IWU vs. BSU

Should I go to Illinois Wesleyan University or Ball State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if IWU or BSU 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 Wesleyan University vs. Ball State University comparison
Illinois Wesleyan University Ball State University College 3 College 4
Illinois Wesleyan University Ball State University
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Overview

IWU BSU
Location Bloomington, IL Muncie, IN
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 1,527 19,777
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #144 #547
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iwu.edu bsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

IWU BSU
Tuition (In State) $53,610 $8,434
Tuition (Out of State) $53,610 $25,918
Room & Board $12,418 $10,904
Avg Net Price $30,096 $12,615
Avg Grant Aid $36,614 $11,418
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 97%

Admission

IWU BSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,408 22,859
Admitted 1,861 15,761
Acceptance Rate 42.2% 68.9%
Enrolled % 20.5% 22.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.86 3.52
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Challenging
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 25/30 23/28
SAT Range 1120/1330 1090/1260
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

Academics

IWU BSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (18%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)

Outcomes

IWU BSU
Graduation Rate 82% 55%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $60,500 $42,500
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $258

Diversity

IWU BSU
% Men 51% 35%
% Women 49% 65%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 71% 81%
% Black 4% 8%
% Hispanic 7% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 9% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

IWU BSU
% In-State 77% 90%
% Out-of-State 14% 9%

Campus

IWU BSU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Ball State University is larger than than IWU based on total student enrollment (19,777 students vs. 1,527 students)

IWU vs. BSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, IWU or BSU?

  • Illinois Wesleyan University is 535.6% more expensive to attend than BSU for in-state tuition ($53,610.00 vs. $8,434.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 106.8% higher at IWU than Ball State University ($53,610.00 vs. $25,918.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Ball State University than IWU ($12,615 vs. $30,096)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Ball State University are 13.9% lower than costs at Illinois Wesleyan University ($10,904 vs. $12,418)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois Wesleyan University than Ball State University (100% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois Wesleyan University students is 220.7% larger than aid received Ball State University ($36,614 vs. $11,418)

IWU vs. BSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Illinois Wesleyan University (1249) is 179 points higher than at BSU (1070)
  • Incoming IWU students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at BSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman IWU students have a 0.34 point higher average high school GPA (3.86) than students at BSU (3.52)
  • BSU has a higher acceptance rate (68.9%) than IWU (42.2%)

IWU vs. BSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, IWU or BSU? 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 BSU and IWU.

  • The graduation rate at IWU is higher than Ball State University (82% vs. 55%)
  • Graduates from Illinois Wesleyan University earn on average $18,000 more per year than BSU graduates after ten years. ($60,500 vs. $42,500)
  • Ball State University students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than IWU graduates. ($25,000 vs. $27,000)
  • BSU graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than IWU graduates. ($258 vs. $279)
  • More IWU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BSU students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 63%)

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