Illinois vs. OWU

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

 Illinois OWU
Location Champaign, IL Delaware, OH
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 56,563 1,452
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #120 #369
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinois.edu owu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Illinois OWU
Tuition (In State) $12,712 $51,771
Tuition (Out of State) $31,208 $51,771
Room & Board $13,938 $14,226
Avg Net Price $14,297 $23,826
Avg Grant Aid $17,524 $42,496
% Receiving Grant Aid 48% 100%

Admission

 Illinois OWU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 67,398 5,708
Admitted 29,446 2,892
Acceptance Rate 43.7% 50.7%
Enrolled % 28.3% 14.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.79 3.54
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 29/34 25/31
SAT Range 1270/1510 1105/1350
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, 2026 Mar 1, 2026

Academics

 Illinois OWU
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (16%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)

Outcomes

 Illinois OWU
Graduation Rate 82% 61%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $66,500 $49,600
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 80%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $211 $279

Diversity

 Illinois OWU
% Men 21% 0%
% Women 16% 0%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 48% 70%
% Black 6% 8%
% Hispanic 10% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 16% 6%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

 Illinois OWU
% In-State 73% 66%
% Out-of-State 12% 27%

Campus

 Illinois OWU
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 OWU based on total student enrollment (56,563 students vs. 1,452 students)

Illinois vs. OWU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Illinois or OWU?

  • Ohio Wesleyan University is 307.3% more expensive to attend than Illinois for in-state tuition ($51,771.00 vs. $12,712.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 65.9% higher at OWU than University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign ($51,771.00 vs. $31,208.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign than OWU ($14,297 vs. $23,826)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign are 2.1% lower than costs at Ohio Wesleyan University ($13,938 vs. $14,226)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Ohio Wesleyan University than University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (100% vs. 48%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ohio Wesleyan University students is 142.5% larger than aid received University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign ($42,496 vs. $17,524)

Illinois vs. OWU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Illinois students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.79) than students at OWU (3.54)
  • OWU has a higher acceptance rate (50.7%) than Illinois (43.7%)

Illinois vs. OWU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Illinois or OWU? 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 OWU and Illinois.

  • The graduation rate at Illinois is higher than Ohio Wesleyan University (82% vs. 61%)
  • Graduates from University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign earn on average $16,900 more per year than OWU graduates after ten years. ($66,500 vs. $49,600)
  • University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign students graduate with a $6,500 lower median federal student loan debt than OWU graduates. ($20,500 vs. $27,000)
  • Illinois graduates are paying $68 less per month on federal student loans than OWU graduates. ($211 vs. $279)
  • More OWU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Illinois students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 78%)

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