Wheaton College vs. ISU

Should I go to Wheaton College or Iowa State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Wheaton College or ISU 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Iowa Michigan State Purdue Nebraska UIC Minnesota UNI Illinois ASU IU UT Dallas NDSU
Wheaton College vs. Iowa State University comparison
Wheaton College Iowa State University College 3 College 4
Wheaton College Iowa State University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Wheaton College ISU
Location Wheaton, IL Ames, IA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 2,799 30,177
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #156 #351
Religious Affiliation Undenominational - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wheaton.edu iastate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Wheaton College ISU
Tuition (In State) $43,670 $8,982
Tuition (Out of State) $43,670 $26,168
Room & Board $12,390 $9,726
Avg Net Price $31,346 $17,354
Avg Grant Aid $25,196 $10,718
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 77%

Admission

 Wheaton College ISU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,866 22,995
Admitted 1,679 20,496
Acceptance Rate 90% 89.1%
Enrolled % 32.9% 28.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 3.7
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 27/32 21/28
SAT Range 1260/1440 1110/1350
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2026

Academics

 Wheaton College ISU
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

 Wheaton College ISU
Graduation Rate 87% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $54,300 $53,700
Making Student Loan Payments 90% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $23,868
Median Loan Payment $232 $246

Diversity

 Wheaton College ISU
% Men 10% 8%
% Women 14% 8%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 76%
% Black 3% 3%
% Hispanic 6% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 3% 7%
% Unknown Race 0% 5%

Students

 Wheaton College ISU
% In-State 21% 52%
% Out-of-State 54% 45%

Campus

 Wheaton College ISU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Iowa State University is larger than than Wheaton College based on total student enrollment (30,177 students vs. 2,799 students)

Wheaton College vs. ISU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Wheaton College or ISU?

  • Wheaton College is 386.2% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($43,670.00 vs. $8,982.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 66.9% higher at Wheaton College than Iowa State University ($43,670.00 vs. $26,168.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Iowa State University than Wheaton College ($17,354 vs. $31,346)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Iowa State University are 27.4% lower than costs at Wheaton College ($9,726 vs. $12,390)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Wheaton College than Iowa State University (98% vs. 77%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wheaton College students is 135.1% larger than aid received Iowa State University ($25,196 vs. $10,718)

Wheaton College vs. ISU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Wheaton College (1314) is 172 points higher than at ISU (1142)
  • Incoming Wheaton College students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at ISU (25)
  • Accepted freshman Wheaton College students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at ISU (3.7)
  • Wheaton College has a higher acceptance rate (90%) than ISU (89.1%)

Wheaton College vs. ISU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Wheaton College or ISU? 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 ISU and Wheaton College.

  • The graduation rate at Wheaton College is higher than Iowa State University (87% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Wheaton College earn on average $600 more per year than ISU graduates after ten years. ($54,300 vs. $53,700)
  • Wheaton College students graduate with a $1,368 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($22,500 vs. $23,868)
  • Wheaton College graduates are paying $14 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($232 vs. $246)
  • More Wheaton College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ISU students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 74%)

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