IU Northwest vs. WMU

Should I go to Indiana University Northwest or Western Michigan University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if IU Northwest or WMU 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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Indiana University Northwest vs. Western Michigan University comparison
Indiana University Northwest Western Michigan University College 3 College 4
Indiana University Northwest Western Michigan University
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Overview

 IU Northwest WMU
Location Gary, IN Kalamazoo, MI
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 3,198 17,000
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #882 #634
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iun.edu wmich.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 IU Northwest WMU
Tuition (In State) $7,274 $14,523
Tuition (Out of State) $20,634 $18,154
Room & Board $9,412 $11,102
Avg Net Price $6,553 $20,030
Avg Grant Aid $8,754 $6,813
% Receiving Grant Aid 80% 93%

Admission

 IU Northwest WMU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,915 20,501
Admitted 1,538 17,334
Acceptance Rate 80.3% 84.6%
Enrolled % 27.3% 15.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.14 3.5
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Easy Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/25 19/27
SAT Range 950/1170 990/1220
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

 IU Northwest WMU
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (33%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (13%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Engineering (6%)

Outcomes

 IU Northwest WMU
Graduation Rate 23% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,500 $48,900
Making Student Loan Payments 33% 54%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,030 $26,633
Median Loan Payment $258 $275

Diversity

 IU Northwest WMU
% Men 25% 47%
% Women 75% 53%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 55% 72%
% Black 18% 12%
% Hispanic 20% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 0% 4%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 IU Northwest WMU
% In-State 97% 79%
% Out-of-State 2% 19%

Campus

 IU Northwest WMU
Campus Housing No Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Western Michigan University is larger than than IU Northwest based on total student enrollment (17,000 students vs. 3,198 students)

IU Northwest vs. WMU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, IU Northwest or WMU?

  • Western Michigan University is 99.7% more expensive to attend than IU Northwest for in-state tuition ($14,523.00 vs. $7,274.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 13.7% higher at IU Northwest than Western Michigan University ($20,634.00 vs. $18,154.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Indiana University Northwest than WMU ($6,553 vs. $20,030)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Indiana University Northwest are 18% lower than costs at Western Michigan University ($9,412 vs. $11,102)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Michigan University than Indiana University Northwest (93% vs. 80%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Indiana University Northwest students is 28.5% larger than aid received Western Michigan University ($8,754 vs. $6,813)

IU Northwest vs. WMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Western Michigan University (1030) is 102 points higher than at IU Northwest (928)
  • Incoming WMU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at IU Northwest (20)
  • Accepted freshman WMU students have a 0.36 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at IU Northwest (3.14)
  • WMU has a higher acceptance rate (84.6%) than IU Northwest (80.3%)

IU Northwest vs. WMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, IU Northwest or WMU? 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 WMU and IU Northwest.

  • The graduation rate at WMU is higher than Indiana University Northwest (56% vs. 23%)
  • Graduates from Western Michigan University earn on average $9,400 more per year than IU Northwest graduates after ten years. ($48,900 vs. $39,500)
  • Indiana University Northwest students graduate with a $1,603 lower median federal student loan debt than WMU graduates. ($25,030 vs. $26,633)
  • IU Northwest graduates are paying $17 less per month on federal student loans than WMU graduates. ($258 vs. $275)
  • More WMU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former IU Northwest students, three years after graduation. (54% vs. 33%)

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