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Illinois Wesleyan University

Name: Campus Tour
Start: 2026-04-17T14:00:00
Location: Illinois Wesleyan University

IWU

Bloomington, Illinois 61702-2900

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Campus Vibe

Business-focusedTight-knitUrbanGreek life

Strong graduate outcomes — known for business

Illinois Wesleyan University is a private institution in Bloomington with particular strength in business and health sciences. With an average SAT of 1242, the school attracts a broad applicant pool.

A small campus of 1.6K undergraduates with a 11:1 student-faculty ratio. The urban location puts students at the center of city life.

83% of students graduate within four years, and graduates earn a median of $70,871 a decade after enrollment. Net price after aid averages $29,550.

Established

1850

Motto

Scientia et Sapientia

Type

Private liberal arts college

Conference

College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW)

Division

Division III

Campus Visits

114 upcoming visits · Next: Mon, Apr 13 · Campus Tour

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45%Acceptance

1242SAT Avg

1,570Students

11:1Student:Faculty

83%Grad Rate

$70,871Earnings 10yr

$29,550Net Price

News & Alerts

program2026-03-15

Illinois Wesleyan University Launches New Data Science Minor

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tuition2026-02-28

Tuition Increase Announced for 2026-27

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Admissions

Acceptance Rate45.2%

SAT Score Ranges

Average: 1242

Reading & WritingMid: 625

570660

MathMid: 585

570670

ACT Score Range

CompositeMid: 27

2429

Admissions Intel

Acceptance Rate

45.2%

Trend

SAT Avg

1242

Yield Rate

35.0%

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Cost & Financial Aid

Sticker Price

Tuition$55,704

Room & Board$12,930

Books & Supplies$800

Total Cost of Attendance$68,399

Average Net Price$29,550

Median Debt at Graduation$27,000

Monthly Payment (10yr)$286

Net Price by Family Income

$0–30K$21,011

$30–48K$24,494

$48–75K$24,284

$75–110K$28,757

$110K+$35,699

Financial Intel

Avg Net Price

$29,550

Tuition Trend

Graduate w/ Zero Debt

3700.0%

Avg Tuition Increase

3.2%/yr

Median Debt at Grad

$23,221

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Campus Safety

Total Incidents (2024)

Peer Average

3-Year Trend

Emergency System

Campus security, emergency notification system

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Programs (45)

Student Life

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Student Body

Undergrads

1,570

Gender Split

48% / 52%

Women / Men

First Generation

18%

Pell Grant Recipients

23%

Race & Ethnicity

White 66%

Black 8%

Hispanic 10%

Asian 6%

Two+ 2%

Int'l 6%

Outcomes

4-Year Graduation Rate82.5%

Freshman Retention84.5%

Median Earnings After Graduation

6 Years$56,082

8 Years$64,974

10 Years$70,871

10-Year Earnings by Gender

Women

$61,500

Men

$74,600

Rankings

U.S. News

#45

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Forbes

#52

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Niche

#38

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More About This School

Varsity Sports

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History & Fun Facts

•History The institution was founded in 1850 as a private four-year college in Bloomington, Illinois.
•The university's first international students, Y.
•Tanaka, arrived from Japan in 1889.
•Illinois Wesleyan's College of Liberal Arts was formally organized in 1906, and the College of Fine Arts – combining schools of art, music, and theatre arts – was established in 1948.
•Illinois Wesleyan offered nursing study in conjunction with the Brokaw School of Nursing beginning in 1923, and in 1959 established the IWU School of Nursing with a four-year baccalaureate program.

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Source: Wikipedia

Location & Lifestyle

Cost of Living

105Above Average

Estimated from IL state average + city premium

Climate (School Year)

Snowfall: 30"Sunny days: 200Rainy days: 125

Nearest Cities

Chicagopop. 2.7M

119 mi(206 min)

St. Louispop. 290K

144 mi(250 min)

Indianapolispop. 880K

158 mi(274 min)

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Getting There

Nearest Airports

ORD Chicago O'Hare117 mi

STL St Louis141 mi

IND Indianapolis152 mi

Distance to Cities

Boston, MA936 mi · ~27h 2m drive

New York, NY785 mi · ~22h 41m drive

Hartford, CT853 mi · ~24h 39m drive

Providence, RI918 mi · ~26h 31m drive

Albany, NY800 mi · ~23h 7m drive

Syracuse, NY684 mi · ~19h 46m drive

Rochester, NY614 mi · ~17h 44m drive

Buffalo, NY547 mi · ~15h 48m drive

Philadelphia, PA730 mi · ~21h 5m drive

Pittsburgh, PA473 mi · ~13h 40m drive

Harrisburg, PA637 mi · ~18h 24m drive

Newark, NJ777 mi · ~22h 27m drive

Washington, DC644 mi · ~18h 36m drive

Baltimore, MD661 mi · ~19h 6m drive

Atlanta, GA530 mi · ~15h 19m drive

Charlotte, NC574 mi · ~16h 35m drive

Raleigh, NC649 mi · ~18h 45m drive

Miami, FL1136 mi · ~32h 49m drive

Orlando, FL932 mi · ~26h 55m drive

Tampa, FL943 mi · ~27h 15m drive

Nashville, TN322 mi · ~9h 18m drive

New Orleans, LA731 mi · ~21h 7m drive

Richmond, VA652 mi · ~18h 50m drive

Chicago, IL119 mi · ~3h 26m drive

Detroit, MI333 mi · ~9h 37m drive

Minneapolis, MN378 mi · ~10h 55m drive

St. Louis, MO144 mi · ~4h 10m drive

Kansas City, MO312 mi · ~9h 1m drive

Indianapolis, IN158 mi · ~4h 34m drive

Columbus, OH318 mi · ~9h 11m drive

Cleveland, OH387 mi · ~11h 11m drive

Milwaukee, WI185 mi · ~5h 21m drive

Dallas, TX686 mi · ~19h 49m drive

Houston, TX824 mi · ~23h 48m drive

Austin, TX860 mi · ~24h 51m drive

San Antonio, TX934 mi · ~26h 59m drive

Los Angeles, CA1660 mi · ~47h 57m drive

San Francisco, CA1791 mi · ~51h 44m drive

San Diego, CA1644 mi · ~47h 30m drive

Seattle, WA1712 mi · ~49h 27m drive

Portland, OR1724 mi · ~49h 48m drive

Denver, CO846 mi · ~24h 26m drive

Phoenix, AZ1359 mi · ~39h 16m drive

Salt Lake City, UT1198 mi · ~34h 37m drive

Honolulu, HI4185 mi · ~120h 54m drive

Mid-Atlantic / Central (moderate winters, warm summers)

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Visit Planning

Suggested Itinerary

9:00 AMArrive & park

Visitor parking lot

Free parking with visitor pass

9:30 AMCheck in at Admissions

Admissions Office

10:00 AMInformation session

Welcome Center

45 minutes

11:00 AMCampus tour

Starts at Welcome Center

75 minutes, student-led

12:30 PMLunch

Main Dining Hall

Visitor meal passes available

1:30 PMDepartment visit

Academic buildings

Schedule with department directly

2:30 PMExplore campus independently

Library, student center, residence halls

Nearby Hotels

Mid-Range

Budget

Airport Transit

Chicago O'Hare (ORD)117 miles

Rental car

176 min$40-60/day

Shuttle/rideshare

234 min$140-234

St Louis (STL)141 miles

Rental car

212 min$40-60/day

Shuttle/rideshare

282 min$169-282

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Schools Like This

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Deadline Calendar

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Illinois Wesleyan University Application Checklist

0/9 items complete

Common Application or Coalition Application

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Official High School Transcript

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School Report + Counselor Recommendation

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Two Teacher Recommendations

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SAT or ACT Scores (test-optional)Optional

Check current test policy

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Illinois Wesleyan University Supplemental EssaysNon-standard

1-3 supplemental essays required

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CSS Profile / FAFSA

Required for financial aid consideration

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Arts Portfolio (if applicable)Non-standardOptional

Required for arts programs

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Interview (recommended)Optional

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Decision Notifications

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SAT Range	Avg Award	Note
1400-1600	$25,000	Academic merit scholarship
1200-1399	$15,000	Dean's scholarship
1000-1199	$8,000	Achievement award