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Northern Illinois UMBC Illinois Maryland Salisbury UIC DePaul EIU WCU IWU Western Illinois University WMU| Illinois State University | Towson University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
ISU | TU | ||
| Location | Normal, IL | Towson, MD | ||
| Setting | Small City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 20,683 | 19,793 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #493 | #445 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | illinoisstate.edu | towson.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
ISU | TU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,840 | $7,238 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $23,681 | $23,240 | ||
| Room & Board | $10,602 | $13,642 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $20,551 | $14,443 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $11,619 | $11,415 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 97% | 74% |
Admission |
ISU | TU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 19,596 | 17,770 | ||
| Admitted | 16,899 | 13,967 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 86.2% | 78.6% | ||
| Enrolled % | 23.6% | 19.1% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.41 | 3.69 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Moderate | Moderate | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 21/27 | 19/25 | ||
| SAT Range | 1000/1210 | 1010/1230 | ||
| 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 | Apr 1, 2024 |
Academics |
ISU | TU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 19:1 | 15:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
ISU | TU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 71% | 64% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $49,000 | $53,500 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 74% | 69% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $22,000 | $17,750 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $227 | $183 |
Diversity |
ISU | TU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 42% | 39% | ||
| % Women | 58% | 61% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 77% | 61% | ||
| % Black | 8% | 18% | ||
| % Hispanic | 9% | 6% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 4% | ||
| % International | 0% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 3% |
Students |
ISU | TU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 96% | 89% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 3% | 8% | ||
Campus |
ISU | TU | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Illinois State University is larger than than TU based on total student enrollment (20,683 students vs. 19,793 students)
ISU vs. TU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, ISU or TU?
- Illinois State University is 63.6% more expensive to attend than TU for in-state tuition ($11,840.00 vs. $7,238.00)
- Out of state tuition is 1.9% higher at ISU than Towson University ($23,681.00 vs. $23,240.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Towson University than ISU ($14,443 vs. $20,551)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois State University are 28.7% lower than costs at Towson University ($10,602 vs. $13,642)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois State University than Towson University (97% vs. 74%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois State University students is 1.8% larger than aid received Towson University ($11,619 vs. $11,415)
ISU vs. TU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, ISU or TU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between TU or ISU .
- The average SAT score at Illinois State University (1090) is 9 points higher than at TU (1081)
- Incoming ISU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at TU (23)
- Accepted freshman TU students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.69) than students at ISU (3.41)
- ISU has a higher acceptance rate (86.2%) than TU (78.6%)
ISU vs. TU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, ISU or TU? 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 TU and ISU.
- The graduation rate at ISU is higher than Towson University (71% vs. 64%)
- Graduates from Towson University earn on average $4,500 more per year than ISU graduates after ten years. ($53,500 vs. $49,000)
- Towson University students graduate with a $4,250 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($17,750 vs. $22,000)
- TU graduates are paying $44 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($183 vs. $227)
- More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former TU students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 69%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/