PLNU vs. IIT

Should I go to Point Loma Nazarene University or Illinois Institute of Technology? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if PLNU or IIT 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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Point Loma Nazarene University vs. Illinois Institute of Technology comparison
Point Loma Nazarene University Illinois Institute of Technology College 3 College 4
Point Loma Nazarene University Illinois Institute of Technology
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Overview

 PLNU IIT
Location San Diego, CA Chicago, IL
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 4,494 8,563
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #252 #270
Religious Affiliation Church of the Nazarene - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website pointloma.edu iit.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 PLNU IIT
Tuition (In State) $42,600 $49,643
Tuition (Out of State) $42,600 $49,643
Room & Board $12,850 $16,528
Avg Net Price $36,370 $25,001
Avg Grant Aid $20,277 $43,437
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 100%

Admission

 PLNU IIT
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,065 8,912
Admitted 2,506 4,939
Acceptance Rate 81.8% 55.4%
Enrolled % 26.2% 10.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.65 3.84
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/30 25/31
SAT Range 1140/1410 1180/1410
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 Feb 15, 2026 Mar 1, 2026

Academics

 PLNU IIT
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Engineering (50%)
  • Architecture (20%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (8%)
  • Business (7%)
  • Biology (4%)

Outcomes

 PLNU IIT
Graduation Rate 72% 64%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,500 $79,300
Making Student Loan Payments 79% 81%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $258 $279

Diversity

 PLNU IIT
% Men 9% 37%
% Women 21% 24%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 59% 33%
% Black 2% 6%
% Hispanic 23% 16%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 2%
% International 1% 26%
% Unknown Race 2% 4%

Students

 PLNU IIT
% In-State 70% 60%
% Out-of-State 29% 29%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Illinois Institute of Technology is larger than than PLNU based on total student enrollment (8,563 students vs. 4,494 students)

PLNU vs. IIT Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, PLNU or IIT?

  • Illinois Institute of Technology is 16.5% more expensive to attend than PLNU for in-state tuition ($49,643.00 vs. $42,600.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 16.5% higher at IIT than Point Loma Nazarene University ($49,643.00 vs. $42,600.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Illinois Institute of Technology than PLNU ($25,001 vs. $36,370)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Point Loma Nazarene University are 28.6% lower than costs at Illinois Institute of Technology ($12,850 vs. $16,528)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois Institute of Technology than Point Loma Nazarene University (100% vs. 93%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois Institute of Technology students is 114.2% larger than aid received Point Loma Nazarene University ($43,437 vs. $20,277)

PLNU vs. IIT Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Illinois Institute of Technology (1251) is 103 points higher than at PLNU (1148)
  • Incoming IIT students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at PLNU (26)
  • Accepted freshman IIT students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.84) than students at PLNU (3.65)
  • PLNU has a higher acceptance rate (81.8%) than IIT (55.4%)

PLNU vs. IIT Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, PLNU or IIT? 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 IIT and PLNU.

  • The graduation rate at PLNU is higher than Illinois Institute of Technology (72% vs. 64%)
  • Graduates from Illinois Institute of Technology earn on average $25,800 more per year than PLNU graduates after ten years. ($79,300 vs. $53,500)
  • Point Loma Nazarene University students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than IIT graduates. ($25,000 vs. $27,000)
  • PLNU graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than IIT graduates. ($258 vs. $279)
  • More IIT graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former PLNU students, three years after graduation. (81% vs. 79%)

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