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Northern Illinois Illinois UIC DePaul EIU IWU Western Illinois University WMU Bradley Southern Illinois University IIT ISU| Illinois State University | Spring Arbor University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
ISU | SAU | ||
| Location | Normal, IL | Spring Arbor, MI | ||
| Setting | Small City | Small Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 20,683 | 2,396 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #493 | #501 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | Free Methodist | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | illinoisstate.edu | arbor.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
ISU | SAU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,840 | $31,020 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $23,681 | $31,020 | ||
| Room & Board | $10,602 | $10,652 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $20,551 | $22,375 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $11,619 | $20,677 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 97% | 99% |
Admission |
ISU | SAU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 19,596 | 2,312 | ||
| Admitted | 16,899 | 1,094 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 86.2% | 47.3% | ||
| Enrolled % | 23.6% | 20.8% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.41 | 3.61 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Moderate | Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 21/27 | 20/26 | ||
| SAT Range | 1000/1210 | 970/1135 | ||
| 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 | SAU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 19:1 | 10:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
ISU | SAU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 71% | 56% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $49,000 | $42,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 74% | 58% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $22,000 | $24,043 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $227 | $248 |
Diversity |
ISU | SAU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 42% | 23% | ||
| % Women | 58% | 77% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 77% | 77% | ||
| % Black | 8% | 10% | ||
| % Hispanic | 9% | 3% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 3% | ||
| % International | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 5% |
Students |
ISU | SAU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 96% | 83% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 3% | 13% | ||
Campus |
ISU | SAU | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Illinois State University is larger than than SAU based on total student enrollment (20,683 students vs. 2,396 students)
ISU vs. SAU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, ISU or SAU?
- Spring Arbor University is 162% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($31,020.00 vs. $11,840.00)
- Out of state tuition is 31% higher at SAU than Illinois State University ($31,020.00 vs. $23,681.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Illinois State University than SAU ($20,551 vs. $22,375)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois State University are 0.5% lower than costs at Spring Arbor University ($10,602 vs. $10,652)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Spring Arbor University than Illinois State University (99% vs. 97%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Spring Arbor University students is 78% larger than aid received Illinois State University ($20,677 vs. $11,619)
ISU vs. SAU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, ISU or SAU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between SAU or ISU .
- The average SAT score at Illinois State University (1090) is 17 points higher than at SAU (1073)
- Incoming ISU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at SAU (23)
- Accepted freshman SAU students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at ISU (3.41)
- ISU has a higher acceptance rate (86.2%) than SAU (47.3%)
ISU vs. SAU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, ISU or SAU? 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 SAU and ISU.
- The graduation rate at ISU is higher than Spring Arbor University (71% vs. 56%)
- Graduates from Illinois State University earn on average $6,400 more per year than SAU graduates after ten years. ($49,000 vs. $42,600)
- Illinois State University students graduate with a $2,043 lower median federal student loan debt than SAU graduates. ($22,000 vs. $24,043)
- ISU graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than SAU graduates. ($227 vs. $248)
- More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SAU students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 58%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/