UH at Manoa vs. ISU

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

 UH at Manoa ISU
Location Honolulu, HI Normal, IL
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 19,256 20,989
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #298 #501
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website hawaii.edu illinoisstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UH at Manoa ISU
Tuition (In State) $11,304 $12,066
Tuition (Out of State) $33,336 $24,131
Room & Board $14,936 $11,584
Avg Net Price $14,557 $20,871
Avg Grant Aid $7,540 $11,590
% Receiving Grant Aid 68% 96%

Admission

 UH at Manoa ISU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,211 20,884
Admitted 13,388 18,589
Acceptance Rate 69.7% 89%
Enrolled % 22.7% 22.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.67 3.41
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/27 22/27
SAT Range 1020/1240 1010/1230
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 Apr 1, 2026

Academics

 UH at Manoa ISU
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Biology (5%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

 UH at Manoa ISU
Graduation Rate 55% 71%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,300 $49,000
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,750 $22,000
Median Loan Payment $193 $227

Diversity

 UH at Manoa ISU
% Men 9% 4%
% Women 15% 8%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 17% 77%
% Black 1% 8%
% Hispanic 10% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 3% 0%
% Two or More Races 25% 3%
% International 3% 0%
% Unknown Race 0% 0%

Students

 UH at Manoa ISU
% In-State 54% 96%
% Out-of-State 43% 3%

Campus

 UH at Manoa 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

  • Illinois State University is larger than than UH at Manoa based on total student enrollment (20,989 students vs. 19,256 students)

UH at Manoa vs. ISU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UH at Manoa or ISU?

  • Illinois State University is 6.7% more expensive to attend than UH at Manoa for in-state tuition ($12,066.00 vs. $11,304.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 38.1% higher at UH at Manoa than Illinois State University ($33,336.00 vs. $24,131.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Hawaii at Manoa than ISU ($14,557 vs. $20,871)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois State University are 28.9% lower than costs at University of Hawaii at Manoa ($11,584 vs. $14,936)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois State University than University of Hawaii at Manoa (96% vs. 68%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois State University students is 53.7% larger than aid received University of Hawaii at Manoa ($11,590 vs. $7,540)

UH at Manoa vs. ISU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Illinois State University (1090) is 23 points higher than at UH at Manoa (1067)
  • Incoming ISU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at UH at Manoa (23)
  • Accepted freshman UH at Manoa students have a 0.26 point higher average high school GPA (3.67) than students at ISU (3.41)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (89%) than UH at Manoa (69.7%)

UH at Manoa vs. ISU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UH at Manoa 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 UH at Manoa.

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than University of Hawaii at Manoa (71% vs. 55%)
  • Graduates from University of Hawaii at Manoa earn on average $300 more per year than ISU graduates after ten years. ($49,300 vs. $49,000)
  • University of Hawaii at Manoa students graduate with a $3,250 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($18,750 vs. $22,000)
  • UH at Manoa graduates are paying $34 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($193 vs. $227)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UH at Manoa students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 69%)

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