ISU vs. Alma College

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

ISU Alma College
Location Normal, IL Alma, MI
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 20,683 1,260
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #493
Religious Affiliation - Presbyterian Church (USA) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinoisstate.edu alma.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ISU Alma College
Tuition (In State) $11,840 $45,346
Tuition (Out of State) $23,681 $45,346
Room & Board $10,602 $12,624
Avg Net Price $20,551 $23,995
Avg Grant Aid $11,619 $34,736
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 100%

Admission

ISU Alma College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,596 3,372
Admitted 16,899 2,180
Acceptance Rate 86.2% 64.7%
Enrolled % 23.6% 15.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.5
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/27
SAT Range 1000/1210
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Apr 1, 2024

Academics

ISU Alma College
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Biology (15%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

ISU Alma College
Graduation Rate 71% 67%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,000 $48,300
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $227 $279

Diversity

ISU Alma College
% Men 42% 47%
% Women 58% 53%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 77% 83%
% Black 8% 4%
% Hispanic 9% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 0% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 4%

Students

ISU Alma College
% In-State 96% 90%
% Out-of-State 3% 6%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Illinois State University is larger than than Alma College based on total student enrollment (20,683 students vs. 1,260 students)

ISU vs. Alma College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or Alma College?

  • Alma College is 283% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($45,346.00 vs. $11,840.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 91.5% higher at Alma College than Illinois State University ($45,346.00 vs. $23,681.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Illinois State University than Alma College ($20,551 vs. $23,995)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois State University are 19.1% lower than costs at Alma College ($10,602 vs. $12,624)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Alma College than Illinois State University (100% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Alma College students is 199% larger than aid received Illinois State University ($34,736 vs. $11,619)

ISU vs. Alma College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Alma College (1110) is 20 points higher than at ISU (1090)
  • Incoming ISU students have at the same average ACT score (24) as students at Alma College (24)
  • Accepted freshman Alma College students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at ISU (3.41)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (86.2%) than Alma College (64.7%)

ISU vs. Alma College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ISU or Alma College? 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 Alma College and ISU.

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than Alma College (71% vs. 67%)
  • Graduates from Illinois State University earn on average $700 more per year than Alma College graduates after ten years. ($49,000 vs. $48,300)
  • Illinois State University students graduate with a $5,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Alma College graduates. ($22,000 vs. $27,000)
  • ISU graduates are paying $52 less per month on federal student loans than Alma College graduates. ($227 vs. $279)
  • More Alma College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ISU students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 74%)

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