Marian vs. IWU

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

 Marian IWU
Location Indianapolis, IN Marion, IN
Setting Large City Distant Town
Enrollment 3,701 2,603
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #299
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic Wesleyan - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website marian.edu indwes.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Marian IWU
Tuition (In State) $37,600 $29,684
Tuition (Out of State) $37,600 $29,684
Room & Board $12,000 $10,050
Avg Net Price $22,554 $21,755
Avg Grant Aid $28,904 $20,194
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 Marian IWU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,997 3,946
Admitted 1,874 3,422
Acceptance Rate 93.8% 86.7%
Enrolled % 24.8% 16.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.56 3.61
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/27
SAT Range 1000/1190
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025

Academics

 Marian IWU
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (55%)
  • Health Professions (18%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (4%)
  • Psychology (3%)
  • Business (56%)
  • Health Professions (22%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (3%)
  • Education (3%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (3%)

Outcomes

 Marian IWU
Graduation Rate 58% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,800 $54,300
Making Student Loan Payments 57% 55%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $24,104
Median Loan Payment $279 $249

Diversity

 Marian IWU
% Men 37% 34%
% Women 63% 66%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 72% 73%
% Black 12% 19%
% Hispanic 5% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

 Marian IWU
% In-State 87% 60%
% Out-of-State 10% 39%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Marian University is larger than than IWU based on total student enrollment (3,701 students vs. 2,603 students)

Marian vs. IWU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Marian or IWU?

  • Marian University is 26.7% more expensive to attend than IWU for in-state tuition ($37,600.00 vs. $29,684.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 26.7% higher at Marian than Indiana Wesleyan University ($37,600.00 vs. $29,684.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Indiana Wesleyan University than Marian ($21,755 vs. $22,554)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Indiana Wesleyan University are 19.4% lower than costs at Marian University ($10,050 vs. $12,000)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Marian University as Indiana Wesleyan University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Marian University students is 43.1% larger than aid received Indiana Wesleyan University ($28,904 vs. $20,194)

Marian vs. IWU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Indiana Wesleyan University (1086) is 60 points higher than at Marian (1026)
  • Incoming IWU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Marian (23)
  • Accepted freshman IWU students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at Marian (3.56)
  • Marian has a higher acceptance rate (93.8%) than IWU (86.7%)

Marian vs. IWU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at IWU is higher than Marian University (70% vs. 58%)
  • Graduates from Indiana Wesleyan University earn on average $9,500 more per year than Marian graduates after ten years. ($54,300 vs. $44,800)
  • Indiana Wesleyan University students graduate with a $2,896 lower median federal student loan debt than Marian graduates. ($24,104 vs. $27,000)
  • IWU graduates are paying $30 less per month on federal student loans than Marian graduates. ($249 vs. $279)
  • More Marian graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former IWU students, three years after graduation. (57% vs. 55%)

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