ISU vs. Luther- Norse

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

ISU Luther- Norse
Location Normal, IL Decorah, IA
Setting Small City Remote Town
Enrollment 20,683 1,610
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #493 #336
Religious Affiliation - Evangelical Lutheran Church - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinoisstate.edu luther.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ISU Luther- Norse
Tuition (In State) $11,840 $47,510
Tuition (Out of State) $23,681 $47,510
Room & Board $10,602 $10,670
Avg Net Price $20,551 $25,734
Avg Grant Aid $11,619 $35,441
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 100%

Admission

ISU Luther- Norse
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,596 2,188
Admitted 16,899 1,648
Acceptance Rate 86.2% 75.3%
Enrolled % 23.6% 24.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.65
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/27 22/29
SAT Range 1000/1210 1075/1330
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 Luther- Norse
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Foreign Languages (6%)

Outcomes

ISU Luther- Norse
Graduation Rate 71% 69%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,000 $50,000
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 82%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $227 $279

Diversity

ISU Luther- Norse
% Men 42% 45%
% Women 58% 55%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 77% 84%
% Black 8% 2%
% Hispanic 9% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 0% 6%
% Unknown Race 0% 0%

Students

ISU Luther- Norse
% In-State 96% 26%
% Out-of-State 3% 60%

Campus

ISU Luther- Norse
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 Luther- Norse based on total student enrollment (20,683 students vs. 1,610 students)

ISU vs. Luther- Norse Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or Luther- Norse?

  • Luther College is 301.3% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($47,510.00 vs. $11,840.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 100.6% higher at Luther- Norse than Illinois State University ($47,510.00 vs. $23,681.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Illinois State University than Luther- Norse ($20,551 vs. $25,734)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois State University are 0.6% lower than costs at Luther College ($10,602 vs. $10,670)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Luther College than Illinois State University (100% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Luther College students is 205% larger than aid received Illinois State University ($35,441 vs. $11,619)

ISU vs. Luther- Norse Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Luther College (1179) is 89 points higher than at ISU (1090)
  • Incoming Luther- Norse students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at ISU (24)
  • Accepted freshman Luther- Norse students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.65) than students at ISU (3.41)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (86.2%) than Luther- Norse (75.3%)

ISU vs. Luther- Norse Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ISU or Luther- Norse? 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 Luther- Norse and ISU.

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than Luther College (71% vs. 69%)
  • Graduates from Luther College earn on average $1,000 more per year than ISU graduates after ten years. ($50,000 vs. $49,000)
  • Illinois State University students graduate with a $5,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Luther- Norse graduates. ($22,000 vs. $27,000)
  • ISU graduates are paying $52 less per month on federal student loans than Luther- Norse graduates. ($227 vs. $279)
  • More Luther- Norse graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ISU students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 74%)

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