Western Illinois University vs. Parkside

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

Western Illinois University Parkside
Location Macomb, IL Kenosha, WI
Setting Remote Town Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 7,073 4,008
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #663 #962
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wiu.edu uwp.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Western Illinois University Parkside
Tuition (In State) $9,801 $6,582
Tuition (Out of State) $9,801 $15,224
Room & Board $10,920 $8,286
Avg Net Price $12,168 $8,778
Avg Grant Aid $15,620 $6,523
% Receiving Grant Aid 53% 65%

Admission

Western Illinois University Parkside
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,479 3,911
Admitted 6,356 2,840
Acceptance Rate 75% 72.6%
Enrolled % 15.2% 19.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.45 3.31
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/24 17/23
SAT Range 880/1090
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 Parkside
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (14%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (12%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (12%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Biology (8%)

Outcomes

Western Illinois University Parkside
Graduation Rate 53% 28%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,000 $41,000
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 54%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,704 $22,965
Median Loan Payment $255 $237

Diversity

Western Illinois University Parkside
% Men 12% 8%
% Women 17% 11%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 62% 68%
% Black 19% 9%
% Hispanic 11% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

Western Illinois University Parkside
% In-State 90% 84%
% Out-of-State 8% 12%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Western Illinois University is larger than than Parkside based on total student enrollment (7,073 students vs. 4,008 students)

Western Illinois University vs. Parkside Cost Comparison

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

  • Western Illinois University is 48.9% more expensive to attend than Parkside for in-state tuition ($9,801.00 vs. $6,582.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 55.3% higher at Parkside than Western Illinois University ($15,224.00 vs. $9,801.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Wisconsin Parkside than Western Illinois University ($8,778 vs. $12,168)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Wisconsin Parkside are 31.8% lower than costs at Western Illinois University ($8,286 vs. $10,920)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Wisconsin Parkside than Western Illinois University (65% vs. 53%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Western Illinois University students is 139.5% larger than aid received University of Wisconsin Parkside ($15,620 vs. $6,523)

Western Illinois University vs. Parkside Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Western Illinois University (970) is the same at Parkside (970)
  • Incoming Western Illinois University students have at the same average ACT score (21) as students at Parkside (21)
  • Accepted freshman Western Illinois University students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.45) than students at Parkside (3.31)
  • Western Illinois University has a higher acceptance rate (75%) than Parkside (72.6%)

Western Illinois University vs. Parkside Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Western Illinois University is higher than University of Wisconsin Parkside (53% vs. 28%)
  • Graduates from Western Illinois University earn on average $5,000 more per year than Parkside graduates after ten years. ($46,000 vs. $41,000)
  • University of Wisconsin Parkside students graduate with a $1,739 lower median federal student loan debt than Western Illinois University graduates. ($22,965 vs. $24,704)
  • Parkside graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than Western Illinois University graduates. ($237 vs. $255)
  • More Western Illinois University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Parkside students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 54%)

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