IWU vs. IIT

Deciding between Illinois Wesleyan University and Illinois Institute of Technology? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Illinois Wesleyan University
Illinois Institute of Technology

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • IWU Bloomington, IL
  • IIT Chicago, IL
  • Setting
  • IWU Small City
  • IIT Large City
  • Total enrollment
  • IWU 1,582
  • IIT 8,834
  • Type
  • IWU Private 4 Year
  • IIT Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • IWU #157
  • IIT #236
  • Religious Affiliation
  • IWU -
  • IIT -
  • Status
  • IWU Non-profit
  • IIT Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • IWU
  • IIT

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • IWU $57,704
  • IIT $52,386
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • IWU $57,704
  • IIT $52,386
  • Room & Board
  • IWU $13,370
  • IIT $17,356
  • Average Net Price
  • IWU $28,644
  • IIT $24,796
  • Average Grant Aid
  • IWU $42,181
  • IIT $44,547
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • IWU 100%
  • IIT 100%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • IWU 9,558
  • IIT 12,216
  • Admitted
  • IWU 3,757
  • IIT 6,710
  • Acceptance Rate
  • IWU 39.3%
  • IIT 54.9%
  • Enrolled
  • IWU 12.3%
  • IIT 7.7%
  • Typical SAT score
  • IWU 1230
  • IIT 1310
  • Typical ACT score
  • IWU 27
  • IIT 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • IWU 3.86
  • IIT 3.84
  • Typical High School Grades
  • IWU A
  • IIT A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • IWU Difficult
  • IIT Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • IWU High
  • IIT Low
  • ACT Range
  • IWU 25/30
  • IIT 26/32
  • SAT Range
  • IWU 1120/1340
  • IIT 1180/1440
  • Submit Test Scores
  • IWU Test optional
  • IIT Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • IWU
  • IIT Mar 1, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • IWU 12:1
  • IIT 14:1
  • Popular Majors
  • IWU
    • Business (20%)
    • Social Sciences (13%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
    • Psychology (8%)
    • Biology (7%)
  • IIT
    • Engineering (50%)
    • Architecture (20%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (8%)
    • Business (7%)
    • Biology (4%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • IWU 82%
  • IIT 64%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • IWU $60,500
  • IIT $79,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • IWU 87%
  • IIT 81%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • IWU $27,000
  • IIT $27,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • IWU $279
  • IIT $279

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • IWU 50%
  • IIT 62%
  • % Women
  • IWU 50%
  • IIT 38%
  • Racial Diversity
  • IWU Medium
  • IIT Very High
  • HBCU
  • IWU No
  • IIT No
  • % White
  • IWU 71%
  • IIT 33%
  • % Asian
  • IWU 4%
  • IIT 13%
  • % Black
  • IWU 4%
  • IIT 6%
  • % Hispanic
  • IWU 7%
  • IIT 16%
  • % Native American
  • IWU 0%
  • IIT 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • IWU 0%
  • IIT 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • IWU 3%
  • IIT 2%
  • % International
  • IWU 9%
  • IIT 26%
  • % Unknown Race
  • IWU 2%
  • IIT 4%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • IWU 80%
  • IIT 67%
  • % Out-of-State
  • IWU 15%
  • IIT 24%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • IWU Yes
  • IIT Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • IWU No
  • IIT No
  • Meal Plan
  • IWU Yes
  • IIT Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • IWU No
  • IIT Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • IWU No
  • IIT No

Comparable Facts

Compare Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, IL with Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago, IL on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Illinois Institute of Technology is larger than IWU based on total student enrollment (8,834 students vs. 1,582 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Illinois Wesleyan University is located in Bloomington, IL (Small City setting); Illinois Institute of Technology is in Chicago, IL (Large City setting).
  • Illinois Wesleyan University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Illinois Institute of Technology is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Illinois Wesleyan University 12:1; Illinois Institute of Technology 14:1.

IWU vs. IIT Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, IWU or IIT? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Illinois Institute of Technology than IWU ($24,796 vs. $28,644).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois Wesleyan University are 23% lower than at Illinois Institute of Technology ($13,370 vs. $17,356).
  • Illinois Wesleyan University is 10.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than IIT (about $5,318 more per year; $57,704.00 vs. $52,386.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 10.2% higher at IWU than at Illinois Institute of Technology (about $5,318 more per year; $57,704.00 vs. $52,386.00).
  • The same share of students receive grant aid at Illinois Wesleyan University as at Illinois Institute of Technology (100% vs. 100%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois Institute of Technology students is 5.6% larger than aid received by Illinois Wesleyan University students ($44,547 vs. $42,181).

IWU vs. IIT Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, IWU or IIT? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between IIT and IWU.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Illinois Institute of Technology (1310) is 80 points higher than at IWU (1230).
  • Incoming IIT students have a 2 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (29 vs. 27 at IWU).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Illinois Wesleyan University 1120/1340; Illinois Institute of Technology 1180/1440.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Illinois Wesleyan University 25/30; Illinois Institute of Technology 26/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: IWU - Test optional; IIT - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: IIT Mar 1, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman IWU students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.86) than students at IIT (3.84).
  • IIT has a higher acceptance rate (54.9%) than IWU (39.3%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 12.3% at IWU vs. 7.7% at IIT.

IWU vs. IIT Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for IWU and IIT? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Illinois Wesleyan University's six-year graduation rate (82%) is higher than Illinois Institute of Technology's (64%).
  • Graduates from Illinois Institute of Technology earn a median of about $18,800 more per year than IWU graduates about ten years after starting college ($79,300 vs. $60,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Illinois Institute of Technology and IWU graduates have the same median loan debt ($27,000 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers in the federal data, Illinois Institute of Technology and IWU graduates have the same median monthly federal student loan payment ($279 vs. $279).
  • More IWU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former IIT students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 81%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.