IWU vs. IU

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

 IWU IU
Location Bloomington, IL Bloomington, IN
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 1,527 47,005
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #144 #200
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iwu.edu iub.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 IWU IU
Tuition (In State) $53,610 $10,012
Tuition (Out of State) $53,610 $37,685
Room & Board $12,418 $12,228
Avg Net Price $30,096 $16,234
Avg Grant Aid $36,614 $10,336
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 74%

Admission

 IWU IU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,408 50,080
Admitted 1,861 41,272
Acceptance Rate 42.2% 82.4%
Enrolled % 20.5% 23.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.86 3.74
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 25/30 27/32
SAT Range 1120/1330 1180/1400
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

Academics

 IWU IU
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Education (7%)

Outcomes

 IWU IU
Graduation Rate 82% 72%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $60,500 $56,200
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 72%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $22,500
Median Loan Payment $279 $232

Diversity

 IWU IU
% Men 51% 51%
% Women 49% 49%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 71% 71%
% Black 4% 4%
% Hispanic 7% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 9% 11%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

 IWU IU
% In-State 77% 51%
% Out-of-State 14% 42%

Campus

 IWU IU
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

  • Indiana University Bloomington is larger than than IWU based on total student enrollment (47,005 students vs. 1,527 students)

IWU vs. IU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, IWU or IU?

  • Illinois Wesleyan University is 435.5% more expensive to attend than IU for in-state tuition ($53,610.00 vs. $10,012.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 42.3% higher at IWU than Indiana University Bloomington ($53,610.00 vs. $37,685.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Indiana University Bloomington than IWU ($16,234 vs. $30,096)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Indiana University Bloomington are 1.6% lower than costs at Illinois Wesleyan University ($12,228 vs. $12,418)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois Wesleyan University than Indiana University Bloomington (100% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois Wesleyan University students is 254.2% larger than aid received Indiana University Bloomington ($36,614 vs. $10,336)

IWU vs. IU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Illinois Wesleyan University (1249) is 50 points higher than at IU (1199)
  • Incoming IWU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at IU (27)
  • Accepted freshman IWU students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.86) than students at IU (3.74)
  • IU has a higher acceptance rate (82.4%) than IWU (42.2%)

IWU vs. IU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at IWU is higher than Indiana University Bloomington (82% vs. 72%)
  • Graduates from Illinois Wesleyan University earn on average $4,300 more per year than IU graduates after ten years. ($60,500 vs. $56,200)
  • Indiana University Bloomington students graduate with a $4,500 lower median federal student loan debt than IWU graduates. ($22,500 vs. $27,000)
  • IU graduates are paying $47 less per month on federal student loans than IWU graduates. ($232 vs. $279)
  • More IWU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former IU students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 72%)

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