Western Illinois University – Accountability*
Macomb, IL • Phone: 309/298-1414 • Text Phone: 309/298-4444 • www.wiu.edu
*In voluntary compliance with U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings' Commission on the Future of Higher Education
Western Illinois University is: One of the "Best in the Midwest" colleges; one of "America's Best Value" undergraduate institutions (Princeton Review); and a Tier 1 Midwestern Masters Institution (U.S. News & World Report).
Western Illinois serves approximately 13,300 students in the heart of the Midwest through our traditional, residential four-year campus in Macomb (pop. 20,000) and our upper-division urban commuter site in the Quad Cities/Moline (QC pop. 376,000; Moline pop. 44,000).
Our Macomb campus, which celebrated its Centennial anniversary in 1999-2000, is home to more than 11,200 of our 13,300 students. While 90 percent of Western's students are from Illinois – including 44 percent of Macomb campus students (10,421) from the Chicago suburbs (Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, Will) – the University also serves students from 43 states and 57 countries.
Take a closer look below at the analysis of our students and University.
Information represents Western Illinois University in total - Macomb and Quad Cities campuses and extension data.
- Student information includes admissions numbers, enrollment, gender and student background, retention, undergraduate success rate, most popular majors and degrees awarded.
- Financial information includes tuition/fees/room/board and financial aid/scholarships.
- Classroom environment and faculty information is available as well as campus life information, including student housing and campus safety.
View student, financial, classroom and faculty information for our WIU-Quad Cities campus.
About Our Students
Admissions (Fall 2007)
Text description of "Admissions" graph.
Academic Preparation of New Freshman
| 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile | |
|---|---|---|
| ACT Composite | 19 | 23 |
| ACT Math | 17 | 23 |
| ACT Reading | 18 | 23 |
% in top 25% of HS Graduating Class: 22%
% in top 50% of HS Graduating Class: 57%
Average High School GPA: 3.03
Enrollment (Fall 2007)
Total Western Illinois University Enrollment: 13,331
Text description of "Enrollment" graph.
Gender Distribution
- Female: 6518 (49%)
- Male: 6813 (51%)
Retention
72% of new freshmen who started in the Fall 2006 semester were still enrolled in the Fall 2007 semester.
Student Background (Fall 2007)
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Undergraduate Success Rates
Text description of "Undergraduate Success Rates" graph.
The Undergraduate Success Rates graph shows the percentage of freshmen and transfer students starting in Fall 2000 who completed their degrees within four and six years.
Classroom Environment (Fall 2007)
- Students per faculty: 16/1
- Percent of class sections with more than 50 students: 5%
- Percent of class sections with more than 100 students: 1%
About Our Graduates
Degrees Awarded in 2006-2007
| Bachelor's Degrees | 2,455 |
|---|---|
| Master's Degrees & Specialist | 625 |
| Doctoral Degrees | 0 |
| Total Degrees Awarded | 3,080 |
Most Popular Undergraduate Majors (Fall 2007)
| Law Enforcement & Justice Administration | 14% |
|---|---|
| Elementary Education | 7% |
| Biology | 5% |
| Board of Trustees Bachelor of Arts | 4% |
| Kinesiology | 4% |
View a full list of all our undergraduate programs of study.
About Our Faculty (Fall 2007)
- Total instructors: 749
- Percent of faculty who are women: 43%
- Percent of faculty who are people of color: 11%
- Percent of full-time faculty with a Ph.D. or equivalent: 71%
Costs of Attendance
Undergraduate Cost (New Student: 2007-2008)
- In-State Tuition: $5,895
- Room & Board: $6,898
- Fees/Health Insurance: $2,184
- Total: $14,977
The numbers above reflect one year (Fall 2007-Spring 2008) cost for tuition/fees/room/board for a new undergraduate in-state student enrolled in 15 credit hours each semester. This base price, not including books and other incidentals, is locked in for students who maintain four continuous years of enrollment through Western's Cost Guarantee program. To determine your specific base rate, visit the Tuition and Fees web page.
Financial Aid
Fall 2007 Fulltime Undergraduates:
- 77% received financial aid; $8,700 yearly average
- 38% received need-based scholarships or grants; $6,800 yearly average
- 61% received loans; $5,580 yearly average
Type of Financial Aid Received by Fall 2007 New Freshman
Text description of "Type of Financial Aid Received by Fall 2007 New Freshman" graph.
Scholarships
During the 2006-2007 school year, the WIU Foundation Scholarship Program awarded $2.5 million in support to students through the University Scholarship Office.
About Campus Life
Student Housing
95% of new freshman live on campus
47% of all undergraduates live on campus
Western offers 10 residence halls on campus with a variety of room options from super singles to suites to double occupancy. There also is an International House, which houses 30 students, adjacent to campus. Read more about University Housing and Dining Services.
Campus Safety
Western Illinois University's commitment to the safety and well-being of its students and its campus communities extends beyond locks, keys and police. Students, faculty, staff members and administrators are expected to act in a civically responsible manner; to look out for one another; and, when needed, to report crimes. We work together to keep our University safe.
Office of Public Safety (OPS)
- 24/7, 365 days of the year; staffed with fully-commissioned law enforcement officers
- Emergency call box system with 51 blue light boxes strategically placed throughout the Macomb campus; direct communication to the public safety dispatcher
- Emergency medical services with qualified emergency medical technicians on staff
- Educational/ training programs to students/organizations
- Team police officer assigned to each area on campus
- Dusk-to-dawn safety escorts on campus
University Housing
- Security cameras at entrances and inside all residence halls
- Keyed access to halls and floors after midnight
- 24-hour information desk and hall monitoring
National Survey of Student Engagement – 2007 Data
Western Illinois University uses the National Survey of Student Engagement each year to measure the satisfaction of students and to measure progress in meeting five nationally recognized effective educational practices. Many institutions report only senior results. WIU, however, is committed to sharing results from both freshmen and seniors.
Student Satisfaction
| WIU-Macomb | WIU-QC | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Frosh | Senior | Senior | |
| Students would attend WIU again if they started over | 82% | 82% | 90% |
| WIU students rate their educational experience as good or excellent | 82% | 88% | 90% |
| WIU students say that other students are friendly or supportive | 73% | 87% | 88% |
Active Learning Experiences
| WIU-Macomb | WIU-QC | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Frosh | Senior | Senior | |
| Students at WIU participated in community service or volunteer work | 33% | 59% | 33% |
| Students at WIU made at least one class presentation last year | 74% | 98% | 95% |
| Students at WIU worked on a research project with a faculty member | 6% | 17% | 9% |
Collaborative Learning Experiences
| WIU-Macomb | WIU-QC | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Frosh | Senior | Senior | |
| WIU students worked with classmates on a group project | 88% | 93% | 86% |
| WIU students participated in a learning community where groups of students take two or more classes together | 5% | 20% | 15% |
Institutional Commitment for Student Learning and Success
| WIU-Macomb | WIU-QC | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Frosh | Senior | Senior | |
| Students believe WIU provides "quite a bit" of support for student success | 68% | 69% | 88% |
| Students rate the quality of academic advising at WIU as good or excellent | 76% | 74% | 81% |
| Students report that WIU provides help in coping with work, family, and other responsibilities | 76% | 67% | 59% |
Student Interaction with Campus Faculty and Staff
| WIU-Macomb | WIU-QC | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Frosh | Senior | Senior | |
| Students believe that the campus offices are helpful | 53% | 64% | 58% |
| Students report that faculty members provide prompt feedback on their academic performance | 89% | 98% | 97% |
| WIU students often discuss readings or ideas with faculty members outside of class | 55% | 75% | 75% |
Experiences with Diverse Groups of People and Ideas
| WIU-Macomb | WIU-QC | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Frosh | Senior | Senior | |
| WIU students report that they often try to understand someone else's point of view | 50% | 55% | 59% |
| Students believe they have a better understanding of people of other racial and ethnic backgrounds | 87% | 82% | 68% |
| WIU students often have serious conversations with students of a different race or ethnicity | 33% | 45% | 39% |
