UIC vs. IWU

Should I go to University of Illinois at Chicago or Illinois Wesleyan University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UIC or IWU 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Loyola IIT Northern Illinois ISU Illinois ISU UC UB Michigan State UChicago University of Illinois at Springfield IU
University of Illinois at Chicago vs. Illinois Wesleyan University comparison
University of Illinois at Chicago Illinois Wesleyan University College 3 College 4
University of Illinois at Chicago Illinois Wesleyan University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

UIC IWU
Location Chicago, IL Bloomington, IL
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 33,747 1,527
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #234 #144
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uic.edu iwu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UIC IWU
Tuition (In State) $10,970 $53,610
Tuition (Out of State) $25,578 $53,610
Room & Board $14,400 $12,418
Avg Net Price $10,384 $30,096
Avg Grant Aid $13,813 $36,614
% Receiving Grant Aid 73% 100%

Admission

UIC IWU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 23,562 4,408
Admitted 18,541 1,861
Acceptance Rate 78.7% 42.2%
Enrolled % 22.9% 20.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.86
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 24/30 25/30
SAT Range 1110/1340 1120/1330
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 1, 2025

Academics

UIC IWU
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Biology (7%)

Outcomes

UIC IWU
Graduation Rate 54% 82%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $61,900 $60,500
Making Student Loan Payments 68% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,750 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $193 $279

Diversity

UIC IWU
% Men 44% 51%
% Women 56% 49%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 34% 71%
% Black 8% 4%
% Hispanic 28% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 9%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

UIC IWU
% In-State 88% 77%
% Out-of-State 5% 14%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Illinois at Chicago is larger than than IWU based on total student enrollment (33,747 students vs. 1,527 students)

UIC vs. IWU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UIC or IWU?

  • Illinois Wesleyan University is 388.7% more expensive to attend than UIC for in-state tuition ($53,610.00 vs. $10,970.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 109.6% higher at IWU than University of Illinois at Chicago ($53,610.00 vs. $25,578.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Illinois at Chicago than IWU ($10,384 vs. $30,096)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois Wesleyan University are 16% lower than costs at University of Illinois at Chicago ($12,418 vs. $14,400)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois Wesleyan University than University of Illinois at Chicago (100% vs. 73%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois Wesleyan University students is 165.1% larger than aid received University of Illinois at Chicago ($36,614 vs. $13,813)

UIC vs. IWU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Illinois Wesleyan University (1249) is 157 points higher than at UIC (1092)
  • Incoming IWU students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at UIC (24)
  • Accepted freshman IWU students have a 0.45 point higher average high school GPA (3.86) than students at UIC (3.41)
  • UIC has a higher acceptance rate (78.7%) than IWU (42.2%)

UIC vs. IWU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UIC or IWU? 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 IWU and UIC.

  • The graduation rate at IWU is higher than University of Illinois at Chicago (82% vs. 54%)
  • Graduates from University of Illinois at Chicago earn on average $1,400 more per year than IWU graduates after ten years. ($61,900 vs. $60,500)
  • University of Illinois at Chicago students graduate with a $8,250 lower median federal student loan debt than IWU graduates. ($18,750 vs. $27,000)
  • UIC graduates are paying $86 less per month on federal student loans than IWU graduates. ($193 vs. $279)
  • More IWU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UIC students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 68%)

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