Illinois Wesleyan University (IWU) vs Principia College

Illinois Wesleyan University and Principia College, two distinct institutions of higher learning, offer unique educational experiences to their students. Illinois Wesleyan, a private liberal arts university located in Bloomington, Illinois, boasts a diverse student body and a strong focus on undergraduate research. Principia College, a private Christian college in Elsah, Illinois, emphasizes spiritual growth and service to others. With acceptance rates of 68% and 75%, respectively, both institutions provide accessible pathways to higher education. While Illinois Wesleyan's popular majors include biology, psychology, and economics, Principia College students often pursue degrees in business, education, and nursing. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to delve into further details about these institutions, including student body demographics, graduation rates, and additional factors that may influence your college decision.
Illinois Wesleyan University logo

Illinois Wesleyan University

Principia College logo

Principia College

Overview

Location Bloomington, Illinois Elsah, Illinois
Campus setting City: Small Rural: Fringe
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
Students retention rate 85.0% 81.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 45.2% 84.1%
Application fees
SAT range 1110 - 1310 1028 - 1193
ACT range 24 - 29 21 - 28
Students submitting SAT score 33.0% 30.0%
Students submitting ACT score 31.0% 13.0%
Total number of applicants 4,543 138
Total number of admissions given out 2,055 116
Admitted students who chose to enroll 432 79
Yield rate 21.0% 68.1%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Not required Required
Recommendation letters Required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $67,124 $42,820
Average net price $30,610 $19,816
Tuition $52,308 $29,970
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $7,584

Meal plan: $4,528
Room/dormitory: $5,810

Meal plan: $6,460
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

100.0%
Average amount $34,810
94.0%
Average amount $25,174
Students receiving federal student loan 68.0%
Average amount $5,692
0.0%
Average amount $0
Students taking out private loans 35.0%
Average amount $6,781
94.0%
Average amount $2,016

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 1,653
Men 49.4% Women 50.6%
321
Men 53.0% Women 47.0%
Graduate students N/A N/A
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Low
Out-of-state students N/A 92.7%
International students 3.4% 24.3%
Campus local/setting City: Small Rural: Fringe
Dormitory capacity 1,308 585
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A Missouri California Texas Illinois Ohio

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Business
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Health Professions
  • Education
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Communication and Journalism
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Social Sciences
  • Business
Students to faculty ratio 12:1 5:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 81.1% 85.9%
Dropout rate 18.7% 14.1%
Transferred out N/A N/A
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
N/A

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