Western Illinois University is a public university with a main campus in Macomb, Illinois, U.S. It was ranked 57th by US News among the top universities across the Midwest in 2025. The university offers 64 undergraduate degree programs, 38 graduate programs, 2 doctoral programs, and 9 pre-professional degree programs across three intakes: spring, summer, and fall. Some popular programs include M.B.A., M.S. in Computer Science, M.S. in Engineering Technology, M.S. in Instructional Design and Technology, and M.S. in Chemistry. WIU has an acceptance rate of 75%. The selection at Western Illinois University is determined by multiple factors, including the English language skills for non-native speakers. A TOEFL score of at least 73 and an IELTS score of a minimum 6.0 are accepted by the university for admission to both undergraduate and graduate programs. Besides, the academic eligibility criterion is scoring a GPA of 2.75 or above for both undergraduate and graduate programs at WIU. Recruiters such as Google, Disney, KPMG, Walmart Corporate, Deloitte, and the FBI form part of the recruitment process at Western Illinois University United States.
Table of Contents
Given below are the highlights for Western Illinois University United States.
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Establishment Year | 1899 |
| Location | Macomb, Illinois, United States |
| Type of University | Public |
| Ranking US News 2025 | #57 (Regional Universities, Mid-West) |
| Acceptance Rate | 75% |
| Intakes | Fall, Spring, Summer |
| Popular Programs | M.B.A., M.S. Computer Science, M.S. Engineering Technology, M.S. Instructional Design and Technology, M.S. Chemistry |
| Campus | 2 |
| Contact | (309) 762-9481 |
| Address | 1 University Cir, Macomb, IL 61455, United States |
| Official Website | wiu.edu |
Western Illinois University offers multiple undergraduate and graduate programs, as mentioned in the Western Illinois University courses and fees table below.
| Courses | Duration | Annual Fees (USD) | Annual Fees (INR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| M.B.A | 2 years | 12,647 | 10.8 lakh |
| M.S. Computer Science | 2 years | 13,230 | 11.3 lakh |
| B. A. Applied Music | 4 years | 36,600 | 31.3 lakh |
| M.S. Engineering Technology | 2 years | 41,000 | 35 lakh |
| M.A. Communication | 2 years | 41,000 | 35 lakh |
| B.S. Clinical Laboratory Science | 4 years | 36,600 | 31.3 lakh |
| B.S. Biochemistry | 4 years | 36,600 | 31.3 lakh |
| M.S.Chemistry | 2 years | 41,000 | 35 lakh |
| M.S. Instructional Design and Technology | 2 years | 41,000 | 35 lakh |
| B.S. Agriculture | 4 years | 36,600 | 31.3 lakh |
Admission at Western Illinois University for graduate and undergraduate programs takes place mainly in two intakes (with a limited number of programs in summer intake), and the application fee is $50 (₹4,292). It is based on satisfying the eligibility criteria along with other requirements such as document verification, LOR, and English test scores. The tables given below categorize WIU admission requirements for graduate and undergraduate programs based on specific criteria.
WIU accepts graduate applications mainly around the fall and spring semesters after meeting the set criteria for admission, as mentioned in the table below.
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Application Fee | $50 (₹4,292) |
| Fall (August) Deadline | Application – April 1 Documents – April 15 Financial documents – June 1 |
| Spring (January) Deadline | Application – October 1 Documents – October 15 (including financial documents) |
| Academic eligibility | Qualified bachelor’s degree GPA ≥ 2.75 on a 4.0 scale (combined undergraduate) |
| English Proficiency Test Scores | TOEFL ≥ 73 |
| IELTS ≥ 6.0 | |
| ITEP ≥ 3.7 | |
| PTE Academic ≥ 49 | |
| TOEFL Essentials ≥ 8.0 | |
| Duolingo score ≥ 105 |
Admission to Western Illinois University is based on qualifying 10+2 with at least a 2.75 GPA. Besides, WIU also requires other criteria for enrollment in its programs as listed in the table below.
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Application Fee | $50 (₹4,292) |
| Academic eligibility | Qualified high school equivalent to a US High school diploma GPA ≥ 2.75 on a 4.0 scale |
| English Proficiency Test Scores | TOEFL ≥ 73 |
| IELTS ≥ 6.0 | |
| ITEP ≥ 3.7 | |
| PTE Academic ≥ 49 | |
| TOEFL Essentials ≥ 8.0 | |
| Duolingo score ≥ 105 |
The following documents are required for admission to Western Illinois University graduate and undergraduate programs.
Western Illinois University accepts admission applications on a rolling basis all the year. However, some significant deadlines for undergraduate and graduate programs, based on fall (August) and spring (January) for intakes, are mentioned in the table below.
| Event | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Fall deadline – Freshman | August 1 |
| Fall deadline – Transfer | August 1 |
| Fall deadline – International | April 1 |
| Spring deadline – Freshman | November 1 |
| Spring deadline – Transfer | December 1 |
| Spring deadline – International | October 1 |
The acceptance rate at Western Illinois University is 75%. As per the official website, the total number of undergraduate enrollment was 7,624, with 4% from the international community.
Scholarships at Western Illinois University are distributed in the fall and spring semesters when the students meet the criteria for scholarships as mentioned in the table below.
| Particulars | Amount | Details |
|---|---|---|
| International Undergraduate | $6,000 (₹515,040) per year | GPA ≥ 4; full-time student |
| $4,000 (₹343,360) per year | GPA – 3.99 – 3.50; full-time student | |
| $2,000 (₹171,680) per year | GPA – 3.49 – 3.0; full-time student | |
| International Graduate | $4,000 (₹343,360) per year | F-1 students, GPA – 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (undergraduate) |
| International Undergraduate Transfer | $2,000 (₹171,680) per year | GPA ≥ 3.5 |
| $1,500 (₹128,760) per year | GPA – 3.25 – 3.49 | |
| $1,000 (₹85,840) per year | GPA – 3.0-3.24 | |
| International Presidential Scholarship (IPS) | Waiver on tuition fee | Next available – fall semester 2025 Eligible 6 undergraduate candidates are selected based on merit, post-admission GPA ≥ 3.5 |
| Undergraduate Regional Diversity Scholarship | $3,000 (₹257,520) | South and Southeast Asia, Africa, Latin America, and Caribbean countries GPA ≥ 2.5; full-time student |
| President Huang International Student Scholarship | $500 (₹42,920) | Full-time international students with strong academic skills |
| Rodney and Bertha Fink International Women’s Scholarship | $1,200 (₹103,008) | Female international student, preferably from a developing country, majoring in Agriculture or Agriculture Business |
| Macomb Branch AAUW International Student | $500 (₹42,920) | Full-time international undergraduate student (current) with at least a 2.5 GPA |
| Francis and Peggy Davern International Scholarship | $325 (₹27,908) | Full-time international student with LOR from a WIU international alum GPA ≥ 3.5 (graduates) GPA ≥ 2.5 (undergraduates) |
Western Illinois University provides both on-campus and off-campus placements to students. However, all the undergraduate students are required to stay on campus in the residence halls/dorms for the first 4 years of the semester (exceptional when married or older than 24 years).
The table describes in detail the cost of living on campus based on different categories.
| Category | Fall/Spring (per semester) | Summer(per semester) |
|---|---|---|
| Double Occupancy | $5,944 (₹510,362) | $909 |
| Single Occupancy | $7,568 (₹649,678) | $1,360 |
| Super Double | $6,244 (₹536,269) | NA |
| Super Single | $7,748 (₹665,035) | NA |
| Corbin Suite – Double | $6,244 (₹536,269) | NA |
| Corbin Suite – Single | $8,979 (₹771,037) | NA |
| Grote – Double | $6,419 (₹551,095) | NA |
| Grote – Single | $7,440 (₹638,150) | NA |
Western Illinois University has seen favorable growth in the graduates’ employment in sectors such as education, protective services, management, health care, business operations, sales, and social services.
The table describes the statistics for Western Illinois University based on average salary, employment numbers, and growth percentage in the past 3 years.
| Category | Annual Employment Numbers (2024) | Annual Employment Numbers (2025) | Average Salary | Growth % (2022-2025) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BS Agriculture | 253,223 | 255,070 | $70,881 (₹6,067,776) | 3.7% |
| BS Cybersecurity | 193,265 | 196,519 | $97,527 (₹8,354,000) | 2% |
| BS Law Enforcement and Justice Administration | 125,926 | 126,388 | $95,743 (₹8,199,000) | 0% |
| Bachelor of Music | 212,951 | 214,770 | $56,159 (₹4,813,815) | -0.2% |
| BS Nursing | 338,267 | 342,256 | $94,159 (₹8,069,822) | 7.1% |
WIU involves 40+ recruiters globally. Some of the leading recruiters who recruit graduates of Western Illinois University are given below.
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Western Illinois University is located on two campuses, Macomb and Quad Cities. Given below are highlights of the campus and infrastructure facilities for WIU.
Macomb Campus
The Macomb campus is situated on the land of the indigenous people of Illinois (Inoca). It is the main campus located 40 miles east of the Mississippi River. It has the following key features.
Quad Cities
Quad Cities campus is located on the banks of the Mississippi River in Moline, Illinois. It is a campus for students exploring the graduate degree programs and features the following highlights.
Western Illinois University is ranked among the top universities across mid Midwest, surrounded by green spaces and rich diversity. The university offers over 100 programs with career support services. It’s at par with academic offerings, and a 13:1 student-to-faculty ratio makes it one of the leading choices among recruiters as well as applicants from around the world.
