ISU vs. IU Northwest

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

ISU IU Northwest
Location Normal, IL Gary, IN
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 20,683 3,198
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #493 #882
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinoisstate.edu iun.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ISU IU Northwest
Tuition (In State) $11,840 $7,274
Tuition (Out of State) $23,681 $20,634
Room & Board $10,602 $9,412
Avg Net Price $20,551 $6,553
Avg Grant Aid $11,619 $8,754
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 80%

Admission

ISU IU Northwest
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,596 1,915
Admitted 16,899 1,538
Acceptance Rate 86.2% 80.3%
Enrolled % 23.6% 27.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.14
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Moderate Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/27 20/25
SAT Range 1000/1210 950/1170
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 IU Northwest
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Health Professions (33%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (13%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

ISU IU Northwest
Graduation Rate 71% 23%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,000 $39,500
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 33%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,000 $25,030
Median Loan Payment $227 $258

Diversity

ISU IU Northwest
% Men 42% 25%
% Women 58% 75%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 77% 55%
% Black 8% 18%
% Hispanic 9% 20%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 0% 0%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

ISU IU Northwest
% In-State 96% 97%
% Out-of-State 3% 2%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Illinois State University is larger than than IU Northwest based on total student enrollment (20,683 students vs. 3,198 students)

ISU vs. IU Northwest Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or IU Northwest?

  • Illinois State University is 62.8% more expensive to attend than IU Northwest for in-state tuition ($11,840.00 vs. $7,274.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 14.8% higher at ISU than Indiana University Northwest ($23,681.00 vs. $20,634.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Indiana University Northwest than ISU ($6,553 vs. $20,551)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Indiana University Northwest are 12.6% lower than costs at Illinois State University ($9,412 vs. $10,602)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois State University than Indiana University Northwest (97% vs. 80%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois State University students is 32.7% larger than aid received Indiana University Northwest ($11,619 vs. $8,754)

ISU vs. IU Northwest Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Illinois State University (1090) is 162 points higher than at IU Northwest (928)
  • Incoming ISU students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at IU Northwest (20)
  • Accepted freshman ISU students have a 0.27 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at IU Northwest (3.14)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (86.2%) than IU Northwest (80.3%)

ISU vs. IU Northwest Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ISU or IU Northwest? 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 IU Northwest and ISU.

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than Indiana University Northwest (71% vs. 23%)
  • Graduates from Illinois State University earn on average $9,500 more per year than IU Northwest graduates after ten years. ($49,000 vs. $39,500)
  • Illinois State University students graduate with a $3,030 lower median federal student loan debt than IU Northwest graduates. ($22,000 vs. $25,030)
  • ISU graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than IU Northwest graduates. ($227 vs. $258)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former IU Northwest students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 33%)

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