SIUE vs. WMU

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

SIUE WMU
Location Edwardsville, IL Kalamazoo, MI
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 12,519 17,000
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #506 #634
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website siue.edu wmich.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

SIUE WMU
Tuition (In State) $9,306 $14,523
Tuition (Out of State) $9,306 $18,154
Room & Board $10,272 $11,102
Avg Net Price $13,586 $20,030
Avg Grant Aid $10,649 $6,813
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 93%

Admission

SIUE WMU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,325 20,501
Admitted 9,093 17,334
Acceptance Rate 97.5% 84.6%
Enrolled % 20.5% 15.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.54 3.5
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26 19/27
SAT Range 930/1160 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 May 1, 2025

Academics

SIUE WMU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Engineering (6%)

Outcomes

SIUE WMU
Graduation Rate 52% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,000 $48,900
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 54%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,430 $26,633
Median Loan Payment $221 $275

Diversity

SIUE WMU
% Men 42% 47%
% Women 58% 53%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 73% 72%
% Black 15% 12%
% Hispanic 4% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 1% 4%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

SIUE WMU
% In-State 79% 79%
% Out-of-State 16% 19%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Western Michigan University is larger than than SIUE based on total student enrollment (17,000 students vs. 12,519 students)

SIUE vs. WMU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SIUE or WMU?

  • Western Michigan University is 56.1% more expensive to attend than SIUE for in-state tuition ($14,523.00 vs. $9,306.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 95.1% higher at WMU than Southern Illinois University Edwardsville ($18,154.00 vs. $9,306.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville than WMU ($13,586 vs. $20,030)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville are 8.1% lower than costs at Western Michigan University ($10,272 vs. $11,102)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville than Western Michigan University (96% vs. 93%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Southern Illinois University Edwardsville students is 56.3% larger than aid received Western Michigan University ($10,649 vs. $6,813)

SIUE vs. WMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (1070) is 40 points higher than at WMU (1030)
  • Incoming SIUE students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at WMU (22)
  • Accepted freshman SIUE students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.54) than students at WMU (3.5)
  • SIUE has a higher acceptance rate (97.5%) than WMU (84.6%)

SIUE vs. WMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SIUE 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 SIUE.

  • The graduation rate at WMU is higher than Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (56% vs. 52%)
  • Graduates from Western Michigan University earn on average $1,900 more per year than SIUE graduates after ten years. ($48,900 vs. $47,000)
  • Southern Illinois University Edwardsville students graduate with a $5,203 lower median federal student loan debt than WMU graduates. ($21,430 vs. $26,633)
  • SIUE graduates are paying $54 less per month on federal student loans than WMU graduates. ($221 vs. $275)
  • More SIUE graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WMU students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 54%)

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