Illinois vs. IWU

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

 Illinois IWU
Location Champaign, IL Bloomington, IL
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 56,916 1,527
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #106 #144
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinois.edu iwu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Illinois IWU
Tuition (In State) $12,474 $53,610
Tuition (Out of State) $30,446 $53,610
Room & Board $12,720 $12,418
Avg Net Price $14,544 $30,096
Avg Grant Aid $16,552 $36,614
% Receiving Grant Aid 54% 100%

Admission

 Illinois IWU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 63,257 4,408
Admitted 28,354 1,861
Acceptance Rate 44.8% 42.2%
Enrolled % 28.1% 20.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.79 3.86
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Difficult
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 29/34 25/30
SAT Range 1320/1510 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 Jan 5, 2025

Academics

 Illinois IWU
Student to Faculty Ratio 21:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (16%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Biology (7%)

Outcomes

 Illinois IWU
Graduation Rate 82% 82%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $66,500 $60,500
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $211 $279

Diversity

 Illinois IWU
% Men 54% 51%
% Women 46% 49%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 48% 71%
% Black 6% 4%
% Hispanic 10% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 16% 9%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 Illinois IWU
% In-State 71% 77%
% Out-of-State 11% 14%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign is larger than than IWU based on total student enrollment (56,916 students vs. 1,527 students)

Illinois vs. IWU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Illinois or IWU?

  • Illinois Wesleyan University is 329.8% more expensive to attend than Illinois for in-state tuition ($53,610.00 vs. $12,474.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 76.1% higher at IWU than University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign ($53,610.00 vs. $30,446.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign than IWU ($14,544 vs. $30,096)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois Wesleyan University are 2.4% lower than costs at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign ($12,418 vs. $12,720)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois Wesleyan University than University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (100% vs. 54%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois Wesleyan University students is 121.2% larger than aid received University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign ($36,614 vs. $16,552)

Illinois vs. IWU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (1305) is 56 points higher than at IWU (1249)
  • Incoming Illinois students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at IWU (28)
  • Accepted freshman IWU students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.86) than students at Illinois (3.79)
  • Illinois has a higher acceptance rate (44.8%) than IWU (42.2%)

Illinois vs. IWU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Illinois 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 Illinois.

  • The graduation rate at Illinois is the same as at Illinois Wesleyan University (82% vs. 82%)
  • Graduates from University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign earn on average $6,000 more per year than IWU graduates after ten years. ($66,500 vs. $60,500)
  • University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign students graduate with a $6,500 lower median federal student loan debt than IWU graduates. ($20,500 vs. $27,000)
  • Illinois graduates are paying $68 less per month on federal student loans than IWU graduates. ($211 vs. $279)
  • More IWU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Illinois students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 78%)

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