Regional university
Western Illinois University
Macomb, IL · Public · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $12,937 a year
Median debt at graduation: $25,251 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.45%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.61%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.Not reported
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.12 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$12,650
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
What families pay, by income
Average yearly price after grants and scholarships, for students who receive federal aid.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $28,254 a year.
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 5,025 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 41% · Women 59% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 38% |
| First-year students from another state IPEDS, fall 2023 | 8% |
| Total students | 7,073 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $12,937 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $28,254 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $25,251 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 45% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 53% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 54% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 59% |
| First-year retention | 61% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $54,163 |
| Admission rate | 71% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | $30 |
| Typical rent HUD fair market rent, FY2026 | About $728 a month for a one-bedroom |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 28% |
Value: Very good · Top 29% (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Computing and information science | |
| Nursing | |
| Construction Management | |
| Engineering Technologies/Technicians | |
| Accounting | |
| Human resources | |
| Business administration | |
| Finance | |
| Fire science | |
| Marketing | |
| Chemistry | |
| Criminal justice | |
| Agriculture | |
| Health administration | |
| Liberal arts | |
| Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services | |
| Social work | |
| Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences | |
| Kinesiology and exercise science | |
| Linguistics | |
| Secondary education | |
| Communication studies | |
| Political science | |
| Biology | |
| Graphic communications | |
| Sociology | |
| Allied health | |
| Other homeland security, law enforcement, firefighting and related protective services | |
| History | |
| Broadcasting | |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management | |
| Special education | |
| Psychology | |
| Teacher education | |
| English | |
| Music | |
| Fine arts |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Anthropology, Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology, Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education, Civil engineering, Clinical laboratory science, Economics, Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research, Electrical engineering, Engineering (general), Entrepreneurship, Ethnic and gender studies, Foods, Nutrition,, General studies, Geography, Geology and earth science, Hospitality management, Industrial technology, Information technology, Instructional design, Journalism, Management science, Managerial economics, Mathematics, Mechanical engineering, Networking, Other communication, journalism, and related programs, Other visual and performing arts, Philosophy, Physics, Public health, Religious studies, Romance languages, Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations, Speech-language pathology, Theatre.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Criminal justice and security | |
| Business | |
| Liberal arts and general studies | |
| Psychology | |
| Education |
Campus life
| Setting | Town |
|---|---|
| Part-time undergraduates | 15% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 16% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $11,320 |
| Sports | NCAA Division I · Ohio Valley Conference |
| ROTC | Army |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 12 to 1 |
| Undergraduates registered with the disability office | About 8%IPEDS, 2023–24 |
| Faculty who are full-time | 85%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $14,458IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 61% of studentsBeds per undergraduate; not who lives on campus |
| Nearest airport with airline service | General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport (PIA)About 54 miles away · about 1 hour 50 minutes by car |
| Nearest major airport | St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL)About 120 miles away |
| Town population | 14,894Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | St. LouisAbout 129 miles away · about 3 hours 20 minutes by car |
| Typical weather | 24°F in January · 75°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Prairie City 2 S, IL, about 14 miles away |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 0.08 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.00 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.47 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.08 | 0.15 |
Numbers reflect what each campus reported. They differ with campus size and how reporting is done, so compare with care. U.S. rate: total reported offenses divided by total students at every institution in the report.
Questions families ask
- What is Western Illinois University’s Compass Score?
- Solid (grade C+). The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does Western Illinois University cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $12,937 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How hard is it to get into Western Illinois University?
- Western Illinois University admitted 71% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Western Illinois University’s graduates do?
- 45% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $54,163; the median federal debt at graduation is $25,251.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 149772
- Carnegie classification: Master's university (larger programs)
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
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