IWU vs. SU

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

IWU SU
Location Bloomington, IL Georgetown, TX
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 1,527 1,483
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #144 #187
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iwu.edu southwestern.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

IWU SU
Tuition (In State) $53,610 $48,450
Tuition (Out of State) $53,610 $48,450
Room & Board $12,418 $12,300
Avg Net Price $30,096 $31,014
Avg Grant Aid $36,614 $30,609
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 98%

Admission

IWU SU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,408 5,557
Admitted 1,861 2,489
Acceptance Rate 42.2% 44.8%
Enrolled % 20.5% 17.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.86 3.5
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 25/30 24/30
SAT Range 1120/1330 1120/1355
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 SU
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Education (8%)

Outcomes

IWU SU
Graduation Rate 82% 73%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $60,500 $57,400
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 80%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,893
Median Loan Payment $279 $278

Diversity

IWU SU
% Men 51% 46%
% Women 49% 54%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 71% 62%
% Black 4% 5%
% Hispanic 7% 22%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 9% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

IWU SU
% In-State 77% 84%
% Out-of-State 14% 13%

Campus

IWU SU
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

  • Illinois Wesleyan University is larger than than SU based on total student enrollment (1,527 students vs. 1,483 students)

IWU vs. SU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, IWU or SU?

  • Illinois Wesleyan University is 10.7% more expensive to attend than SU for in-state tuition ($53,610.00 vs. $48,450.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 10.7% higher at IWU than Southwestern University ($53,610.00 vs. $48,450.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Illinois Wesleyan University than SU ($30,096 vs. $31,014)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southwestern University are 1% lower than costs at Illinois Wesleyan University ($12,300 vs. $12,418)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois Wesleyan University than Southwestern University (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois Wesleyan University students is 19.6% larger than aid received Southwestern University ($36,614 vs. $30,609)

IWU vs. SU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Illinois Wesleyan University (1249) is 81 points higher than at SU (1168)
  • Incoming IWU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at SU (26)
  • Accepted freshman IWU students have a 0.36 point higher average high school GPA (3.86) than students at SU (3.5)
  • SU has a higher acceptance rate (44.8%) than IWU (42.2%)

IWU vs. SU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at IWU is higher than Southwestern University (82% vs. 73%)
  • Graduates from Illinois Wesleyan University earn on average $3,100 more per year than SU graduates after ten years. ($60,500 vs. $57,400)
  • Southwestern University students graduate with a $107 lower median federal student loan debt than IWU graduates. ($26,893 vs. $27,000)
  • SU graduates are paying $1 less per month on federal student loans than IWU graduates. ($278 vs. $279)
  • More IWU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SU students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 80%)

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