Western Illinois University (WIU) vs University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK)

Western Illinois University (WIU) and the University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK) are two public universities with distinct characteristics. WIU, located in Macomb, Illinois, has an acceptance rate of 86%, while UNK, situated in Kearney, Nebraska, boasts a slightly higher acceptance rate of 90%. Both universities offer a diverse range of undergraduate and graduate programs, with popular majors including Business, Education, and Health Sciences at WIU, and Business, Education, and Communication at UNK. WIU's student body is predominantly female (56%), while UNK's student population is more evenly distributed between genders. In terms of graduation rates, WIU has a four-year graduation rate of 24%, while UNK's four-year graduation rate stands at 33%. To help you make an informed decision about your higher education journey, we have compiled a comprehensive comparison table that delves into these aspects and more. Explore the table to discover
University of Nebraska at Kearney logo

University of Nebraska at Kearney

Western Illinois University logo

Western Illinois University

Overview

Location Kearney, Nebraska Macomb, Illinois
Campus setting Town: Distant 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 76.0% 72.0%
Common app member No Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 90.3% 72.5%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $45

Graduate: $45
Undergraduate: $30

Graduate: $30
SAT range 938 - 1133 N/A
ACT range 18 - 25 N/A
Students submitting SAT score 4.0%
Students submitting ACT score 86.0%
Total number of applicants 6,076 7,156
Total number of admissions given out 5,488 5,187
Admitted students who chose to enroll 958 920
Yield rate 17.5% 17.7%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Not 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
In state: $24,300

Out of state: $30,552
$29,140
Average net price $16,433 $11,666
Tuition
In state: $6,292

Out of state: $12,498
$9,238
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $5,436

Meal plan: $5,192
Room/dormitory: $6,240

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

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

85.0%
Average amount $7,441
94.0%
Average amount $13,937
Students receiving federal student loan 45.0%
Average amount $4,821
50.0%
Average amount $5,417
Students taking out private loans 5.0%
Average amount $9,368
5.0%
Average amount $9,533

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 4,427
Men 37.7% Women 62.3%
5,394
Men 43.5% Women 56.5%
Graduate students 1,848
Men 30.2% Women 69.8%
2,061
Men 42.9% Women 57.1%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Very Low
Low
Out-of-state students 9.9% 9.7%
International students 4.2% 8.8%
Campus local/setting Town: Distant Town: Remote
Dormitory capacity 2,072 3,083
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from Nebraska Colorado Kansas Iowa Wyoming Illinois Iowa Missouri Wisconsin Indiana

Academics

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

Outcome

Graduation rate 58.0% 50.9%
Dropout rate 11.4% 16.5%
Transferred out 28.0% 31.2%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,208
  • Year 2: $58,479
  • Year 3: $63,133
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $48,641
  • Year 3: $54,125
Special Education and Teaching (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $49,040
  • Year 2: $52,607
  • Year 3: $53,723
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $51,490
  • Year 2: $48,302
  • Year 3: $53,277
Biology, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $54,246
  • Year 2: $48,432
  • Year 3: $52,603
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $45,894
  • Year 2: $45,618
  • Year 3: $52,491
Fine and Studio Arts (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $53,665
  • Year 2: $48,432
  • Year 3: $51,898
Agricultural Business and Management (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $43,654
  • Year 2: $38,829
  • Year 3: $51,703
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $49,159
  • Year 2: $49,464
  • Year 3: $51,277
Curriculum and Instruction (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $48,157
  • Year 2: $45,500
  • Year 3: $49,659
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.
University of Nebraska at Kearney UNK vs Emporia State University Emporia State University
University of Nebraska at Kearney UNK vs Fort Hays State University Fort Hays State University
University of Nebraska at Kearney UNK vs Morehead State University Morehead State University
University of Nebraska at Kearney UNK vs Nicholls State University Nicholls State University
University of Nebraska at Kearney UNK vs University of Louisiana at Monroe University of Louisiana at Monroe
University of Nebraska at Kearney UNK vs Salem State University Salem State University
University of Nebraska at Kearney UNK vs Minnesota State University Moorhead Minnesota State University Moorhead
University of Nebraska at Kearney UNK vs Bryan College of Health Sciences Bryan College of Health Sciences
University of Nebraska at Kearney UNK vs Central Community College Central Community College
University of Nebraska at Kearney UNK vs Chadron State College Chadron State College
University of Nebraska at Kearney UNK vs Concordia University-Nebraska Concordia University-Nebraska
University of Nebraska at Kearney UNK vs Doane University Doane University
University of Nebraska at Kearney UNK vs Hastings College Hastings College
University of Nebraska at Kearney UNK vs Metropolitan Community College Area Metropolitan Community College Area
University of Nebraska at Kearney UNK vs Peru State College Peru State College
University of Nebraska at Kearney UNK vs Southeast Community College Area Southeast Community College Area
University of Nebraska at Kearney UNK vs Union College Union College
University of Nebraska at Kearney UNK vs Wayne State College Wayne State College
University of Nebraska at Kearney UNK vs Western Nebraska Community College Western Nebraska Community College
University of Nebraska at Kearney UNK vs York College York College
University of Nebraska at Kearney UNK vs SUNY College at Oswego SUNY College at Oswego
University of Nebraska at Kearney UNK vs Dickinson State University Dickinson State University
University of Nebraska at Kearney UNK vs University of Mary University of Mary
University of Nebraska at Kearney UNK vs Mayville State University Mayville State University
University of Nebraska at Kearney UNK vs Minot State University Minot State University
University of Nebraska at Kearney UNK vs North Dakota State College of Science North Dakota State College of Science
University of Nebraska at Kearney UNK vs Valley City State University Valley City State University
University of Nebraska at Kearney UNK vs Southwestern Oklahoma State University Southwestern Oklahoma State University
University of Nebraska at Kearney UNK vs Clarion University of Pennsylvania Clarion University of Pennsylvania
University of Nebraska at Kearney UNK vs Black Hills State University Black Hills State University
University of Nebraska at Kearney UNK vs Dakota State University Dakota State University
University of Nebraska at Kearney UNK vs Northern State University Northern State University
University of Nebraska at Kearney UNK vs South Dakota State University South Dakota State University
University of Nebraska at Kearney UNK vs University of South Dakota University of South Dakota
University of Nebraska at Kearney UNK vs Angelo State University Angelo State University
University of Nebraska at Kearney UNK vs University of Wisconsin-River Falls University of Wisconsin-River Falls
Western Illinois University WIU vs Central Connecticut State University Central Connecticut State University
Western Illinois University WIU vs University of West Georgia University of West Georgia
Western Illinois University WIU vs Eastern Illinois University Eastern Illinois University
Western Illinois University WIU vs Governors State University Governors State University
Western Illinois University WIU vs Illinois State University Illinois State University
Western Illinois University WIU vs Northern Illinois University Northern Illinois University
Western Illinois University WIU vs Northeastern Illinois University Northeastern Illinois University
Western Illinois University WIU vs Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville
Western Illinois University WIU vs Ball State University Ball State University
Western Illinois University WIU vs Indiana State University Indiana State University
Western Illinois University WIU vs Indiana University-Bloomington Indiana University-Bloomington
Western Illinois University WIU vs Eastern Kentucky University Eastern Kentucky University
Western Illinois University WIU vs Murray State University Murray State University
Western Illinois University WIU vs Eastern Michigan University Eastern Michigan University
Western Illinois University WIU vs Grand Valley State University Grand Valley State University
Western Illinois University WIU vs Michigan State University Michigan State University
Western Illinois University WIU vs Northern Michigan University Northern Michigan University
Western Illinois University WIU vs Saginaw Valley State University Saginaw Valley State University
Western Illinois University WIU vs Minnesota State University-Mankato Minnesota State University-Mankato
Western Illinois University WIU vs Saint Cloud State University Saint Cloud State University
Western Illinois University WIU vs Northwest Missouri State University Northwest Missouri State University
Western Illinois University WIU vs University of Nebraska at Kearney University of Nebraska at Kearney
Western Illinois University WIU vs SUNY Buffalo State SUNY Buffalo State
Western Illinois University WIU vs SUNY College at Oswego SUNY College at Oswego
Western Illinois University WIU vs Western Carolina University Western Carolina University
Western Illinois University WIU vs Sam Houston State University Sam Houston State University
Western Illinois University WIU vs University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
Western Illinois University WIU vs University of Wisconsin-Green Bay University of Wisconsin-Green Bay
Western Illinois University WIU vs University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
Western Illinois University WIU vs University of Wisconsin-Stout University of Wisconsin-Stout
Western Illinois University WIU vs University of Wisconsin-Superior University of Wisconsin-Superior
Western Illinois University WIU vs University of Wisconsin-Platteville University of Wisconsin-Platteville
Western Illinois University WIU vs University of Wisconsin-River Falls University of Wisconsin-River Falls
Western Illinois University WIU vs Florida Gulf Coast University Florida Gulf Coast University