More selective than 94% of Illinois colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $70,700. College Scorecard.
Higher than 87% of Illinois colleges we cover and 85% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 82% of Illinois colleges we cover and 86% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
IWU acceptance rate & admissions
Of 6,128 applicants, Illinois Wesleyan University admitted 2,768 and 441 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1120–1340 on the SAT or 25–30 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
IWU tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for students who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
What IWU costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of Illinois Wesleyan University took 4.1 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in Illinois. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $17,732 | $72,169 | 2.1 years |
| $30–48k | $19,057 | $77,562 | 2.2 years |
| $48–75k | $23,152 | $94,229 | 2.7 years |
| $75–110k | $27,396 | $111,502 | 3.2 years |
| $110k+ | $37,104 | $151,013 | 4.3 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.1 years, the average time graduates took (78% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($70,871) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IL (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $35,074 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.
IWU majors, earnings & careers
Illinois Wesleyan University offers 43 bachelor's majors across 8 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Humanities & Languages · 14
- Business & Finance · 8
- Science & Math · 7
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 5
- Arts & Design · 3
- Education · 3
- Health & Medicine · 2
- Technology & Computing · 1
Highest-earning majors at IWU
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Finance | $101,609 | $26,000 |
| Accounting | $97,022 | $27,000 |
| Nursing | $84,527 | $27,000 |
| Business Administration | $71,088 | $27,000 |
| Biology | $62,541 | $27,000 |
| Psychology | $57,839 | $27,000 |
| English | $51,107 | — |
| Theatre | $31,172 | $27,000 |
Quick list of all 43 majors
- Accounting$97,022
- Anthropology—
- Biochemistry—
- Biology$62,541
- Business—
- Business Administration$71,088
- Chemistry—
- Classical and Ancient Studies—
- Computer Science—
- Economics—
- Education—
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)—
- Education (Subject Teaching)—
- English$51,107
- Entrepreneurship—
- Environmental Science / Conservation—
- Ethnic / Gender Studies—
- Finance$101,609
- German—
- History—
- Interdisciplinary Studies—
- International / Global Studies—
- International Business—
- International Relations—
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science—
- Liberal Arts / General Studies—
- Literature—
- Marketing—
- Mathematics—
- Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other—
- Music—
- Neuroscience—
- Nursing$84,527
- Philosophy—
- Physics—
- Political Science—
- Psychology$57,839
- Religious Studies—
- Sociology—
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
- Studio Art—
- Theatre$31,172
- Writing—
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Business Administration → Management analyst
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 10.1% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Accounting → Accountant / auditor
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 5.0% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Bloomington
Overall prices in the Bloomington, IL area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $1,287. Housing costs 25% below the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 39 inches of rain a year, 7 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: winter weather (relatively high).
FEMA National Risk Index, McLean County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
McLean County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare IWU with similar schools
Similar private colleges in Illinois by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois Wesleyan University | 39% | $28,199 | 75% | $70,871 | This school |
| Principia College | 44% | — | 74% | — | |
| Lake Forest College | 57% | $28,673 | 78% | $61,825 | |
| Judson University | 48% | $18,558 | 60% | $56,313 | |
| Illinois Institute of Technology | 55% | $18,425 | 75% | $82,592 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Common questions about IWU
What is the IWU acceptance rate?
Illinois Wesleyan University accepts 39% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 2,768 of 6,128 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1120–1340 on the SAT or 25–30 on the ACT.
How much does Illinois Wesleyan University cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $70,700 a year. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $28,199 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $17,732 and families earning $110k+ pay $37,104.
How much do IWU graduates earn?
Former Illinois Wesleyan University students earn a median $70,871 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the IWU graduation rate?
75% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 80% return for their second year.
How long does a IWU degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at Illinois Wesleyan University costs about $94,229 after grants ($23,152 a year for 4.1 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $70,871 ten years after starting, $35,074 more than high school graduates in Illinois ($35,797), so the cost is repaid in 2.7 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
Is IWU the right fit for your family?
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Illinois Wesleyan University: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/illinois-wesleyan-university (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).