EIU vs. ISU

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

EIU ISU
Location Charleston, IL Normal, IL
Setting Remote Town Small City
Enrollment 8,857 20,683
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #672 #493
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website eiu.edu illinoisstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

EIU ISU
Tuition (In State) $9,709 $11,840
Tuition (Out of State) $12,136 $23,681
Room & Board $10,812 $10,602
Avg Net Price $13,380 $20,551
Avg Grant Aid $11,773 $11,619
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 97%

Admission

EIU ISU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,584 19,596
Admitted 7,873 16,899
Acceptance Rate 68% 86.2%
Enrolled % 11.1% 23.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.39 3.41
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/27
SAT Range 900/1120 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 Apr 1, 2024

Academics

EIU ISU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (21%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

EIU ISU
Graduation Rate 59% 71%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,500 $49,000
Making Student Loan Payments 59% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,650 $22,000
Median Loan Payment $244 $227

Diversity

EIU ISU
% Men 42% 42%
% Women 58% 58%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 68% 77%
% Black 19% 8%
% Hispanic 6% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

EIU ISU
% In-State 91% 96%
% Out-of-State 7% 3%

Campus

EIU 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 EIU based on total student enrollment (20,683 students vs. 8,857 students)

EIU vs. ISU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, EIU or ISU?

  • Illinois State University is 21.9% more expensive to attend than EIU for in-state tuition ($11,840.00 vs. $9,709.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 95.1% higher at ISU than Eastern Illinois University ($23,681.00 vs. $12,136.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Eastern Illinois University than ISU ($13,380 vs. $20,551)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois State University are 2% lower than costs at Eastern Illinois University ($10,602 vs. $10,812)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Eastern Illinois University than Illinois State University (100% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Eastern Illinois University students is 1.3% larger than aid received Illinois State University ($11,773 vs. $11,619)

EIU vs. ISU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Illinois State University (1090) is 80 points higher than at EIU (1010)
  • Incoming ISU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at EIU (22)
  • Accepted freshman ISU students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at EIU (3.39)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (86.2%) than EIU (68%)

EIU vs. ISU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, EIU 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 EIU.

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than Eastern Illinois University (71% vs. 59%)
  • Graduates from Illinois State University earn on average $5,500 more per year than EIU graduates after ten years. ($49,000 vs. $43,500)
  • Illinois State University students graduate with a $1,650 lower median federal student loan debt than EIU graduates. ($22,000 vs. $23,650)
  • ISU graduates are paying $17 less per month on federal student loans than EIU graduates. ($227 vs. $244)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former EIU students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 59%)

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