ISU vs. VCM

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

ISU VCM
Location Normal, IL Chicago, IL
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 20,683 263
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #493
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinoisstate.edu vandercook.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ISU VCM
Tuition (In State) $11,840 $27,670
Tuition (Out of State) $23,681 $27,670
Room & Board $10,602 $7,500
Avg Net Price $20,551 $12,436
Avg Grant Aid $11,619 $27,884
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 100%

Admission

ISU VCM
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,596 22
Admitted 16,899 22
Acceptance Rate 86.2% 100%
Enrolled % 23.6% 50%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.1
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Moderate Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/27 15/20
SAT Range 1000/1210 890/1160
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 VCM
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 4:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Education (100%)

Outcomes

ISU VCM
Graduation Rate 71% 45%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,000 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $227 $279

Diversity

ISU VCM
% Men 42% 43%
% Women 58% 57%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 77% 62%
% Black 8% 8%
% Hispanic 9% 21%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

ISU VCM
% In-State 96% 58%
% Out-of-State 3% 42%

Campus

ISU VCM
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 VCM based on total student enrollment (20,683 students vs. 263 students)

ISU vs. VCM Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or VCM?

  • VanderCook College of Music is 133.7% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($27,670.00 vs. $11,840.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 16.8% higher at VCM than Illinois State University ($27,670.00 vs. $23,681.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at VanderCook College of Music than ISU ($12,436 vs. $20,551)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at VanderCook College of Music are 41.4% lower than costs at Illinois State University ($7,500 vs. $10,602)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at VanderCook College of Music than Illinois State University (100% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by VanderCook College of Music students is 140% larger than aid received Illinois State University ($27,884 vs. $11,619)

ISU vs. VCM Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at VanderCook College of Music (1107) is 17 points higher than at ISU (1090)
  • Incoming VCM students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at ISU (24)
  • Accepted freshman ISU students have a 0.31 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at VCM (3.1)
  • VCM has a higher acceptance rate (100%) than ISU (86.2%)

ISU vs. VCM Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than VanderCook College of Music (71% vs. 45%)
  • Illinois State University students graduate with a $5,000 lower median federal student loan debt than VCM graduates. ($22,000 vs. $27,000)
  • ISU graduates are paying $52 less per month on federal student loans than VCM graduates. ($227 vs. $279)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VCM students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 66%)

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