Western Illinois University — College Profile

About

Western Illinois University (WIU) in Macomb is best known for delivering a supportive, hands-on education, uniquely represented by its proud "Leathernecks" athletic identity—the only mascot officially licensed by the U.S. Marine Corps. Academic excellence here is anchored by its nationally recognized School of Law Enforcement and Justice Administration, as well as highly regarded programs in agriculture, teacher education, and nursing. On campus, students experience a tight-knit, welcoming community featuring over 200 student organizations, active Division I sports, and a classic midwestern college-town atmosphere. Setting WIU further apart is its signature Cost Guarantee, which locks in tuition, fees, and housing rates for four consecutive years to ensure a highly affordable and predictable financial path to graduation.

Wikipedia:Western Illinois University (WIU) is a public university in Macomb, Illinois, United States. It was founded in 1899 as Western Illinois State Normal School. As the normal school grew, it became Western Illinois State Teachers College. Once Western Illinois started offering graduate degrees, it again changed its name to Western Illinois State College. Western Illinois has an additional campus in Moline.

Location

Macomb, IL, 61455 · Town campus

✈

Nearest airport from college

STL · St. Louis

120 mi away

Open in Google Maps

Cost & aid

Cost of attendance

These figures are federal data and may be out of date.

In-stateOut-of-state

Tuition & fees$15,264$15,264

Housing & food (on campus)$11,320$11,320

Books & supplies$1,200$1,200

Cost of attendance$26,181$28,254 est.

Average net price$12,937Not published

Out-of-state prices

Tuition & fees$15,264

Housing & food (on campus)$11,320

Books & supplies$1,200

Cost of attendance$28,254 est.

In-state: $26,181

Average net priceNot published

In-state: $12,937

est. = the in-state cost of attendance with out-of-state tuition swapped in; no out-of-state figure is published.

Source: U.S. College Scorecard · published total: www.wiu.edu

How it’s made up · in-state, 2026-27

Western Illinois University’s own figures for 2026-27, newer than the 2024-25 federal figures above, so the amounts differ.

Tuition$10,503

Fees$3,047

Housing$12,361

Total published by the school$26,181

Source: www.wiu.edu · checked Sep 29, 2026

Net price by family income · in-state students, 2023-24

$0–30k

$6,941

$30–48k

$8,787

$48–75k

$12,062

$75–110k

$16,294

$110k+

$19,701

Your family's actual price → Western Illinois University net price calculator

Source: U.S. College Scorecard

Outcomes

Completion

Within 6 yrs

45%

Entered 2017–18

Within 4 yrs

31%

Back for yr 2

61%

Transferred

31%

8 yrs after starting · first-time, full-time students

49% graduated · 32% transferred · 18% left or unknown · none still enrolled

Earnings · measured 2020 & 2021

6 yrs after entry$43,057

10 yrs after entry$54,163

Debt

Median at graduation$25,251

Monthly payment$268

Middle 50% owe$8.8k–$28.5k

90th percentile$40,000

Admissions

Getting in · applied for fall 2024

Admit rate

71%

Test policy

Not required

Per College Scorecard

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Essay prompts

If Western Illinois University asks for supplemental essays, the prompts are in the Common App.

The personal essay is separate: see the Common App essay prompts.

Student Body

Gender

Men 41%Women 59%

Who enrolls

Faculty ratio

12 : 1

Pell grant

28%

First-gen

38%

Family income

$36,222

Independent

17%

Veterans

Age at entry

21.0

Part-time

15%

Race & ethnicity

White

58%

Hispanic

12%

Black

19%

Asian

Two or more

Non-resident

Unknown

Varsity sports

NCAA Division I-FCS · EADA 2024-25

Baseball
Men's
Basketball
Men's · Women's
Football
Men's
Golf
Men's · Women's
Soccer
Men's · Women's
Softball
Women's
Tennis
Women's
Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
Men's · Women's
Volleyball
Women's

Programs & Earnings

Bachelor's degrees by annual completions · 4yr national median earnings

Median earnings, all programs · measured 2020 & 2021

After 6 yrs

$43,057

After 10 yrs

$54,163

Criminal Justice and Corrections197

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities120

Agriculture, General79

Psychology, General58

Business Administration, Management and Operations48

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods45

Biology, General42

Communication and Media Studies37

Social Work31

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing29

Accounting and Related Services27

Computer and Information Sciences, General26

Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness25

Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management23

Marketing20

Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other19

Type your major above to highlight and detail relevant programs.

Institutional

Resources

Endowment

$97M

Full-time faculty

85%

Faculty salary

$10,238/mo

Teaching spend

$12,650

per student

Federal loans

32%

Classification

Carnegie type

Master's (larger programs)

Research activity

Research college or university

$4M research spending · 12 research doctorates a year

Undergraduate profile