Western Illinois University (WIU) vs Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville (SIUE)

Western Illinois University (WIU) and Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville (SIUE) are two public universities in Illinois with distinct characteristics. WIU, located in Macomb, has a smaller student body and a higher acceptance rate compared to SIUE, which is situated in Edwardsville. While both universities offer a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs, WIU is known for its strong programs in education, business, and fine arts, while SIUE excels in engineering, nursing, and business. Additionally, SIUE has a more diverse student body and a higher graduation rate than WIU. To help you make an informed decision about your higher education, we have compiled a comprehensive comparison table that delves into these differences and more. Explore the table to discover which university better aligns with your academic goals and personal preferences.
Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville logo

Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville

Western Illinois University logo

Western Illinois University

Overview

Location Edwardsville, Illinois Macomb, Illinois
Campus setting Suburb: Large Town: Remote
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Public Public
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 74.0% 72.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 98.1% 72.5%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $40

Graduate: $40
Undergraduate: $30

Graduate: $30
SAT range 920 - 1160 N/A
ACT range 19 - 26 N/A
Students submitting SAT score 49.0%
Students submitting ACT score 26.0%
Total number of applicants 8,995 7,156
Total number of admissions given out 8,821 5,187
Admitted students who chose to enroll 1,992 920
Yield rate 22.6% 17.7%
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) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $26,007 $29,140
Average net price $15,519 $11,666
Tuition $9,123 $9,238
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $6,290

Meal plan: $4,920
Room/dormitory: $6,240

Meal plan: $3,952
Available payment plans
  • Guaranteed tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Guaranteed tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

99.0%
Average amount $8,667
94.0%
Average amount $13,937
Students receiving federal student loan 46.0%
Average amount $5,063
50.0%
Average amount $5,417
Students taking out private loans 5.0%
Average amount $10,038
5.0%
Average amount $9,533

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 9,967
Men 42.8% Women 57.2%
5,394
Men 43.5% Women 56.5%
Graduate students 3,043
Men 38.1% Women 61.9%
2,061
Men 42.9% Women 57.1%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Low
Out-of-state students 16.6% 9.7%
International students 4.1% 8.8%
Campus local/setting Suburb: Large Town: Remote
Dormitory capacity 3,006 3,083
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from Illinois Missouri Texas California Indiana Illinois Iowa Missouri Wisconsin Indiana

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Engineering
  • Education
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Education
  • Business
  • Liberal Arts
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Health Professions
Students to faculty ratio 15:1 13:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 51.8% 50.9%
Dropout rate 11.6% 16.5%
Transferred out 32.8% 31.2%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Dentistry (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $123,885
  • Year 2: $131,918
  • Year 3: $131,417
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $115,760
  • Year 2: $122,038
  • Year 3: $122,898
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $97,776
  • Year 2: $147,557
  • Year 3: $108,891
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $64,415
  • Year 2: $67,240
  • Year 3: $77,916
Construction Engineering Technologies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $62,721
  • Year 2: $65,979
  • Year 3: $74,972
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $69,868
  • Year 2: $65,889
  • Year 3: $74,137
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $71,907
  • Year 2: $56,931
  • Year 3: $72,924
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $59,725
  • Year 2: $60,452
  • Year 3: $67,195
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $60,153
  • Year 2: $59,534
  • Year 3: $67,063
Civil Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $57,616
  • Year 2: $57,770
  • Year 3: $63,574
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $59,427
  • Year 2: $63,166
  • Year 3: $79,149
Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $68,346
  • Year 2: $81,702
  • Year 3: $72,457
Engineering Technology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $55,220
  • Year 2: $60,771
  • Year 3: $65,823
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $57,318
  • Year 3: $64,904
Construction Management (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $51,827
  • Year 2: $52,941
  • Year 3: $64,741
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $60,966
  • Year 2: $58,334
  • Year 3: $63,350
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $46,154
  • Year 2: $49,729
  • Year 3: $54,520
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $42,063
  • Year 2: $43,612
  • Year 3: $53,379
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,058
  • Year 2: $48,667
  • Year 3: $52,271
Educational/Instructional Media Design (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,853
  • Year 2: $52,107
  • Year 3: $51,827

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. There, you can search for the specific colleges and initiate your comparison.
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