ISU vs. Valpo

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

ISU Valpo
Location Normal, IL Valparaiso, IN
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 20,683 2,958
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #493 #313
Religious Affiliation - Lutheran Church in America - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinoisstate.edu valpo.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ISU Valpo
Tuition (In State) $11,840 $43,400
Tuition (Out of State) $23,681 $43,400
Room & Board $10,602 $13,180
Avg Net Price $20,551 $22,755
Avg Grant Aid $11,619 $34,706
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 100%

Admission

ISU Valpo
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,596 6,842
Admitted 16,899 6,442
Acceptance Rate 86.2% 94.2%
Enrolled % 23.6% 9.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.76
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Moderate Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/27 27/30
SAT Range 1000/1210 1140/1360
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 Valpo
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Education (5%)

Outcomes

ISU Valpo
Graduation Rate 71% 71%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,000 $54,000
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $227 $279

Diversity

ISU Valpo
% Men 42% 45%
% Women 58% 55%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 77% 72%
% Black 8% 6%
% Hispanic 9% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 0% 7%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

ISU Valpo
% In-State 96% 48%
% Out-of-State 3% 49%

Campus

ISU Valpo
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 Valpo based on total student enrollment (20,683 students vs. 2,958 students)

ISU vs. Valpo Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or Valpo?

  • Valparaiso University is 266.6% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($43,400.00 vs. $11,840.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 83.3% higher at Valpo than Illinois State University ($43,400.00 vs. $23,681.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Illinois State University than Valpo ($20,551 vs. $22,755)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois State University are 24.3% lower than costs at Valparaiso University ($10,602 vs. $13,180)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Valparaiso University than Illinois State University (100% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Valparaiso University students is 198.7% larger than aid received Illinois State University ($34,706 vs. $11,619)

ISU vs. Valpo Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Valparaiso University (1159) is 69 points higher than at ISU (1090)
  • Incoming Valpo students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at ISU (24)
  • Accepted freshman Valpo students have a 0.35 point higher average high school GPA (3.76) than students at ISU (3.41)
  • Valpo has a higher acceptance rate (94.2%) than ISU (86.2%)

ISU vs. Valpo Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ISU or Valpo? 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 Valpo and ISU.

  • The graduation rate at ISU is the same as at Valparaiso University (71% vs. 71%)
  • Graduates from Valparaiso University earn on average $5,000 more per year than ISU graduates after ten years. ($54,000 vs. $49,000)
  • Illinois State University students graduate with a $5,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Valpo graduates. ($22,000 vs. $27,000)
  • ISU graduates are paying $52 less per month on federal student loans than Valpo graduates. ($227 vs. $279)
  • More Valpo graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ISU students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 74%)

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