Whittier College vs. IWU

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

Whittier College IWU
Location Whittier, CA Bloomington, IL
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 1,192 1,527
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #273 #144
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website whittier.edu iwu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Whittier College IWU
Tuition (In State) $48,924 $53,610
Tuition (Out of State) $48,924 $53,610
Room & Board $15,623 $12,418
Avg Net Price $28,368 $30,096
Avg Grant Aid $34,623 $36,614
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Whittier College IWU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,014 4,408
Admitted 2,274 1,861
Acceptance Rate 75.4% 42.2%
Enrolled % 10.9% 20.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.61 3.86
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 24/30 25/30
SAT Range 1140/1340 1120/1330
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

Academics

Whittier College IWU
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (22%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Biology (7%)

Outcomes

Whittier College IWU
Graduation Rate 55% 82%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,400 $60,500
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,500 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $263 $279

Diversity

Whittier College IWU
% Men 44% 51%
% Women 56% 49%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 31% 71%
% Black 5% 4%
% Hispanic 44% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 3% 9%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

Whittier College IWU
% In-State 64% 77%
% Out-of-State 27% 14%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Illinois Wesleyan University is larger than than Whittier College based on total student enrollment (1,527 students vs. 1,192 students)

Whittier College vs. IWU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Whittier College or IWU?

  • Illinois Wesleyan University is 9.6% more expensive to attend than Whittier College for in-state tuition ($53,610.00 vs. $48,924.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 9.6% higher at IWU than Whittier College ($53,610.00 vs. $48,924.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Whittier College than IWU ($28,368 vs. $30,096)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois Wesleyan University are 25.8% lower than costs at Whittier College ($12,418 vs. $15,623)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Whittier College as Illinois Wesleyan University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois Wesleyan University students is 5.8% larger than aid received Whittier College ($36,614 vs. $34,623)

Whittier College vs. IWU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Illinois Wesleyan University (1249) is 192 points higher than at Whittier College (1057)
  • Incoming IWU students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Whittier College (23)
  • Accepted freshman IWU students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.86) than students at Whittier College (3.61)
  • Whittier College has a higher acceptance rate (75.4%) than IWU (42.2%)

Whittier College vs. IWU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Whittier College or IWU? 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 IWU and Whittier College.

  • The graduation rate at IWU is higher than Whittier College (82% vs. 55%)
  • Graduates from Illinois Wesleyan University earn on average $13,100 more per year than Whittier College graduates after ten years. ($60,500 vs. $47,400)
  • Whittier College students graduate with a $1,500 lower median federal student loan debt than IWU graduates. ($25,500 vs. $27,000)
  • Whittier College graduates are paying $16 less per month on federal student loans than IWU graduates. ($263 vs. $279)
  • More IWU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Whittier College students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 69%)

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