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Northern Illinois Illinois Temple UIC Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania DePaul Millersville University of Pennsylvania Kutztown University of Pennsylvania Penn State EIU TU IWU| Illinois State University | West Chester University of Pennsylvania | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
ISU | WCU | ||
| Location | Normal, IL | West Chester, PA | ||
| Setting | Small City | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 20,683 | 17,275 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #493 | #496 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | illinoisstate.edu | wcupa.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
ISU | WCU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,840 | $7,716 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $23,681 | $19,290 | ||
| Room & Board | $10,602 | $14,228 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $20,551 | $22,973 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $11,619 | $5,443 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 97% | 64% |
Admission |
ISU | WCU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 19,596 | 14,778 | ||
| Admitted | 16,899 | 12,982 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 86.2% | 87.8% | ||
| Enrolled % | 23.6% | 23.2% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.41 | 3.43 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Moderate | Challenging | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 21/27 | 23/30 | ||
| SAT Range | 1000/1210 | 1080/1260 | ||
| 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 | WCU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 19:1 | 20:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
ISU | WCU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 71% | 68% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $49,000 | $49,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 74% | 75% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $22,000 | $23,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $227 | $242 |
Diversity |
ISU | WCU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 42% | 39% | ||
| % Women | 58% | 61% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 77% | 78% | ||
| % Black | 8% | 11% | ||
| % Hispanic | 9% | 5% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 3% | ||
| % International | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 0% |
Students |
ISU | WCU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 96% | 87% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 3% | 12% | ||
Campus |
ISU | WCU | ||
| 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 WCU based on total student enrollment (20,683 students vs. 17,275 students)
ISU vs. WCU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, ISU or WCU?
- Illinois State University is 53.4% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($11,840.00 vs. $7,716.00)
- Out of state tuition is 22.8% higher at ISU than West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($23,681.00 vs. $19,290.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Illinois State University than WCU ($20,551 vs. $22,973)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois State University are 34.2% lower than costs at West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($10,602 vs. $14,228)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois State University than West Chester University of Pennsylvania (97% vs. 64%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois State University students is 113.5% larger than aid received West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($11,619 vs. $5,443)
ISU vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, ISU or WCU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between WCU or ISU .
- The average SAT score at Illinois State University (1090) is 18 points higher than at WCU (1072)
- Incoming ISU students have at the same average ACT score (24) as students at WCU (24)
- Accepted freshman WCU students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.43) than students at ISU (3.41)
- WCU has a higher acceptance rate (87.8%) than ISU (86.2%)
ISU vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, ISU or WCU? 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 WCU and ISU.
- The graduation rate at ISU is higher than West Chester University of Pennsylvania (71% vs. 68%)
- Graduates of Illinois State University and WCU have equivalent average earnings after ten years ($49,000 vs. $49,000)
- Illinois State University students graduate with a $1,500 lower median federal student loan debt than WCU graduates. ($22,000 vs. $23,500)
- ISU graduates are paying $15 less per month on federal student loans than WCU graduates. ($227 vs. $242)
- More WCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ISU students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 74%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/