Bragging Points

Illinois Wesleyan stands out among the thousands of colleges and universities in the nation, compared on a wide range of factors by a growing number of publishers. See our rankings, or check out fast facts about the University.

Our students get involved locally, and our community of Bloomington-Normal (#BloNo) is continually ranked among the Best College Towns.

By the Numbers:

Graduation Rates

80% of students graduate within 8 years of entering this school for the first time* and on average, 93% of students who continue at IWU for four years graduate on time.
*Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)

Retention

From first to second year: 84% (over 20% higher than the national average)
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, National Center for Education Statistics

 

Job placement

IWU ranks #7 in the nation and ＃1 in Illinois on Zippia's 2023 list of The Best Colleges for Getting a Job, based on Department of Education College Scorecard data.

98.7% of Illinois Wesleyan graduates in the class of 2023 are employed or in graduate school within six months of graduation
Source: Hart Career Center survey according to guidelines from the National Association of Colleges and Employers

#1 Undergraduate Institution in Illinois in Job Placement
Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), Zippia (2019)

 

Salaries

10 years after attending: $70,871 (more than $30K higher than the national midpoint for all schools)
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard 2023

Starting salary after graduating: $57,162
Source: Hart Career Center data for Class of 2023

#1 Small School in Illinois for Highest Earning Graduates
Source: Zippia (reported by Thrillist), U.S. Dept. Of Education's College Scorecard (2018)

 

Transforming Students from Low Incomes to High Earners

Illinois Wesleyan is in the top 2.9% of colleges and universities in the nation for promoting social mobility (moving children from the bottom fifth of incomes as students to the top fifth of incomes as adults) — 62nd among all 2,137 colleges in the Chetty college mobility study, according to data on "Chance a poor student has to become a rich adult" published inThe New York Times

 

Average class size: 18

 

 

Student/faculty ratio: 11:1

 

 

Quality Faculty

96% of full-time faculty hold a Ph.D. or terminal degree in their field

As an undergraduate-only institution, all classes are taught by a faculty member (not graduate assistants)

 

Internships

 

72% of students participate in internships (>26% report completing multiple internships)
Source:  Hart Career Center data  

 

Diversity

31% of students self-identify as a student of color

30 countries represented in IWU student body

 

Student Athletes

160 Academic All Americans – a total that's No. 9 nationally in Division III and 25th in the nation among all colleges and universities, across all divisions.

 

Affordability

Over 95% of incoming students from all backgrounds qualify for scholarship or grant assistance

We're more affordable than you think! Learn more

 

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Not only is Illinois Wesleyan "... the model of the effective, responsive, well designed, thoroughly successful small liberal arts college/university, it is also an institution that hums with positive energy and which engenders deep feelings of attachment and loyalty among its students and graduates." — Peter Arango, author of America's Best Kept College Secrets