Western Illinois University vs. UIU

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

 Western Illinois University UIU
Location Macomb, IL Fayette, IA
Setting Remote Town Remote Rural
Enrollment 7,643 3,072
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #579 #737
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wiu.edu uiu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Western Illinois University UIU
Tuition (In State) $9,515 $32,589
Tuition (Out of State) $9,515 $32,589
Room & Board $10,500 $9,644
Avg Net Price $11,213 $24,563
Avg Grant Aid $15,632 $25,788
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 100%

Admission

 Western Illinois University UIU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,219 1,405
Admitted 6,914 762
Acceptance Rate 75% 54.2%
Enrolled % 15.5% 28.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.45 3.34
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/24 18/24
SAT Range 880/1090 890/1050
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline

Academics

 Western Illinois University UIU
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%)
  • Business (40%)
  • Human Services (17%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Education (5%)

Outcomes

 Western Illinois University UIU
Graduation Rate 53% 45%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,000 $42,100
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 50%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,704 $24,000
Median Loan Payment $255 $248

Diversity

 Western Illinois University UIU
% Men 43% 41%
% Women 57% 59%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 62% 66%
% Black 19% 19%
% Hispanic 11% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 2% 3%
% Unknown Race 2% 3%

Students

 Western Illinois University UIU
% In-State 89% 49%
% Out-of-State 10% 48%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Western Illinois University is larger than than UIU based on total student enrollment (7,643 students vs. 3,072 students)

Western Illinois University vs. UIU Cost Comparison

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

  • Upper Iowa University is 242.5% more expensive to attend than Western Illinois University for in-state tuition ($32,589.00 vs. $9,515.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 242.5% higher at UIU than Western Illinois University ($32,589.00 vs. $9,515.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Illinois University than UIU ($11,213 vs. $24,563)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Upper Iowa University are 8.9% lower than costs at Western Illinois University ($9,644 vs. $10,500)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Upper Iowa University than Western Illinois University (100% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Upper Iowa University students is 65% larger than aid received Western Illinois University ($25,788 vs. $15,632)

Western Illinois University vs. UIU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Western Illinois University (970) is 40 points higher than at UIU (930)
  • Incoming Western Illinois University students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at UIU (20)
  • Accepted freshman Western Illinois University students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.45) than students at UIU (3.34)
  • Western Illinois University has a higher acceptance rate (75%) than UIU (54.2%)

Western Illinois University vs. UIU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Western Illinois University is higher than Upper Iowa University (53% vs. 45%)
  • Graduates from Western Illinois University earn on average $3,900 more per year than UIU graduates after ten years. ($46,000 vs. $42,100)
  • Upper Iowa University students graduate with a $704 lower median federal student loan debt than Western Illinois University graduates. ($24,000 vs. $24,704)
  • UIU graduates are paying $7 less per month on federal student loans than Western Illinois University graduates. ($248 vs. $255)
  • More Western Illinois University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UIU students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 50%)

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