ECC vs. ISU

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

ECC ISU
Location Elgin, IL Normal, IL
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 8,910 20,683
Type Public 2 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #493
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website elgin.edu illinoisstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ECC ISU
Tuition (In State) $3,168 $11,840
Tuition (Out of State) $9,504 $23,681
Room & Board $7,650 $10,602
Avg Net Price $3,968 $20,551
Avg Grant Aid $5,148 $11,619
% Receiving Grant Aid 65% 97%

Admission

ECC ISU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 19,596
Admitted - 16,899
Acceptance Rate Open 86.2%
Enrolled % Open 23.6%
Avg High School GPA - 3.41
Typical High School Grades - B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/27
SAT Range 1000/1210
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Apr 1, 2024

Academics

ECC ISU
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (26%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (20%)
  • Mechanic and Repair Technologies (14%)
  • Personal and Culinary Services (8%)
  • Business (6%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

ECC ISU
Graduation Rate - 71%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $35,500 $49,000
Making Student Loan Payments 44% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $5,393 $22,000
Median Loan Payment $55 $227

Diversity

ECC ISU
% Men 44% 42%
% Women 56% 58%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 49% 77%
% Black 5% 8%
% Hispanic 34% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 0% 0%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

ECC ISU
% In-State 99% 96%
% Out-of-State 0% 3%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Illinois State University is larger than than ECC based on total student enrollment (20,683 students vs. 8,910 students)

ECC vs. ISU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ECC or ISU?

  • Illinois State University is 66.1% more expensive to attend than ECC for in-state tuition ($11,840.00 vs. $7,128.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 149.2% higher at ISU than Elgin Community College ($23,681.00 vs. $9,504.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Elgin Community College than ISU ($3,968 vs. $20,551)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Elgin Community College are 38.6% lower than costs at Illinois State University ($7,650 vs. $10,602)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois State University than Elgin Community College (97% vs. 65%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois State University students is 125.7% larger than aid received Elgin Community College ($11,619 vs. $5,148)

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

ECC vs. ISU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ECC 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 ECC.

  • Graduates from Illinois State University earn on average $13,500 more per year than ECC graduates after ten years. ($49,000 vs. $35,500)
  • Elgin Community College students graduate with a $16,607 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($5,393 vs. $22,000)
  • ECC graduates are paying $172 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($55 vs. $227)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ECC students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 44%)

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