IIT vs. ISU

Should I go to Illinois Institute of Technology or Illinois State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if IIT 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.
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Illinois Institute of Technology vs. Illinois State University comparison
Illinois Institute of Technology Illinois State University College 3 College 4
Illinois Institute of Technology Illinois State University
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Overview

 IIT ISU
Location Chicago, IL Normal, IL
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 6,943 20,683
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #186 #493
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iit.edu illinoisstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 IIT ISU
Tuition (In State) $48,670 $11,840
Tuition (Out of State) $48,670 $23,681
Room & Board $15,570 $10,602
Avg Net Price $28,702 $20,551
Avg Grant Aid $40,243 $11,619
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 97%

Admission

 IIT ISU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,243 19,596
Admitted 4,450 16,899
Acceptance Rate 61.4% 86.2%
Enrolled % 13.9% 23.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.84 3.41
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very High Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 28/32 21/27
SAT Range 1220/1410 1000/1210
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 Mar 1, 2024 Apr 1, 2024

Academics

 IIT ISU
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (50%)
  • Architecture (20%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (8%)
  • Business (7%)
  • Biology (4%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

 IIT ISU
Graduation Rate 64% 71%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $79,300 $49,000
Making Student Loan Payments 81% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $22,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $227

Diversity

 IIT ISU
% Men 63% 42%
% Women 37% 58%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 33% 77%
% Black 6% 8%
% Hispanic 16% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 26% 0%
% Unknown Race 4% 0%

Students

 IIT ISU
% In-State 60% 96%
% Out-of-State 29% 3%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Illinois State University is larger than than IIT based on total student enrollment (20,683 students vs. 6,943 students)

IIT vs. ISU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, IIT or ISU?

  • Illinois Institute of Technology is 311.1% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($48,670.00 vs. $11,840.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 105.5% higher at IIT than Illinois State University ($48,670.00 vs. $23,681.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Illinois State University than IIT ($20,551 vs. $28,702)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois State University are 46.9% lower than costs at Illinois Institute of Technology ($10,602 vs. $15,570)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois Institute of Technology than Illinois State University (99% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois Institute of Technology students is 246.4% larger than aid received Illinois State University ($40,243 vs. $11,619)

IIT vs. ISU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Illinois Institute of Technology (1251) is 161 points higher than at ISU (1090)
  • Incoming IIT students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at ISU (24)
  • Accepted freshman IIT students have a 0.43 point higher average high school GPA (3.84) than students at ISU (3.41)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (86.2%) than IIT (61.4%)

IIT vs. ISU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, IIT 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 IIT.

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than Illinois Institute of Technology (71% vs. 64%)
  • Graduates from Illinois Institute of Technology earn on average $30,300 more per year than ISU graduates after ten years. ($79,300 vs. $49,000)
  • Illinois State University students graduate with a $5,000 lower median federal student loan debt than IIT graduates. ($22,000 vs. $27,000)
  • ISU graduates are paying $52 less per month on federal student loans than IIT graduates. ($227 vs. $279)
  • More IIT graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ISU students, three years after graduation. (81% vs. 74%)

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