ISU vs. Central College

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

ISU Central College
Location Normal, IL Pella, IA
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 20,683 1,169
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #493 #519
Religious Affiliation - Reformed Church in America - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinoisstate.edu central.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ISU Central College
Tuition (In State) $11,840 $19,800
Tuition (Out of State) $23,681 $19,800
Room & Board $10,602 $10,860
Avg Net Price $20,551 $23,303
Avg Grant Aid $11,619 $10,999
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 100%

Admission

ISU Central College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,596 1,970
Admitted 16,899 1,561
Acceptance Rate 86.2% 79.2%
Enrolled % 23.6% 22.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.52
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/27 19/26
SAT Range 1000/1210 1040/1218
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

ISU Central College
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (13%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)

Outcomes

ISU Central College
Graduation Rate 71% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,000 $48,000
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $227 $279

Diversity

ISU Central College
% Men 42% 52%
% Women 58% 48%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 77% 87%
% Black 8% 2%
% Hispanic 9% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 1%
% International 0% 0%
% Unknown Race 0% 3%

Students

ISU Central College
% In-State 96% 73%
% Out-of-State 3% 26%

Campus

ISU Central 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 Central College based on total student enrollment (20,683 students vs. 1,169 students)

ISU vs. Central College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or Central College?

  • Central College is 67.2% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($19,800.00 vs. $11,840.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 19.6% higher at ISU than Central College ($23,681.00 vs. $19,800.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Illinois State University than Central College ($20,551 vs. $23,303)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois State University are 2.4% lower than costs at Central College ($10,602 vs. $10,860)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Central College than Illinois State University (100% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois State University students is 5.6% larger than aid received Central College ($11,619 vs. $10,999)

ISU vs. Central College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Illinois State University (1090) is 22 points higher than at Central College (1068)
  • Incoming ISU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Central College (23)
  • Accepted freshman Central College students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.52) than students at ISU (3.41)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (86.2%) than Central College (79.2%)

ISU vs. Central College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ISU or Central 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 Central College and ISU.

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than Central College (71% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Illinois State University earn on average $1,000 more per year than Central College graduates after ten years. ($49,000 vs. $48,000)
  • Illinois State University students graduate with a $5,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Central College graduates. ($22,000 vs. $27,000)
  • ISU graduates are paying $52 less per month on federal student loans than Central College graduates. ($227 vs. $279)
  • More Central College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ISU students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 74%)

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