IWU vs. WSU

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

IWU WSU
Location Bloomington, IL Detroit, MI
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 1,527 23,630
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #144 #582
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iwu.edu wayne.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

IWU WSU
Tuition (In State) $53,610 $12,933
Tuition (Out of State) $53,610 $29,622
Room & Board $12,418 $11,321
Avg Net Price $30,096 $15,347
Avg Grant Aid $36,614 $10,605
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 96%

Admission

IWU WSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,408 14,002
Admitted 1,861 10,547
Acceptance Rate 42.2% 75.3%
Enrolled % 20.5% 24.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.86 3.42
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 25/30 21/28
SAT Range 1120/1330 1040/1260
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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

IWU WSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Biology (7%)

Outcomes

IWU WSU
Graduation Rate 82% 26%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $60,500 $51,000
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 38%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $22,258
Median Loan Payment $279 $230

Diversity

IWU WSU
% Men 51% 40%
% Women 49% 60%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 71% 57%
% Black 4% 19%
% Hispanic 7% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 9% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 5%

Students

IWU WSU
% In-State 77% 93%
% Out-of-State 14% 3%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Wayne State University is larger than than IWU based on total student enrollment (23,630 students vs. 1,527 students)

IWU vs. WSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, IWU or WSU?

  • Illinois Wesleyan University is 314.5% more expensive to attend than WSU for in-state tuition ($53,610.00 vs. $12,933.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 81% higher at IWU than Wayne State University ($53,610.00 vs. $29,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wayne State University than IWU ($15,347 vs. $30,096)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wayne State University are 9.7% lower than costs at Illinois Wesleyan University ($11,321 vs. $12,418)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois Wesleyan University than Wayne State University (100% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois Wesleyan University students is 245.3% larger than aid received Wayne State University ($36,614 vs. $10,605)

IWU vs. WSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Illinois Wesleyan University (1249) is 179 points higher than at WSU (1070)
  • Incoming IWU students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at WSU (23)
  • Accepted freshman IWU students have a 0.44 point higher average high school GPA (3.86) than students at WSU (3.42)
  • WSU has a higher acceptance rate (75.3%) than IWU (42.2%)

IWU vs. WSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at IWU is higher than Wayne State University (82% vs. 26%)
  • Graduates from Illinois Wesleyan University earn on average $9,500 more per year than WSU graduates after ten years. ($60,500 vs. $51,000)
  • Wayne State University students graduate with a $4,742 lower median federal student loan debt than IWU graduates. ($22,258 vs. $27,000)
  • WSU graduates are paying $49 less per month on federal student loans than IWU graduates. ($230 vs. $279)
  • More IWU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WSU students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 38%)

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