Illinois State vs Illinois College
When it comes to higher education in Illinois, two prominent institutions that often draw comparisons are Illinois State University (ISU) and Illinois College (IC). While both offer a rich academic experience, they differ in several key aspects. ISU, a public university located in Normal, boasts a larger student body and a wider range of academic programs, including graduate degrees. IC, a private liberal arts college in Jacksonville, prides itself on its small class sizes and personalized attention. With acceptance rates of 88% and 72% respectively, ISU is generally more accessible, while IC offers a more selective admissions process. Additionally, the student body demographics vary, with ISU having a more diverse population and IC having a higher percentage of full-time students. To help you make an informed decision about your educational journey, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison table that delves into these differences and more, including popular majors, graduation rates, and cost of attendance.
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![]() Illinois College |
![]() Illinois State University |
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Overview |
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Location | Jacksonville, Illinois | Normal, Illinois |
Campus setting | Town: Distant | Suburb: Midsize |
College type | 4 year | 4 year |
Control/business model | Private (Non Profit) | Public |
Calendar system | Semester | Semester |
Degrees offered | Undergraduate and Graduate | Undergraduate and Graduate |
Students retention rate | 76.0% | 83.0% |
![]() |
Yes | Yes |
Religious affiliation | Presbyterian | |
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Admission |
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Acceptance rate | 74.8% | 91.5% |
Application fees |
Undergraduate:
$50
Graduate:
$50
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SAT range | 950 - 1150 | 1000 - 1200 |
ACT range | 18 - 24 | 21 - 27 |
Students submitting SAT score | 57.0% | 51.0% |
Students submitting ACT score | 32.0% | 19.0% |
Total number of applicants | 3,522 | 11,913 |
Total number of admissions given out | 2,633 | 10,905 |
Admitted students who chose to enroll | 249 | 3,374 |
Yield rate | 9.5% | 30.9% |
Test scores (SAT/ACT) | N/A | N/A |
High school GPA | Required | Required |
Recommendation letters | Not required | Not required |
High school transcript | Not required | Not required |
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) | Not required | Required |
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Tuition and Fees |
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Sticker price | $42,742 |
In state:
$31,811
Out of state:
$43,335
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Average net price | $18,914 | $21,033 |
Tuition | $34,752 |
In state:
$11,524
Out of state:
$23,048
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Room & board |
Room/dormitory:
$4,988
Meal plan:
$4,946
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Room/dormitory:
$5,494
Meal plan:
$4,652
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Available payment plans |
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Financial Aid |
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Students receiving financial aid
(Grants & scholarships) |
100.0%
Average amount $26,845 |
91.0%
Average amount $10,848 |
Students receiving federal student loan |
74.0%
Average amount $5,294 |
46.0%
Average amount $5,065 |
Students taking out private loans |
13.0%
Average amount $10,848 |
8.0%
Average amount $14,532 |
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Students and Campus |
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Undergraduate students |
1,097
Men 47.6% Women 52.4% |
17,674
Men 43.0% Women 57.0% |
Graduate students | N/A |
2,559
Men 35.1% Women 64.9% |
Racial/ethnic diversity |
Low
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Low
|
Out-of-state students | 20.2% | 4.2% |
International students | 4.2% | 2.8% |
Campus local/setting | Town: Distant | Suburb: Midsize |
Dormitory capacity | 963 | 5,560 |
First year students are required to live on campus? | No | No |
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from | Illinois Missouri Georgia Alabama Indiana | Illinois Missouri Wisconsin Michigan Iowa |
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Academics |
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Popular study areas |
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Students to faculty ratio | 13:1 | 19:1 |
Institutional accreditation | Higher Learning Commission | Higher Learning Commission |
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Outcome |
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Graduation rate | 64.0% | 67.3% |
Dropout rate | 36.0% | 32.0% |
Transferred out | N/A | N/A |
Alumni salary by major (Top 10) |
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other (Bachelor's Degrees)
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
Sociology (Bachelor's Degrees)
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Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
Construction Management (Bachelor's Degrees)
Management Information Systems and Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
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Compare Similar Colleges
The list of suggested college comparisons provided below is generated automatically by our system, utilizing
statistics gathered from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and various online sources. If you
don't find the colleges you wish to compare, please visit our comparison page.
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