Covenant College vs. IWU

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

Covenant College IWU
Location Lookout Mountain, GA Bloomington, IL
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 886 1,527
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #144
Religious Affiliation The Presbyterian Church in America - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website covenant.edu iwu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Covenant College IWU
Tuition (In State) $37,760 $53,610
Tuition (Out of State) $37,760 $53,610
Room & Board $11,688 $12,418
Avg Net Price $25,028 $30,096
Avg Grant Aid $26,658 $36,614
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Covenant College IWU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 813 4,408
Admitted 684 1,861
Acceptance Rate 84.1% 42.2%
Enrolled % 35.4% 20.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.86
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 24/32 25/30
SAT Range 1140/1380 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 Mar 1, 2024

Academics

Covenant College IWU
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (36%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Biology (7%)

Outcomes

Covenant College IWU
Graduation Rate 51% 82%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $45,600 $60,500
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $222 $279

Diversity

Covenant College IWU
% Men 46% 51%
% Women 54% 49%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 87% 71%
% Black 2% 4%
% Hispanic 3% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 3% 9%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

Covenant College IWU
% In-State 35% 77%
% Out-of-State 62% 14%

Campus

Covenant 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 Covenant College based on total student enrollment (1,527 students vs. 886 students)

Covenant College vs. IWU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Covenant College or IWU?

  • Illinois Wesleyan University is 42% more expensive to attend than Covenant College for in-state tuition ($53,610.00 vs. $37,760.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 42% higher at IWU than Covenant College ($53,610.00 vs. $37,760.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Covenant College than IWU ($25,028 vs. $30,096)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Covenant College are 6.2% lower than costs at Illinois Wesleyan University ($11,688 vs. $12,418)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Covenant College as Illinois Wesleyan University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois Wesleyan University students is 37.3% larger than aid received Covenant College ($36,614 vs. $26,658)

Covenant College vs. IWU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Illinois Wesleyan University (1249) is 60 points higher than at Covenant College (1189)
  • Incoming IWU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Covenant College (27)
  • Accepted freshman IWU students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.86) than students at Covenant College (3.7)
  • Covenant College has a higher acceptance rate (84.1%) than IWU (42.2%)

Covenant College vs. IWU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Covenant 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 Covenant College.

  • The graduation rate at IWU is higher than Covenant College (82% vs. 51%)
  • Graduates from Illinois Wesleyan University earn on average $14,900 more per year than Covenant College graduates after ten years. ($60,500 vs. $45,600)
  • Covenant College students graduate with a $5,500 lower median federal student loan debt than IWU graduates. ($21,500 vs. $27,000)
  • Covenant College graduates are paying $57 less per month on federal student loans than IWU graduates. ($222 vs. $279)
  • More IWU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Covenant College students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 78%)

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