UNF vs. ISU

Should I go to University of North Florida or Illinois State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UNF 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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Northern Illinois Illinois UIC UCF FAU USF Main Campus DePaul FGCU EIU Florida State IWU Western Illinois University
University of North Florida vs. Illinois State University comparison
University of North Florida Illinois State University College 3 College 4
University of North Florida Illinois State University
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Overview

 UNF ISU
Location Jacksonville, FL Normal, IL
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 16,406 20,683
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #647 #493
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website unf.edu illinoisstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UNF ISU
Tuition (In State) $4,281 $11,840
Tuition (Out of State) $17,999 $23,681
Room & Board $10,192 $10,602
Avg Net Price $11,338 $20,551
Avg Grant Aid $8,742 $11,619
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 97%

Admission

 UNF ISU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,744 19,596
Admitted 13,920 16,899
Acceptance Rate 70.5% 86.2%
Enrolled % 22.5% 23.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.89 3.41
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/25 21/27
SAT Range 1010/1210 1000/1210
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Apr 1, 2025

Academics

 UNF ISU
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

 UNF ISU
Graduation Rate 50% 71%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,200 $49,000
Making Student Loan Payments 60% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $16,000 $22,000
Median Loan Payment $165 $227

Diversity

 UNF ISU
% Men 41% 42%
% Women 59% 58%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 69% 77%
% Black 9% 8%
% Hispanic 10% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 0% 0%

Students

 UNF ISU
% In-State 90% 96%
% Out-of-State 8% 3%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Illinois State University is larger than than UNF based on total student enrollment (20,683 students vs. 16,406 students)

UNF vs. ISU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UNF or ISU?

  • Illinois State University is 176.6% more expensive to attend than UNF for in-state tuition ($11,840.00 vs. $4,281.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 31.6% higher at ISU than University of North Florida ($23,681.00 vs. $17,999.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of North Florida than ISU ($11,338 vs. $20,551)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of North Florida are 4% lower than costs at Illinois State University ($10,192 vs. $10,602)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of North Florida than Illinois State University (99% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois State University students is 32.9% larger than aid received University of North Florida ($11,619 vs. $8,742)

UNF vs. ISU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of North Florida (1140) is 50 points higher than at ISU (1090)
  • Incoming UNF students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at ISU (24)
  • Accepted freshman UNF students have a 0.48 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at ISU (3.41)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (86.2%) than UNF (70.5%)

UNF vs. ISU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UNF 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 UNF.

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than University of North Florida (71% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from Illinois State University earn on average $1,800 more per year than UNF graduates after ten years. ($49,000 vs. $47,200)
  • University of North Florida students graduate with a $6,000 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($16,000 vs. $22,000)
  • UNF graduates are paying $62 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($165 vs. $227)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNF students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 60%)

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