IWU vs. Houghton College

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

IWU Houghton College
Location Bloomington, IL Houghton, NY
Setting Small City Remote Rural
Enrollment 1,527 833
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #144
Religious Affiliation - Wesleyan - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iwu.edu houghton.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

IWU Houghton College
Tuition (In State) $53,610 $15,900
Tuition (Out of State) $53,610 $15,900
Room & Board $12,418 $10,336
Avg Net Price $30,096 $21,550
Avg Grant Aid $36,614 $8,587
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 99%

Admission

IWU Houghton College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,408 974
Admitted 1,861 750
Acceptance Rate 42.2% 77%
Enrolled % 20.5% 24%
Avg High School GPA 3.86 3.25
Typical High School Grades A- B
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 25/30
SAT Range 1120/1330 1110/1320
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 Houghton College
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

IWU Houghton College
Graduation Rate 82% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $60,500 $44,300
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $25,500
Median Loan Payment $279 $263

Diversity

IWU Houghton College
% Men 51% 37%
% Women 49% 63%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 71% 78%
% Black 4% 3%
% Hispanic 7% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 9% 11%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

IWU Houghton College
% In-State 77% 58%
% Out-of-State 14% 34%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Illinois Wesleyan University is larger than than Houghton College based on total student enrollment (1,527 students vs. 833 students)

IWU vs. Houghton College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, IWU or Houghton College?

  • Illinois Wesleyan University is 237.2% more expensive to attend than Houghton College for in-state tuition ($53,610.00 vs. $15,900.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 237.2% higher at IWU than Houghton College ($53,610.00 vs. $15,900.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Houghton College than IWU ($21,550 vs. $30,096)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Houghton College are 20.1% lower than costs at Illinois Wesleyan University ($10,336 vs. $12,418)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois Wesleyan University than Houghton College (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois Wesleyan University students is 326.4% larger than aid received Houghton College ($36,614 vs. $8,587)

IWU vs. Houghton College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Illinois Wesleyan University (1249) is 139 points higher than at Houghton College (1110)
  • Incoming IWU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Houghton College (25)
  • Accepted freshman IWU students have a 0.61 point higher average high school GPA (3.86) than students at Houghton College (3.25)
  • Houghton College has a higher acceptance rate (77%) than IWU (42.2%)

IWU vs. Houghton College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, IWU or Houghton College? 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 Houghton College and IWU.

  • The graduation rate at IWU is higher than Houghton College (82% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Illinois Wesleyan University earn on average $16,200 more per year than Houghton College graduates after ten years. ($60,500 vs. $44,300)
  • Houghton College students graduate with a $1,500 lower median federal student loan debt than IWU graduates. ($25,500 vs. $27,000)
  • Houghton College graduates are paying $16 less per month on federal student loans than IWU graduates. ($263 vs. $279)
  • More IWU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Houghton College students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 77%)

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