IWU vs. ISU

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

IWU ISU
Location Bloomington, IL Normal, IL
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 1,527 20,683
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #144 #493
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iwu.edu illinoisstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

IWU ISU
Tuition (In State) $53,610 $11,840
Tuition (Out of State) $53,610 $23,681
Room & Board $12,418 $10,602
Avg Net Price $30,096 $20,551
Avg Grant Aid $36,614 $11,619
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 97%

Admission

IWU ISU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,408 19,596
Admitted 1,861 16,899
Acceptance Rate 42.2% 86.2%
Enrolled % 20.5% 23.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.86 3.41
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 25/30 21/27
SAT Range 1120/1330 1000/1210
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

IWU ISU
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

IWU ISU
Graduation Rate 82% 71%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $60,500 $49,000
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $22,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $227

Diversity

IWU ISU
% Men 51% 42%
% Women 49% 58%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 71% 77%
% Black 4% 8%
% Hispanic 7% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 9% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

IWU ISU
% In-State 77% 96%
% Out-of-State 14% 3%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Illinois State University is larger than than IWU based on total student enrollment (20,683 students vs. 1,527 students)

IWU vs. ISU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, IWU or ISU?

  • Illinois Wesleyan University is 352.8% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($53,610.00 vs. $11,840.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 126.4% higher at IWU than Illinois State University ($53,610.00 vs. $23,681.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Illinois State University than IWU ($20,551 vs. $30,096)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois State University are 17.1% lower than costs at Illinois Wesleyan University ($10,602 vs. $12,418)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois Wesleyan University than Illinois State University (100% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois Wesleyan University students is 215.1% larger than aid received Illinois State University ($36,614 vs. $11,619)

IWU vs. ISU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Illinois Wesleyan University (1249) is 159 points higher than at ISU (1090)
  • Incoming IWU students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at ISU (24)
  • Accepted freshman IWU students have a 0.45 point higher average high school GPA (3.86) than students at ISU (3.41)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (86.2%) than IWU (42.2%)

IWU vs. ISU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at IWU is higher than Illinois State University (82% vs. 71%)
  • Graduates from Illinois Wesleyan University earn on average $11,500 more per year than ISU graduates after ten years. ($60,500 vs. $49,000)
  • Illinois State University students graduate with a $5,000 lower median federal student loan debt than IWU graduates. ($22,000 vs. $27,000)
  • ISU graduates are paying $52 less per month on federal student loans than IWU graduates. ($227 vs. $279)
  • More IWU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ISU students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 74%)

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