IWU or Earlham? 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 Earlham and IWU.

  • The graduation rate at IWU is higher than Earlham College (82% vs. 66%)
  • Graduates from Illinois Wesleyan University earn on average $21,400 more per year than Earlham graduates after ten years. ($60,500 vs. $39,100)
  • Earlham College students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than IWU graduates. ($26,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Earlham graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than IWU graduates. ($268 vs. $279)
  • More IWU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Earlham students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 75%)

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