Western Illinois University vs. Wartburg College

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

Western Illinois University Wartburg College
Location Macomb, IL Waverly, IA
Setting Remote Town Distant Town
Enrollment 7,643 1,444
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #579 #654
Religious Affiliation - Evangelical Lutheran Church - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wiu.edu wartburg.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Western Illinois University Wartburg College
Tuition (In State) $9,515 $46,740
Tuition (Out of State) $9,515 $46,740
Room & Board $10,500 $10,280
Avg Net Price $11,213 $23,683
Avg Grant Aid $15,632 $36,157
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 97%

Admission

Western Illinois University Wartburg College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,219 2,779
Admitted 6,914 2,708
Acceptance Rate 75% 97.4%
Enrolled % 15.5% 13%
Avg High School GPA 3.45 3.48
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24 19/25
SAT Range 880/1090 970/1120
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 Wartburg College
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 (21%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Biology (15%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)

Outcomes

Western Illinois University Wartburg College
Graduation Rate 53% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,000 $48,100
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 81%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,704 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $255 $279

Diversity

Western Illinois University Wartburg College
% Men 43% 49%
% Women 57% 51%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 62% 77%
% Black 19% 5%
% Hispanic 11% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 2% 8%
% Unknown Race 2% 4%

Students

Western Illinois University Wartburg College
% In-State 89% 70%
% Out-of-State 10% 27%

Campus

Western Illinois University Wartburg College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes No
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Comparable Facts

  • Western Illinois University is larger than than Wartburg College based on total student enrollment (7,643 students vs. 1,444 students)

Western Illinois University vs. Wartburg College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Western Illinois University or Wartburg College?

  • Wartburg College is 391.2% more expensive to attend than Western Illinois University for in-state tuition ($46,740.00 vs. $9,515.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 391.2% higher at Wartburg College than Western Illinois University ($46,740.00 vs. $9,515.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Illinois University than Wartburg College ($11,213 vs. $23,683)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wartburg College are 2.1% lower than costs at Western Illinois University ($10,280 vs. $10,500)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Wartburg College than Western Illinois University (97% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wartburg College students is 131.3% larger than aid received Western Illinois University ($36,157 vs. $15,632)

Western Illinois University vs. Wartburg College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Wartburg College (1105) is 135 points higher than at Western Illinois University (970)
  • Incoming Wartburg College students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Western Illinois University (21)
  • Accepted freshman Wartburg College students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.48) than students at Western Illinois University (3.45)
  • Wartburg College has a higher acceptance rate (97.4%) than Western Illinois University (75%)

Western Illinois University vs. Wartburg College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Western Illinois University or Wartburg College? 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 Wartburg College and Western Illinois University.

  • The graduation rate at Wartburg College is higher than Western Illinois University (63% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from Wartburg College earn on average $2,100 more per year than Western Illinois University graduates after ten years. ($48,100 vs. $46,000)
  • Western Illinois University students graduate with a $2,296 lower median federal student loan debt than Wartburg College graduates. ($24,704 vs. $27,000)
  • Western Illinois University graduates are paying $24 less per month on federal student loans than Wartburg College graduates. ($255 vs. $279)
  • More Wartburg College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Western Illinois University students, three years after graduation. (81% vs. 61%)

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