Western Illinois University vs. Fairmont State

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

 Western Illinois University Fairmont State
Location Macomb, IL Fairmont, WV
Setting Remote Town Distant Town
Enrollment 7,643 3,498
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #579 #979
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wiu.edu fairmontstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Western Illinois University Fairmont State
Tuition (In State) $9,515 $6,022
Tuition (Out of State) $9,515 $15,638
Room & Board $10,500 $10,022
Avg Net Price $11,213 $10,794
Avg Grant Aid $15,632 $6,547
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 94%

Admission

 Western Illinois University Fairmont State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,219 1,926
Admitted 6,914 1,897
Acceptance Rate 75% 98.5%
Enrolled % 15.5% 37%
Avg High School GPA 3.45 3.36
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24 18/23
SAT Range 880/1090 820/1050
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline

Academics

 Western Illinois University Fairmont State
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (14%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (12%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)

Outcomes

 Western Illinois University Fairmont State
Graduation Rate 53% 33%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,000 $37,600
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 43%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,704 $22,000
Median Loan Payment $255 $227

Diversity

 Western Illinois University Fairmont State
% Men 43% 41%
% Women 57% 59%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 62% 86%
% Black 19% 5%
% Hispanic 11% 2%
% 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 Fairmont State
% In-State 89% 88%
% Out-of-State 10% 11%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Western Illinois University is larger than than Fairmont State based on total student enrollment (7,643 students vs. 3,498 students)

Western Illinois University vs. Fairmont State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Western Illinois University or Fairmont State ?

  • Western Illinois University is 58% more expensive to attend than Fairmont State for in-state tuition ($9,515.00 vs. $6,022.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 64.4% higher at Fairmont State than Western Illinois University ($15,638.00 vs. $9,515.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Fairmont State University than Western Illinois University ($10,794 vs. $11,213)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Fairmont State University are 4.8% lower than costs at Western Illinois University ($10,022 vs. $10,500)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Western Illinois University as Fairmont State University (94% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Western Illinois University students is 138.8% larger than aid received Fairmont State University ($15,632 vs. $6,547)

Western Illinois University vs. Fairmont State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Western Illinois University (970) is 8 points higher than at Fairmont State (962)
  • Incoming Western Illinois University students have at the same average ACT score (21) as students at Fairmont State (21)
  • Accepted freshman Western Illinois University students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.45) than students at Fairmont State (3.36)
  • Fairmont State has a higher acceptance rate (98.5%) than Western Illinois University (75%)

Western Illinois University vs. Fairmont State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Western Illinois University or Fairmont State ? 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 Fairmont State and Western Illinois University.

  • The graduation rate at Western Illinois University is higher than Fairmont State University (53% vs. 33%)
  • Graduates from Western Illinois University earn on average $8,400 more per year than Fairmont State graduates after ten years. ($46,000 vs. $37,600)
  • Fairmont State University students graduate with a $2,704 lower median federal student loan debt than Western Illinois University graduates. ($22,000 vs. $24,704)
  • Fairmont State graduates are paying $28 less per month on federal student loans than Western Illinois University graduates. ($227 vs. $255)
  • More Western Illinois University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Fairmont State students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 43%)

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