Comparison tool
Rankings across 8 publishers plus admissions, cost, debt and outcome data for Western Illinois University, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Kansas State University. Every figure is sourced and dated.
| Metric | Western IllinoisMacomb, IL | Nebraska-LincolnLincoln, NE | Kansas StateManhattan, KS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 71.2% | 87.5% | 81.7% |
| SAT middle 50% | Not reportedWestern Illinois University reports that it neither requires nor recommends admissions test scores, and does not report a score range to the Department of Education. | 1098–1330 | 1060–1260 |
| Average net price | $12,93728.1% on Pell grants | $17,74722.8% on Pell grants | $19,40620.7% on Pell grants |
| Published tuition & fees | $15,264 in-state · $15,264 outMost recent reported academic year, College Scorecard June 2026 release | $10,434 in-state · $28,584 outMost recent reported academic year, College Scorecard June 2026 release | $11,221 in-state · $28,568 outMost recent reported academic year, College Scorecard June 2026 release |
| 6-year graduation rate | 45.2% | 67.0% | 71.1% |
| First-year retention | 61.4% | 86.0% | 85.6% |
| Undergraduates on Pell grants | 28.1% | 22.8% | 20.7% |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $54,163 | $56,887 | $57,262 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $25,251 | $21,000 | $21,250 |
| Student-faculty ratio | 14:1 | 16:1 | 18:1 |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 4,410 | 19,178 | 15,142 |
| Consensus percentile | 40Lower is better | 40Lower is better | 41Lower is better |
| Methodology sensitivity | 19 ptsHow far published lists disagree, in percentile points | 61 ptsHow far published lists disagree, in percentile points | 62 ptsHow far published lists disagree, in percentile points |
Highlighted cells mark the most favourable value in that row where a direction is meaningful. No highlight appears for metrics like enrollment or SAT range, where “better” depends entirely on what you want.
“Not ranked by this source” means that publisher’s list does not include the school — not missing data and not a poor rank.
| Source | Western Illinois | Nebraska-Lincoln | Kansas State |
|---|---|---|---|
| US News | #57 of 165Regional univ. (Midwest)Regional Universities (Midwest) · 2026 | #158 of 436National universitiesNational Universities · 2026 | #158 of 436National universitiesNational Universities · 2026 |
| Forbes | Not ranked by this source | #220 of 500Top colleges (Forbes)America's Top Colleges · 2026 | #213 of 500Top colleges (Forbes)America's Top Colleges · 2026 |
| Washington Monthly | #561 of 1,504Tuition & tax value (WM)Best Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars · 2026 | #534 of 1,504Tuition & tax value (WM)Best Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars · 2026 | #536 of 1,504Tuition & tax value (WM)Best Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars · 2026 |
| WSJ | #269 of 500U.S. colleges (WSJ)Best Colleges in the U.S. · 2026 | #344 of 500U.S. colleges (WSJ)Best Colleges in the U.S. · 2026 | #330 of 500U.S. colleges (WSJ)Best Colleges in the U.S. · 2026 |
| Niche | #920 of 2,605Overall (Niche)Best Colleges (Overall) · 2026 | #193 of 2,605Overall (Niche)Best Colleges (Overall) · 2026 | #107 of 2,605Overall (Niche)Best Colleges (Overall) · 2026 |
| Money | Not ranked by this source | Listed | Listed |
| Princeton Review | Not ranked by this source | Listed | Listed |
| QS | Not ranked by this source | #723 of 1,504World (QS)World University Rankings · 2026 | #917 of 1,504World (QS)World University Rankings · 2026 |
Students comparing Western Illinois University on federal cost, completion, and earnings data who will layer in fit, location, and program strength separately.
This school may not appear on every publisher list we track; an empty rankings table means no tracked publisher ranked it, not missing federal data.
Full profileStudents comparing University of Nebraska-Lincoln on federal cost, completion, and earnings data who will layer in fit, location, and program strength separately.
This school may not appear on every publisher list we track; an empty rankings table means no tracked publisher ranked it, not missing federal data.
Full profileStudents comparing Kansas State University on federal cost, completion, and earnings data who will layer in fit, location, and program strength separately.
This school may not appear on every publisher list we track; an empty rankings table means no tracked publisher ranked it, not missing federal data.
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