ISU vs. WSU

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

ISU WSU
Location Normal, IL Detroit, MI
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 20,683 23,630
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #493 #582
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinoisstate.edu wayne.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ISU WSU
Tuition (In State) $11,840 $12,933
Tuition (Out of State) $23,681 $29,622
Room & Board $10,602 $11,321
Avg Net Price $20,551 $15,347
Avg Grant Aid $11,619 $10,605
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 96%

Admission

ISU WSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,596 14,002
Admitted 16,899 10,547
Acceptance Rate 86.2% 75.3%
Enrolled % 23.6% 24.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.42
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/27 21/28
SAT Range 1000/1210 1040/1260
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 WSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Biology (7%)

Outcomes

ISU WSU
Graduation Rate 71% 26%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,000 $51,000
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 38%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,000 $22,258
Median Loan Payment $227 $230

Diversity

ISU WSU
% Men 42% 40%
% Women 58% 60%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 77% 57%
% Black 8% 19%
% Hispanic 9% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 5%

Students

ISU WSU
% In-State 96% 93%
% Out-of-State 3% 3%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Wayne State University is larger than than ISU based on total student enrollment (23,630 students vs. 20,683 students)

ISU vs. WSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or WSU?

  • Wayne State University is 9.2% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($12,933.00 vs. $11,840.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 25.1% higher at WSU than Illinois State University ($29,622.00 vs. $23,681.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wayne State University than ISU ($15,347 vs. $20,551)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois State University are 6.8% lower than costs at Wayne State University ($10,602 vs. $11,321)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois State University than Wayne State University (97% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois State University students is 9.6% larger than aid received Wayne State University ($11,619 vs. $10,605)

ISU vs. WSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Illinois State University (1090) is 20 points higher than at WSU (1070)
  • Incoming ISU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at WSU (23)
  • Accepted freshman WSU students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at ISU (3.41)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (86.2%) than WSU (75.3%)

ISU vs. WSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than Wayne State University (71% vs. 26%)
  • Graduates from Wayne State University earn on average $2,000 more per year than ISU graduates after ten years. ($51,000 vs. $49,000)
  • Illinois State University students graduate with a $258 lower median federal student loan debt than WSU graduates. ($22,000 vs. $22,258)
  • ISU graduates are paying $3 less per month on federal student loans than WSU graduates. ($227 vs. $230)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WSU students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 38%)

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