ISU vs. IPFW

Should I go to Illinois State University or Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if ISU or IPFW 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 State University vs. Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne comparison
Illinois State University Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne College 3 College 4
Illinois State University Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne
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Overview

ISU IPFW
Location Normal, IL Fort Wayne, IN
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 20,683 9,069
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #493 #848
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinoisstate.edu ipfw.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ISU IPFW
Tuition (In State) $11,840 $7,815
Tuition (Out of State) $23,681 $20,403
Room & Board $10,602 $10,111
Avg Net Price $20,551 $11,951
Avg Grant Aid $11,619 $7,432
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 100%

Admission

ISU IPFW
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,596 5,853
Admitted 16,899 4,721
Acceptance Rate 86.2% 80.7%
Enrolled % 23.6% 25.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.37
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/27 20/26
SAT Range 1000/1210 980/1210
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 Apr 1, 2024 Aug 1, 2024

Academics

ISU IPFW
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (19%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (17%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)

Outcomes

ISU IPFW
Graduation Rate 71% 26%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,000 $38,600
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 51%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,000 $24,500
Median Loan Payment $227 $253

Diversity

ISU IPFW
% Men 42% 48%
% Women 58% 52%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 77% 82%
% Black 8% 5%
% Hispanic 9% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 0%

Students

ISU IPFW
% In-State 96% 85%
% Out-of-State 3% 11%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Illinois State University is larger than than IPFW based on total student enrollment (20,683 students vs. 9,069 students)

ISU vs. IPFW Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or IPFW?

  • Illinois State University is 51.5% more expensive to attend than IPFW for in-state tuition ($11,840.00 vs. $7,815.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 16.1% higher at ISU than Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne ($23,681.00 vs. $20,403.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne than ISU ($11,951 vs. $20,551)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne are 4.9% lower than costs at Illinois State University ($10,111 vs. $10,602)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne than Illinois State University (100% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois State University students is 56.3% larger than aid received Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne ($11,619 vs. $7,432)

ISU vs. IPFW Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Illinois State University (1090) is 95 points higher than at IPFW (995)
  • Incoming ISU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at IPFW (22)
  • Accepted freshman ISU students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at IPFW (3.37)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (86.2%) than IPFW (80.7%)

ISU vs. IPFW Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ISU or IPFW? 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 IPFW and ISU.

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne (71% vs. 26%)
  • Graduates from Illinois State University earn on average $10,400 more per year than IPFW graduates after ten years. ($49,000 vs. $38,600)
  • Illinois State University students graduate with a $2,500 lower median federal student loan debt than IPFW graduates. ($22,000 vs. $24,500)
  • ISU graduates are paying $26 less per month on federal student loans than IPFW graduates. ($227 vs. $253)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former IPFW students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 51%)

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