IWU vs. KU

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

IWU KU
Location Bloomington, IL Lawrence, KS
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 1,527 26,708
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #144 #252
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iwu.edu ku.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

IWU KU
Tuition (In State) $53,610 $10,092
Tuition (Out of State) $53,610 $26,960
Room & Board $12,418 $10,136
Avg Net Price $30,096 $18,950
Avg Grant Aid $36,614 $11,140
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 87%

Admission

IWU KU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,408 16,204
Admitted 1,861 14,234
Acceptance Rate 42.2% 87.8%
Enrolled % 20.5% 31.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.86 3.66
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 25/30 21/28
SAT Range 1120/1330 1090/1340
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 Aug 15, 2024

Academics

IWU KU
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Health Professions (7%)

Outcomes

IWU KU
Graduation Rate 82% 61%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $60,500 $54,600
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $20,500
Median Loan Payment $279 $211

Diversity

IWU KU
% Men 51% 45%
% Women 49% 55%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 71% 72%
% Black 4% 4%
% Hispanic 7% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 9% 6%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

IWU KU
% In-State 77% 58%
% Out-of-State 14% 39%

Campus

IWU KU
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

  • University of Kansas is larger than than IWU based on total student enrollment (26,708 students vs. 1,527 students)

IWU vs. KU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, IWU or KU?

  • Illinois Wesleyan University is 431.2% more expensive to attend than KU for in-state tuition ($53,610.00 vs. $10,092.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 98.9% higher at IWU than University of Kansas ($53,610.00 vs. $26,960.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Kansas than IWU ($18,950 vs. $30,096)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Kansas are 22.5% lower than costs at Illinois Wesleyan University ($10,136 vs. $12,418)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois Wesleyan University than University of Kansas (100% vs. 87%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois Wesleyan University students is 228.7% larger than aid received University of Kansas ($36,614 vs. $11,140)

IWU vs. KU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Illinois Wesleyan University (1249) is 104 points higher than at KU (1145)
  • Incoming IWU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at KU (25)
  • Accepted freshman IWU students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.86) than students at KU (3.66)
  • KU has a higher acceptance rate (87.8%) than IWU (42.2%)

IWU vs. KU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at IWU is higher than University of Kansas (82% vs. 61%)
  • Graduates from Illinois Wesleyan University earn on average $5,900 more per year than KU graduates after ten years. ($60,500 vs. $54,600)
  • University of Kansas students graduate with a $6,500 lower median federal student loan debt than IWU graduates. ($20,500 vs. $27,000)
  • KU graduates are paying $68 less per month on federal student loans than IWU graduates. ($211 vs. $279)
  • More IWU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former KU students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 66%)

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