Illinois Wesleyan University (IWU) vs Occidental College

Illinois Wesleyan University and Occidental College, two esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. Illinois Wesleyan, nestled in the heart of Bloomington, Illinois, boasts a higher acceptance rate, making it a more accessible option for aspiring students. Occidental, located in the vibrant city of Los Angeles, California, attracts a diverse student body, with a higher percentage of international students. While both universities excel in liberal arts education, Illinois Wesleyan is known for its strong programs in nursing, biology, and business, while Occidental shines in the fields of psychology, economics, and environmental science. With comparable graduation rates, both universities ensure that their students are well-prepared for successful careers or further studies. Explore the detailed comparison table to discover more about these institutions and make an informed decision that aligns with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	Illinois Wesleyan University	Occidental College
Overview
Location	Bloomington, Illinois	Los Angeles, California
Campus setting	City: Small	City: Large
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (Non Profit)	Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system	4-1-4	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	85.0%	92.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	45.2%	38.2%
Application fees		Undergraduate: $70 Graduate: $60
SAT range	1110 - 1310	1340 - 1490
ACT range	24 - 29	30 - 33
Students submitting SAT score	33.0%	29.0%
Students submitting ACT score	31.0%	22.0%
Total number of applicants	4,543	6,495
Total number of admissions given out	2,055	2,484
Admitted students who chose to enroll	432	535
Yield rate	21.0%	21.5%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Not required	Not required
Recommendation letters	Required	Required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$67,124	$77,878
Average net price	$30,610	$43,047
Tuition	$52,308	$57,830
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $7,584 Meal plan: $4,528	Room/dormitory: $9,512 Meal plan: $8,090
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Prepaid tuition plan Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	100.0% Average amount $34,810	100.0% Average amount $29,715
Students receiving federal student loan	68.0% Average amount $5,692	31.0% Average amount $4,603
Students taking out private loans	35.0% Average amount $6,781	17.0% Average amount $6,554

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	1,653 Men 49.4% Women 50.6%	1,964 Men 42.1% Women 57.9%
Graduate students	N/A	N/A
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Moderate
Out-of-state students	N/A	62.5%
International students	3.4%	6.3%
Campus local/setting	City: Small	City: Large
Dormitory capacity	1,308	1,650
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	Yes
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	N/A	California Washington New York Illinois Mississippi

Academics
Popular study areas	Business Biological and Biomedical Sciences Health Professions Education Visual & Performing Arts	Social Sciences Biological and Biomedical Sciences Physical Science Multidisciplinary Studies Visual & Performing Arts
Students to faculty ratio	12:1	9:1
Institutional accreditation	Higher Learning Commission	Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	81.1%	82.9%
Dropout rate	18.7%	4.1%
Transferred out	N/A	12.6%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	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	Economics (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $46,544 Year 2: $55,078 Year 3: $63,231 Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $42,360 Year 2: $37,779 Year 3: $49,843 International Relations and National Security Studies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $38,329 Year 2: $36,132 Year 3: $45,083 Natural Resources Conservation and Research (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $29,948 Year 2: $37,208 Year 3: $43,488 Cultural Studies/Critical Theory and Analysis (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: N/A Year 3: $33,877 Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $25,967 Year 3: $31,152 Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $25,035 Year 2: $26,933 Year 3: $31,095 Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $25,916 Year 2: $30,047 Year 3: $30,729 Area Studies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $39,369 Year 3: N/A Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $15,793 Year 2: $35,060 Year 3: N/A

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Illinois Wesleyan University (IWU) vs Occidental College

Illinois Wesleyan University

Occidental College

Overview

Admission

Tuition and Fees

Financial Aid

Students and Campus

Academics

Outcome

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