Western Illinois University vs. BSU

Should I go to Western Illinois University or Ball State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Western Illinois University or BSU 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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Western Illinois University vs. Ball State University comparison
Western Illinois University Ball State University College 3 College 4
Western Illinois University Ball State University
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Overview

 Western Illinois University BSU
Location Macomb, IL Muncie, IN
Setting Remote Town Small City
Enrollment 7,643 19,777
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #579 #547
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wiu.edu bsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Western Illinois University BSU
Tuition (In State) $9,515 $8,434
Tuition (Out of State) $9,515 $25,918
Room & Board $10,500 $10,904
Avg Net Price $11,213 $12,615
Avg Grant Aid $15,632 $11,418
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 97%

Admission

 Western Illinois University BSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,219 22,859
Admitted 6,914 15,761
Acceptance Rate 75% 68.9%
Enrolled % 15.5% 22.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.45 3.52
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/24 23/28
SAT Range 880/1090 1090/1260
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline

Academics

 Western Illinois University BSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (14%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (12%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (18%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)

Outcomes

 Western Illinois University BSU
Graduation Rate 53% 55%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,000 $42,500
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,704 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $255 $258

Diversity

 Western Illinois University BSU
% Men 43% 35%
% Women 57% 65%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 62% 81%
% Black 19% 8%
% Hispanic 11% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

 Western Illinois University BSU
% In-State 89% 90%
% Out-of-State 10% 9%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Ball State University is larger than than Western Illinois University based on total student enrollment (19,777 students vs. 7,643 students)

Western Illinois University vs. BSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Western Illinois University or BSU?

  • Western Illinois University is 12.8% more expensive to attend than BSU for in-state tuition ($9,515.00 vs. $8,434.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 172.4% higher at BSU than Western Illinois University ($25,918.00 vs. $9,515.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Illinois University than BSU ($11,213 vs. $12,615)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Illinois University are 3.8% lower than costs at Ball State University ($10,500 vs. $10,904)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Ball State University than Western Illinois University (97% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Western Illinois University students is 36.9% larger than aid received Ball State University ($15,632 vs. $11,418)

Western Illinois University vs. BSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Ball State University (1070) is 100 points higher than at Western Illinois University (970)
  • Incoming BSU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Western Illinois University (21)
  • Accepted freshman BSU students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.52) than students at Western Illinois University (3.45)
  • Western Illinois University has a higher acceptance rate (75%) than BSU (68.9%)

Western Illinois University vs. BSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Western Illinois University or BSU? 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 BSU and Western Illinois University.

  • The graduation rate at BSU is higher than Western Illinois University (55% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from Western Illinois University earn on average $3,500 more per year than BSU graduates after ten years. ($46,000 vs. $42,500)
  • Western Illinois University students graduate with a $296 lower median federal student loan debt than BSU graduates. ($24,704 vs. $25,000)
  • Western Illinois University graduates are paying $3 less per month on federal student loans than BSU graduates. ($255 vs. $258)
  • More BSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Western Illinois University students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 61%)

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