Arkansas vs. ISU

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

Arkansas ISU
Location Fayetteville, AR Normal, IL
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 30,936 20,683
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #458 #493
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uark.edu illinoisstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Arkansas ISU
Tuition (In State) $7,666 $11,840
Tuition (Out of State) $25,420 $23,681
Room & Board $12,368 $10,602
Avg Net Price $16,208 $20,551
Avg Grant Aid $8,474 $11,619
% Receiving Grant Aid 60% 97%

Admission

Arkansas ISU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 26,219 19,596
Admitted 20,695 16,899
Acceptance Rate 78.9% 86.2%
Enrolled % 34.3% 23.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.74 3.41
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Average Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28 21/27
SAT Range 1030/1220 1000/1210
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 Aug 1, 2025 Apr 1, 2025

Academics

Arkansas ISU
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

Arkansas ISU
Graduation Rate 59% 71%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $50,400 $49,000
Making Student Loan Payments 66% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $22,000
Median Loan Payment $222 $227

Diversity

Arkansas ISU
% Men 44% 42%
% Women 56% 58%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 77% 77%
% Black 5% 8%
% Hispanic 8% 9%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 3% 0%
% Unknown Race 0% 0%

Students

Arkansas ISU
% In-State 39% 96%
% Out-of-State 60% 3%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Arkansas is larger than than ISU based on total student enrollment (30,936 students vs. 20,683 students)

Arkansas vs. ISU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Arkansas or ISU?

  • Illinois State University is 54.4% more expensive to attend than Arkansas for in-state tuition ($11,840.00 vs. $7,666.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 7.3% higher at Arkansas than Illinois State University ($25,420.00 vs. $23,681.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Arkansas than ISU ($16,208 vs. $20,551)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois State University are 16.7% lower than costs at University of Arkansas ($10,602 vs. $12,368)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois State University than University of Arkansas (97% vs. 60%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois State University students is 37.1% larger than aid received University of Arkansas ($11,619 vs. $8,474)

Arkansas vs. ISU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Arkansas (1154) is 64 points higher than at ISU (1090)
  • Incoming Arkansas students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at ISU (24)
  • Accepted freshman Arkansas students have a 0.33 point higher average high school GPA (3.74) than students at ISU (3.41)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (86.2%) than Arkansas (78.9%)

Arkansas vs. ISU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Arkansas or ISU? 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 ISU and Arkansas.

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than University of Arkansas (71% vs. 59%)
  • Graduates from University of Arkansas earn on average $1,400 more per year than ISU graduates after ten years. ($50,400 vs. $49,000)
  • University of Arkansas students graduate with a $500 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($21,500 vs. $22,000)
  • Arkansas graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($222 vs. $227)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Arkansas students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 66%)

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