Home
Colleges
Western Illinois University
Academics

Western Illinois University
Academics

Back to Profile

How strong are the academics at Western Illinois University?

Let's cover class sizes, graduation rates, and outcomes.

14:1
Student to faculty ratio
17
Average class size
31%
4-year grad rate

Class Sizes

Class sizes likely stayed the same for you through high school. You'll find that college is much different. Some of the largest universities have classes that can seat hundreds of students in giant lecture halls. Conversely, as they progress and their focus narrows, higher-level courses can sometimes have just a handful of students.

Western Illinois has an average student-to-faculty ratio of 14:1. The typical school is 14:1. While this ratio is important, what’s more important is how big a typical class is.

Class Sizes
2-9
244
10-19
326
20-29
186
30-39
50
40-49
13
50-99
11
100+
1

Honors Programs

Western Illinois University has an honors program and/or honors college. Specifics of these programs vary, but benefits of being in an Honors Program might include priority registration, being part of a tight-knit community, and accessing unique learning opportunities.

Learn more about honors options on Western Illinois' website.

Outcomes

It’s critical to understand a school’s outcomes to understand if your four (or more) years at the school will be worth it. Here are some key statistics about the outcomes of students who enroll at Western Illinois University:

61%
First-year retention rate
31%
4-year grad rate
45%
6-year grad rate

The average base annual salary of students who were employed within six months of graduation is $44,500. This is less than the national average of $48,300.

$44,500
$48,300 (National Average)

Majors

Many students choose a school largely based on the what they want to study. The are Western Illinois University's most popular majors, ranked by how many people graduated with the concentration in the most recent year:

Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities, Other
Psychology, General
AGRICULTURAL / ANIMAL / PLANT / VETERINARY SCIENCE AND RELATED FIELDS
Agriculture, General
41.4
66.12
90.84
115.56
140.28
165

The Full List

Major Graduates
Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science And Related Fields
  • AGRICULTURAL / ANIMAL / PLANT / VETERINARY SCIENCE AND RELATED FIELDS 62
  • Agriculture, General 62
  • Agriculture, General 62
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
  • Biology/Biological Sciences, General 36
Business
  • Accounting 35
  • Business Administration and Management, General 30
  • Logistics, Materials, and Supply Chain Management 26
  • Finance, General 17
  • Marketing/Marketing Management, General 15
  • Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration, General 7
  • Construction Management, General 7
  • Business/Managerial Economics 3
  • Business/Managerial Economics 1
  • Finance, General 1
  • Hospitality Administration/Management, General 0
  • Business Statistics 0
Communication
  • Speech Communication and Rhetoric 42
  • Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other 20
  • Speech Communication and Rhetoric 1
Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services
  • Computer and Information Sciences, General 16
  • Information Technology 16
  • Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance 5
Education
  • Elementary Education and Teaching 51
  • Physical Education Teaching and Coaching 10
  • Special Education and Teaching, General 8
  • Junior High/Intermediate/Middle School Education and Teaching 2
  • Learning Sciences 0
Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering 12
  • Electrical and Electronics Engineering 4
  • Civil Engineering, General 2
  • Mechanical Engineering 1
  • Engineering, General 1
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians
  • Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General 13
  • Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General 13
  • ENGINEERING/ENGINEERING-RELATED TECHNOLOGIES/TECHNICIANS 13
English Language And Literature/Letters
  • English Language and Literature, General 10
Family And Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences
  • Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General 1
  • Foods, Nutrition, and Wellness Studies, General 0
Foreign Languages
  • Foreign Languages and Literatures, General 5
  • Foreign Languages and Literatures, General 2
Health Professions And Related Programs
  • Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse 39
  • Communication Sciences and Disorders, General 10
  • Dietetics/Dietitian 5
  • Health/Health Care Administration/Management 5
  • Public Health Education and Promotion 3
  • Clinical Laboratory Science/Medical Technology/Technologist 1
History
  • History, General 13
Homeland Security
  • Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration 165
  • Fire Services Administration 14
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services, Other 6
  • Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration 1
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services, Other 1
Liberal Arts And Sciences
  • Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities, Other 134
  • Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies 1
Mathematics And Statistics
  • Mathematics, General 2
  • Mathematics, General 1
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
  • Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General 0
  • Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General 0
  • MULTI/INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES 0
Parks
  • Exercise Science and Kinesiology 15
  • Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management, General 13
Physical Sciences
  • Chemistry, Other 11
  • Physics, General 6
  • Chemistry, General 5
  • Meteorology 4
  • Geology/Earth Science, General 2
  • Physics, General 1
Psychology
  • Psychology, General 72
  • Psychology, General 4
Public Administration And Social Service Professions
  • Social Work 22
Social Sciences
  • Sociology, General 23
  • Political Science and Government, General 12
  • Anthropology, General 8
  • Political Science and Government, General 2
  • Geographic Information Science and Cartography 2
  • Economics, General 1
  • Sociology, General 1
Visual And Performing Arts
  • Music Performance, General 32
  • Art/Art Studies, General 18
  • Visual and Performing Arts, Other 6
  • Fine/Studio Arts, General 4
  • Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 2
Mistakes were made
(But not by you!)

These are the top 10 mistakes people make when searching for colleges

Top Ten Mistakes

CollegeIQ® relies on data from government and private resources. Always confer with the individual college or university for the most recent data. Learn more about our data and methodology.

© 2026 Whittier Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service