IWU vs. UM-Dearborn

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

 IWU UM-Dearborn
Location Bloomington, IL Dearborn, MI
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 1,576 8,035
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #158 #405
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iwu.edu umich.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 IWU UM-Dearborn
Tuition (In State) $55,500 $14,544
Tuition (Out of State) $55,500 $30,960
Room & Board $12,930 $10,803
Avg Net Price $31,310 $12,798
Avg Grant Aid $36,999 $9,552
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 96%

Admission

 IWU UM-Dearborn
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,128 12,373
Admitted 2,768 7,254
Acceptance Rate 45.2% 58.6%
Enrolled % 15.9% 15.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.86 3.66
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Challenging
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 24/29 23/30
SAT Range 1140/1330 990/1260
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, 2026

Academics

 IWU UM-Dearborn
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Biology (8%)

Outcomes

 IWU UM-Dearborn
Graduation Rate 82% 49%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $60,500 $52,800
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 46%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $25,750
Median Loan Payment $279 $266

Diversity

 IWU UM-Dearborn
% Men 0% 15%
% Women 0% 9%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 71% 69%
% Black 4% 9%
% Hispanic 7% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 9% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 3%

Students

 IWU UM-Dearborn
% In-State 77% 93%
% Out-of-State 14% 3%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Michigan Dearborn is larger than than IWU based on total student enrollment (8,035 students vs. 1,576 students)

IWU vs. UM-Dearborn Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, IWU or UM-Dearborn?

  • Illinois Wesleyan University is 281.6% more expensive to attend than UM-Dearborn for in-state tuition ($55,500.00 vs. $14,544.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 79.3% higher at IWU than University of Michigan Dearborn ($55,500.00 vs. $30,960.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Michigan Dearborn than IWU ($12,798 vs. $31,310)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Michigan Dearborn are 19.7% lower than costs at Illinois Wesleyan University ($10,803 vs. $12,930)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois Wesleyan University than University of Michigan Dearborn (100% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois Wesleyan University students is 287.3% larger than aid received University of Michigan Dearborn ($36,999 vs. $9,552)

IWU vs. UM-Dearborn Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Illinois Wesleyan University (1249) is 144 points higher than at UM-Dearborn (1105)
  • Incoming IWU students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at UM-Dearborn (24)
  • Accepted freshman IWU students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.86) than students at UM-Dearborn (3.66)
  • UM-Dearborn has a higher acceptance rate (58.6%) than IWU (45.2%)

IWU vs. UM-Dearborn Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, IWU or UM-Dearborn? 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 UM-Dearborn and IWU.

  • The graduation rate at IWU is higher than University of Michigan Dearborn (82% vs. 49%)
  • Graduates from Illinois Wesleyan University earn on average $7,700 more per year than UM-Dearborn graduates after ten years. ($60,500 vs. $52,800)
  • University of Michigan Dearborn students graduate with a $1,250 lower median federal student loan debt than IWU graduates. ($25,750 vs. $27,000)
  • UM-Dearborn graduates are paying $13 less per month on federal student loans than IWU graduates. ($266 vs. $279)
  • More IWU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UM-Dearborn students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 46%)

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