Illinois Wesleyan University (IWU) vs Elon University

Envision yourself immersed in the vibrant academic landscapes of Illinois Wesleyan University and Elon University, two esteemed institutions offering distinct educational experiences. While both universities share a commitment to academic excellence, they diverge in several key aspects. Illinois Wesleyan, nestled in the heart of Bloomington, Illinois, boasts a higher acceptance rate, welcoming a diverse student body from various backgrounds. Elon University, situated in the charming town of Elon, North Carolina, stands out with its picturesque campus and a focus on experiential learning, reflected in its popular majors such as Business Administration and Communications. Discover the nuances that set these universities apart by delving into our comprehensive comparison table, meticulously crafted to assist you in finding the ideal academic haven that aligns with your aspirations and goals.

	Elon University	Illinois Wesleyan University
Overview
Location	Elon, North Carolina	Bloomington, Illinois
Campus setting	Suburb: Midsize	City: Small
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (Non Profit)	Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system	4-1-4	4-1-4
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate
Students retention rate	88.0%	85.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	77.7%	45.2%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $60 Graduate: $60
SAT range	N/A	1110 - 1310
ACT range	N/A	24 - 29
Students submitting SAT score		33.0%
Students submitting ACT score		31.0%
Total number of applicants	17,834	4,543
Total number of admissions given out	13,859	2,055
Admitted students who chose to enroll	1,591	432
Yield rate	11.5%	21.0%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Not required
Recommendation letters	Not required	Required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$55,647	$67,124
Average net price	$40,366	$30,610
Tuition	$38,218	$52,308
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $6,593 Meal plan: $6,829	Room/dormitory: $7,584 Meal plan: $4,528
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	67.0% Average amount $13,677	100.0% Average amount $34,810
Students receiving federal student loan	30.0% Average amount $5,259	68.0% Average amount $5,692
Students taking out private loans	7.0% Average amount $25,192	35.0% Average amount $6,781

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	6,302 Men 40.2% Women 59.8%	1,653 Men 49.4% Women 50.6%
Graduate students	825 Men 36.5% Women 63.5%	N/A
Racial/ethnic diversity	Very Low	Low
Out-of-state students	80.6%	N/A
International students	2.0%	3.4%
Campus local/setting	Suburb: Midsize	City: Small
Dormitory capacity	4,192	1,308
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	North Carolina New Jersey New York Pennsylvania Virginia	N/A

Academics
Popular study areas	Business Legal Profession Health Professions Communication and Journalism Education	Business Biological and Biomedical Sciences Health Professions Education Visual & Performing Arts
Students to faculty ratio	12:1	12:1
Institutional accreditation	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges	Higher Learning Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	83.3%	81.1%
Dropout rate	16.7%	18.7%
Transferred out	N/A	N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $101,556 Year 2: $104,061 Year 3: $105,320 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $64,803 Year 2: $71,854 Year 3: $78,720 Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $58,320 Year 2: $60,016 Year 3: $77,567 Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $46,276 Year 2: $54,192 Year 3: $77,220 Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $58,564 Year 2: $62,154 Year 3: $76,604 Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: $68,888 Year 2: $69,629 Year 3: $70,208 Marketing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $50,091 Year 2: $50,022 Year 3: $64,255 Economics (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $44,189 Year 3: $59,817 Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $39,293 Year 2: $36,674 Year 3: $58,053 Law (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $44,055 Year 3: $55,617	Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $57,305 Year 2: $53,358 Year 3: $77,743 Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $61,838 Year 2: $62,792 Year 3: $73,001 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $66,460 Year 2: $62,775 Year 3: $69,764 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $45,302 Year 2: $50,356 Year 3: $56,336 Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $26,739 Year 3: $46,139 Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $32,272 Year 2: $31,314 Year 3: $39,988 Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $18,075 Year 2: $20,140 Year 3: $30,321 Economics (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $61,516 Year 3: N/A Music (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $27,439 Year 3: N/A Sociology (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $36,674 Year 3: N/A

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