Lewis-Clark State College vs. Western Illinois University

Should I go to Lewis Clark State College or Western Illinois University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Lewis-Clark State College or Western Illinois University 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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Lewis Clark State College vs. Western Illinois University comparison
Lewis Clark State College Western Illinois University College 3 College 4
Western Illinois University
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Overview

Lewis-Clark State College Western Illinois University
Location Lewiston, ID Macomb, IL
Setting Small City Remote Town
Enrollment 3,746 7,643
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #969 #579
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lcsc.edu wiu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Lewis-Clark State College Western Illinois University
Tuition (In State) $6,999 $9,515
Tuition (Out of State) $20,252 $9,515
Room & Board $8,460 $10,500
Avg Net Price $11,476 $11,213
Avg Grant Aid $6,555 $15,632
% Receiving Grant Aid 88% 94%

Admission

Lewis-Clark State College Western Illinois University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,938 9,219
Admitted 3,417 6,914
Acceptance Rate 86.8% 75%
Enrolled % 14.5% 15.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.23 3.45
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24
SAT Range 850/1110 880/1090
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Aug 8, 2025

Academics

Lewis-Clark State College Western Illinois University
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (22%)
  • Business (19%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Human Services (7%)
  • Mechanic and Repair Technologies (6%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (14%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (12%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Communication (6%)

Outcomes

Lewis-Clark State College Western Illinois University
Graduation Rate 28% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,000 $46,000
Making Student Loan Payments 55% 61%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,944 $24,704
Median Loan Payment $226 $255

Diversity

Lewis-Clark State College Western Illinois University
% Men 37% 43%
% Women 63% 57%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 82% 62%
% Black 1% 19%
% Hispanic 6% 11%
% Native American 3% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 3% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

Lewis-Clark State College Western Illinois University
% In-State 85% 89%
% Out-of-State 13% 10%

Campus

Lewis-Clark State College Western Illinois University
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Western Illinois University is larger than than Lewis-Clark State College based on total student enrollment (7,643 students vs. 3,746 students)

Lewis-Clark State College vs. Western Illinois University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Lewis-Clark State College or Western Illinois University?

  • Western Illinois University is 35.9% more expensive to attend than Lewis-Clark State College for in-state tuition ($9,515.00 vs. $6,999.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 112.8% higher at Lewis-Clark State College than Western Illinois University ($20,252.00 vs. $9,515.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Illinois University than Lewis-Clark State College ($11,213 vs. $11,476)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lewis Clark State College are 24.1% lower than costs at Western Illinois University ($8,460 vs. $10,500)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Illinois University than Lewis Clark State College (94% vs. 88%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Western Illinois University students is 138.5% larger than aid received Lewis Clark State College ($15,632 vs. $6,555)

Lewis-Clark State College vs. Western Illinois University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Lewis-Clark State College or Western Illinois University? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Western Illinois University or Lewis-Clark State College .

  • The average SAT score at Western Illinois University (970) is 31 points higher than at Lewis-Clark State College (939)
  • Incoming Lewis-Clark State College students have at the same average ACT score (21) as students at Western Illinois University (21)
  • Accepted freshman Western Illinois University students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.45) than students at Lewis-Clark State College (3.23)
  • Lewis-Clark State College has a higher acceptance rate (86.8%) than Western Illinois University (75%)

Lewis-Clark State College vs. Western Illinois University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Lewis-Clark State College or Western Illinois University? 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 Western Illinois University and Lewis-Clark State College.

  • The graduation rate at Western Illinois University is higher than Lewis Clark State College (53% vs. 28%)
  • Graduates from Western Illinois University earn on average $8,000 more per year than Lewis-Clark State College graduates after ten years. ($46,000 vs. $38,000)
  • Lewis Clark State College students graduate with a $2,760 lower median federal student loan debt than Western Illinois University graduates. ($21,944 vs. $24,704)
  • Lewis-Clark State College graduates are paying $29 less per month on federal student loans than Western Illinois University graduates. ($226 vs. $255)
  • More Western Illinois University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Lewis-Clark State College students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 55%)

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