Quad

Illinois Wesleyan University

Bloomington, ILQuad's selectivityVery selective
Known forAdmits women at a higher rateGenerous aidPell students graduate at the same rateTest-optional heavy

Admissions · Fall 2024

1 in 3 applicants admitted

Illinois Wesleyan admits about 1 in 3 applicants (39%). That puts it in the "Very selective" tier, more selective than 90% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.

39%

39%

acceptance rateQuad's selectivityVery selective

Applied

9,558

Admitted

3,757

Yield

12%

of admits enroll

Avg. GPA

3.80

SAT middle 50%

1120–1340

10001600
ACT middle 50%

25–30

1836
Applications +179% since fall 2014 · admit rate 60% → 39%Over time

Getting in, in detail: funnel, what they look at, your scores

Students

Who's on campus

A small campus of 1,582 undergrads, where 26% receive Pell Grants, a low share compared to other colleges.

1.6K

undergrads · larger than 51% of colleges

Diversity index

0.56

Pell Grant

26%

below the median

First generation

18%

below the median

Small cityNCAA D-III · College Conference of Illinois and WisconsinROTCStudy abroad
More diverse · index 0.48 → 0.56 since fall 2014Over time

Students and campus life in detail

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Business/Commerce, General (12% of graduates). 12 students for every faculty member, fewer than at 59% of colleges. 56% of faculty are full-time. Spends $19,373 a year on instruction per student.

12 to 1

students per faculty member · fewer than at 59% of colleges

Most popular major

Business/Commerce, General

12% of 2024–25 graduates

Top-earning major

Finance and Financial Management Services

$101.6K four years after completion

Full-time faculty

56%

of faculty

Instruction spending

$19.4K

per student a year

All majors with search, earnings by major, and faculty

Cost & aid · 2023–24

What it costs

In 2023–24, the average first-year paid an estimated $28,953 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), $4.7K more than the national median. The 100% who received grants paid $28,644 on average; the other 0% paid the full sticker price of $71,134.

59%

$29K

average total cost per year, all first-years, after grants (est.) · $4.7K above the national median

$0$110K$400K+
Full price
$71,134 a year
tuition, housing, food, books, and other costs
Need-based aid
Published data end at $110K
use the college's net price calculator for higher incomes
Merit aid
29% · avg $41K
of first-years got a grant without federal aid (a proxy: at most colleges that's merit aid)
Aid generosity

Very generous

grants cover 59% of full price

Federal loans

63%

of undergrads · national median 45%

Your price

Net price calculator

the college's own

Cost falling · −22% after inflation since 2013–14Over time

Prices, who gets aid, and borrowing in detail

Outcomes

What it pays

Former students earn a median $70,871 ten years after enrolling, more than at 84% of colleges; 82% graduate within six years. Four years of net price is about 1.6 years of that salary.

82%

82%

graduate within six years · national median 59%

Median earnings

$70.9K

10 years after entry

Median debt

$27K

≈ $286/month for 10 years

Retention

80%

come back for year two

Graduation rate 81% → 75% since the class that entered fall 2008Over time

Earnings, finishing, 8-year outcomes, by group

Over time · since 2013–14

How it's changed

Since 2013–14, the full price rose 7% after inflation, while what the average first-year paid fell 22%, because grants grew faster. Applications rose 179% since fall 2014, and the acceptance rate went from 60% to 39%.

  • Cost

    Falling

    −21% after inflation

  • Applications

    Growing

    +179%

  • Selectivity

    More selective

    admit rate 60% → 39%

  • Diversity

    More diverse

    index 0.48 → 0.56

Every series, year by year

Keep exploring

Schools like this one

University of Dallas

53% admit · SAT 1263 · 1.4K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar scoresSimilar size
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Southwestern University

43% admit · SAT 1215 · 1.4K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar scoresSimilar size
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Union University

60% admit · SAT 1275 · 1.6K undergrads

Similar sizeAlso private
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Hendrix College

56% admit · SAT 1236 · 1.1K undergrads

Similar scoresAlso private
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Sources for this overviewEvery dataset and year behind the numbers on this profile; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Sources for this profile

  1. 1
    IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  2. 2
    College Scorecard

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release; Entered fall 2023; Fall 2024; 2023–24; Fall 2023 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  3. 3
    IPEDS Admissions survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  4. 4
    Illinois Wesleyan University Common Data Set 2023–24

    Illinois Wesleyan University · Fall 2023; Fall 2025 applicants; 2023–24 (estimated); 2023–24; Fall 2024 cycle; Fall 2024 entrants; Class of 2023 · retrieved 2026-10-11

  5. 5
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  6. 6
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  7. 7
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  8. 8
    IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2024–25 graduates · retrieved 2026-10-12

  9. 9
    College Scorecard Field of Study data

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  10. 10
    IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  11. 11
    IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  12. 12
    Common Data Set

    Each college (voluntary, standardized template) · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  13. 13
    IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Entered fall 2018 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  14. 14
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part C, residence of first-time students)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  15. 15
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part A, enrollment by level)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  16. 16
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (distance education)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  17. 17
    Illinois Wesleyan University Common Data Set 2022–23

    Illinois Wesleyan University · 2022–23 · retrieved 2026-10-10

  18. 18
    IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  19. 19
    IPEDS Outcome Measures survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Students entering fall 2016 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  20. 20
    Illinois Wesleyan University (2026)

    Illinois Wesleyan University · 2026 · retrieved 2026-10-04

IPEDS unit ID 145646 · Data retrieved 2026-10-12. Tap any ⓘ to see where that number came from and what year it describes. National ranks and medians include every 4-year college that reports the measure. How we source and calculate everything