IWU vs. ONU

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

IWU ONU
Location Bloomington, IL Ada, OH
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 1,527 3,015
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #144 #211
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iwu.edu onu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

IWU ONU
Tuition (In State) $53,610 $35,480
Tuition (Out of State) $53,610 $35,480
Room & Board $12,418 $12,900
Avg Net Price $30,096 $27,398
Avg Grant Aid $36,614 $24,235
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 97%

Admission

IWU ONU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,408 6,625
Admitted 1,861 3,602
Acceptance Rate 42.2% 54.4%
Enrolled % 20.5% 18.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.86 3.78
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 25/30 25/30
SAT Range 1120/1330 1160/1340
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 Aug 15, 2025

Academics

IWU ONU
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Business (19%)
  • Engineering (16%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Education (7%)

Outcomes

IWU ONU
Graduation Rate 82% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $60,500 $71,200
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 82%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $279

Diversity

IWU ONU
% Men 51% 52%
% Women 49% 48%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 71% 84%
% Black 4% 3%
% Hispanic 7% 1%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 9% 4%
% Unknown Race 2% 3%

Students

IWU ONU
% In-State 77% 83%
% Out-of-State 14% 16%

Campus

IWU ONU
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

  • Ohio Northern University is larger than than IWU based on total student enrollment (3,015 students vs. 1,527 students)

IWU vs. ONU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, IWU or ONU?

  • Illinois Wesleyan University is 51.1% more expensive to attend than ONU for in-state tuition ($53,610.00 vs. $35,480.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 51.1% higher at IWU than Ohio Northern University ($53,610.00 vs. $35,480.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Ohio Northern University than IWU ($27,398 vs. $30,096)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois Wesleyan University are 3.9% lower than costs at Ohio Northern University ($12,418 vs. $12,900)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois Wesleyan University than Ohio Northern University (100% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois Wesleyan University students is 51.1% larger than aid received Ohio Northern University ($36,614 vs. $24,235)

IWU vs. ONU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Illinois Wesleyan University (1249) is 91 points higher than at ONU (1158)
  • Incoming IWU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at ONU (26)
  • Accepted freshman IWU students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.86) than students at ONU (3.78)
  • ONU has a higher acceptance rate (54.4%) than IWU (42.2%)

IWU vs. ONU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at IWU is higher than Ohio Northern University (82% vs. 65%)
  • Graduates from Ohio Northern University earn on average $10,700 more per year than IWU graduates after ten years. ($71,200 vs. $60,500)
  • Ohio Northern University and IWU graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($27,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Ohio Northern University 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 ONU students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 82%)

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