IWU vs. Gordon College

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

IWU Gordon College
Location Bloomington, IL Wenham, MA
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 1,527 1,628
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #144 #552
Religious Affiliation - Interdenominational - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iwu.edu gordon.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

IWU Gordon College
Tuition (In State) $53,610 $26,010
Tuition (Out of State) $53,610 $26,010
Room & Board $12,418 $12,150
Avg Net Price $30,096 $24,483
Avg Grant Aid $36,614 $15,181
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

IWU Gordon College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,408 1,395
Admitted 1,861 1,280
Acceptance Rate 42.2% 91.8%
Enrolled % 20.5% 24.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.86 3.58
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 25/30 23/29
SAT Range 1120/1330 1086/1313
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 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

IWU Gordon College
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • English and Literature (9%)

Outcomes

IWU Gordon College
Graduation Rate 82% 74%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $60,500 $45,300
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 85%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $279

Diversity

IWU Gordon College
% Men 51% 38%
% Women 49% 62%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 71% 72%
% Black 4% 4%
% Hispanic 7% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 9% 8%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

IWU Gordon College
% In-State 77% 37%
% Out-of-State 14% 54%

Campus

IWU Gordon College
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

  • Gordon College is larger than than IWU based on total student enrollment (1,628 students vs. 1,527 students)

IWU vs. Gordon College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, IWU or Gordon College?

  • Illinois Wesleyan University is 106.1% more expensive to attend than Gordon College for in-state tuition ($53,610.00 vs. $26,010.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 106.1% higher at IWU than Gordon College ($53,610.00 vs. $26,010.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Gordon College than IWU ($24,483 vs. $30,096)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Gordon College are 2.2% lower than costs at Illinois Wesleyan University ($12,150 vs. $12,418)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Illinois Wesleyan University as Gordon College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois Wesleyan University students is 141.2% larger than aid received Gordon College ($36,614 vs. $15,181)

IWU vs. Gordon College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Illinois Wesleyan University (1249) is 137 points higher than at Gordon College (1112)
  • Incoming IWU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Gordon College (26)
  • Accepted freshman IWU students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.86) than students at Gordon College (3.58)
  • Gordon College has a higher acceptance rate (91.8%) than IWU (42.2%)

IWU vs. Gordon College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, IWU or Gordon College? 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 Gordon College and IWU.

  • The graduation rate at IWU is higher than Gordon College (82% vs. 74%)
  • Graduates from Illinois Wesleyan University earn on average $15,200 more per year than Gordon College graduates after ten years. ($60,500 vs. $45,300)
  • Gordon College and IWU graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($27,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Gordon College and IWU graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($279 vs. $279)
  • More IWU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Gordon College students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 85%)

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