by our College Data Analytics TeamThis guide covers the real cost of attending Western Illinois University, spanning what it costs to attend, projected costs over a degree, net price, debt outcomes, and aid equity.
Want a specific number? Skip ahead to any section using the links below:
The total published cost of attendance at Western Illinois University is about $27,828.00 for a single academic year.
The three scenarios below move from the full sticker price, to the net price after average aid, to the net price low-income students typically pay.
| Tuition and fees | $15,264.00 |
| + Room, board & other expenses | $12,564.00 |
| Total cost | $27,828.00 |
| That is 45% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $27,828.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$15,317.00 |
| Net price | $12,511.00 |
| That is 35% below the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $27,828.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$21,313.00 |
| Net price | $6,515.00 |
| That is 66% below the national average net price. | |
| Want the line-by-line detail? Dig into tuition and fees plus room and board. |
Published costs have climbed year over year at about 3.8% per year; the projections below compound that across a degree. These tables carry the cost across a degree for three cases: low-income w/ aid, average aid, and no aid. The repayment figures use a ten-year loan at 6.8%.
| Projected 4-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 3.8% | 3.8% | 3.8% |
| Freshman year | $6,760.00 | $12,981.00 | $28,873.00 |
| Senior year | $7,550.00 | $14,499.00 | $32,251.00 |
| Total 4-year net price | $28,601.00 | $54,923.00 | $122,165.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $10,896.00 | $20,924.00 | $46,540.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $329.00 | $632.00 | $1,406.00 |
| Total amount paid | $39,497.00 | $75,847.00 | $168,705.00 |
| Projected 2-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 3.8% | 3.8% | 3.8% |
| Freshman year | $6,760.00 | $12,981.00 | $28,873.00 |
| Senior year | $7,014.00 | $13,469.00 | $29,958.00 |
| Total 2-year net price | $13,773.00 | $26,449.00 | $58,831.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $5,247.00 | $10,076.00 | $22,413.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $159.00 | $304.00 | $677.00 |
| Total amount paid | $19,020.00 | $36,526.00 | $81,244.00 |
Jump to the net-price detail in the Net Price section.
The net price figure shows the cost after grants and scholarships are deducted. For most families it is a more realistic figure than the published cost.
| Average net price (on-campus) | $12,937.00 |
| Average net price (off-campus) | $11,592.00 |
Net price varies sharply by family income, dropping as need-based aid grows. The table below shows the average net price by family-income bracket:
| Family income | Average net price |
|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $6,968.00 |
| $30,000 to $48,000 | $7,391.00 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $11,608.00 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $16,515.00 |
| Over $110,000 | $17,621.00 |
Estimate your specific net price using the school’s Western Illinois University Net Price Calculator, or contact the financial aid office.
Curious how grants and scholarships are distributed? Explore the financial aid page.
The typical debt load for borrowers leaving Western Illinois University works out to $19,762.00, which federal data classifies as a Low ($10-20k) burden category.
Here’s how debt at graduation distributes across borrowers:
| Percentile | Debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| 10th | $4,750.00 |
| 25th | $8,785.00 |
| Median (50th) | $19,762.00 |
| 75th | $28,500.00 |
| 90th | $40,000.00 |
How far apart the 10th and 90th percentiles sit tells you how uneven debt outcomes are.
Explore borrowing, repayment, and default in detail on the student loan debt page.
Debt outcomes vary substantially with family income. The breakdown below segments borrowers by family income at entry:
| Family income | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| Low income | $23,496.00 |
| Middle income | $20,350.00 |
| High income | $17,500.00 |
Low-income borrowers graduate with $5,996.00 in extra median debt compared with high-income peers.
First-generation students frequently graduate with different debt than continuing-generation students.
| Student group | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $20,500.00 |
| Continuing-generation students | $18,054.00 |
First-generation borrowers from Western Illinois University leave with $2,446.00 in additional median debt versus continuing-generation peers.
The Pell Grant is the main federal need-based award for undergraduates. Contrasting Pell and non-Pell borrowers shows how need shapes debt.
The median debt gap between Pell and non-Pell graduates of Western Illinois University stands at $7,811.00. This institution is flagged by federal data for Pell-debt inequity.
The federal default-rate classification for Western Illinois University is Low (<5%).
| Window | Cohort default rate |
|---|---|
| 2-year | 5.1% |
For context on the loan portfolio, Stafford disbursements at Western Illinois University come to $828,580,732.00 across 39,358 student borrowers.
Veterans and active-duty service members may qualify for substantial federal education benefits including the GI Bill and Department of Defense tuition support.
| GI Bill recipients | 106 |
| Avg GI Bill amount | $5,939.00 |
| DoD Tuition Assistance recipients | 30 |
| Avg DoD Tuition Assistance | $1,286.00 |
Explore GI Bill and military aid in detail on the veterans benefits detail.
The data above is a foundation; round it out by asking yourself about Western Illinois University, the questions below are worth your time:
Explore the related pages below for a deeper look at the cost picture:
Data sources. Figures on this page draw from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), and MediaFactual editorial review. Net-price calculator and financial-aid office links are taken from the institution’s own published data.