SIUE vs. Western Illinois University

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

SIUE Western Illinois University
Location Edwardsville, IL Macomb, IL
Setting Large Suburban Remote Town
Enrollment 12,519 7,643
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #506 #579
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website siue.edu wiu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

SIUE Western Illinois University
Tuition (In State) $9,306 $9,515
Tuition (Out of State) $9,306 $9,515
Room & Board $10,272 $10,500
Avg Net Price $13,586 $11,213
Avg Grant Aid $10,649 $15,632
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 94%

Admission

SIUE Western Illinois University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,325 9,219
Admitted 9,093 6,914
Acceptance Rate 97.5% 75%
Enrolled % 20.5% 15.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.54 3.45
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26 18/24
SAT Range 930/1160 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 May 1, 2025

Academics

SIUE Western Illinois University
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (14%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (12%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Communication (6%)

Outcomes

SIUE Western Illinois University
Graduation Rate 52% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,000 $46,000
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 61%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,430 $24,704
Median Loan Payment $221 $255

Diversity

SIUE Western Illinois University
% Men 42% 43%
% Women 58% 57%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 73% 62%
% Black 15% 19%
% Hispanic 4% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

SIUE Western Illinois University
% In-State 79% 89%
% Out-of-State 16% 10%

Campus

SIUE 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

  • Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is larger than than Western Illinois University based on total student enrollment (12,519 students vs. 7,643 students)

SIUE vs. Western Illinois University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SIUE or Western Illinois University?

  • Western Illinois University is 2.2% more expensive to attend than SIUE for in-state tuition ($9,515.00 vs. $9,306.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.2% higher at Western Illinois University than Southern Illinois University Edwardsville ($9,515.00 vs. $9,306.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Illinois University than SIUE ($11,213 vs. $13,586)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville are 2.2% lower than costs at Western Illinois University ($10,272 vs. $10,500)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville than Western Illinois University (96% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Western Illinois University students is 46.8% larger than aid received Southern Illinois University Edwardsville ($15,632 vs. $10,649)

SIUE vs. Western Illinois University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, SIUE 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 SIUE .

  • The average SAT score at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (1070) is 100 points higher than at Western Illinois University (970)
  • Incoming SIUE students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Western Illinois University (21)
  • Accepted freshman SIUE students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.54) than students at Western Illinois University (3.45)
  • SIUE has a higher acceptance rate (97.5%) than Western Illinois University (75%)

SIUE vs. Western Illinois University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SIUE 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 SIUE.

  • The graduation rate at Western Illinois University is higher than Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (53% vs. 52%)
  • Graduates from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville earn on average $1,000 more per year than Western Illinois University graduates after ten years. ($47,000 vs. $46,000)
  • Southern Illinois University Edwardsville students graduate with a $3,274 lower median federal student loan debt than Western Illinois University graduates. ($21,430 vs. $24,704)
  • SIUE graduates are paying $34 less per month on federal student loans than Western Illinois University graduates. ($221 vs. $255)
  • More Western Illinois University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SIUE students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 61%)

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