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Illinois vs Indiana: Scholarship Climate 2026

Which climate fits best? Illinois appears better suited to applicants who want a broader pool of scholarship opportunities to search through, while Indiana may fit applicants prioritizing a higher average award size per scholarship. In both states, applicants should pay close attention to the institutions and organizations with the strongest visible scholarship activity.

State vs State

State A

Illinois

State B

Indiana

Quick comparison

MetricIllinoisIndiana
Active scholarships in catalog272156
Avg. award (where known)$1,958$3,921
Max indexed award$18,574$20,000

Financial Aid Overview for 2026

Illinois and Indiana present different scholarship climates for applicants in 2026. Illinois shows higher overall opportunity volume, with 280 listed scholarships compared with 165 in Indiana. Indiana, however, has the higher average award size at 3,885.07, versus 1,936.81 in Illinois. The maximum listed award is 18574 in Illinois and 20000 in Indiana.

For applicants focused on breadth, Illinois looks more expansive. Its strongest institutions by scholarship count are Loyola University Chicago with 611, Waubonsee Community College with 156, and Kankakee Community College Foundation with 122. Indiana’s leading organizations by scholarship count are Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity with 9, Indiana Commission for Higher Education with 4, and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity with 4.

In practical terms, Illinois may feel more favorable for students willing to apply broadly across many opportunities, especially where institutional ecosystems appear active. Indiana may feel more targeted, with fewer total opportunities but a stronger average award value. Applicants comparing these states should weigh whether they prefer a larger scholarship marketplace or potentially larger typical awards.

Top Scholarship Providers in Illinois

Ranked by number of active scholarships

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Top Scholarship Providers in Indiana

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Scholarship climate by state

Illinois

Illinois feels like a broader, higher-volume scholarship market, which may appeal to applicants prepared to search widely and submit multiple applications.

Indiana

Indiana feels more selective and targeted, with fewer total opportunities but a stronger average award size for applicants seeking higher-value awards.

Public reference data

Cost of living & wages

State-level affordability context to complement scholarship climate above - not ScholarshipTop grant totals.

Visual comparison

Illinois

Median household income

$83,872

Census ACS

Fair market rent (2BR)

$1,002

HUD monthly estimate

Living wage

21.12/hr

Single adult, MIT model

BLS median wage

$51,960

State occupational estimate

Reported violent crime rate (state aggregate): 32.18 per 100k population. Public safety context is based on aggregate state-level public data - not a safety rating.

Public planning context

Community indicators vary by county and are included only as public planning context. Use this alongside scholarship amount, school cost, and living expenses - not as an eligibility rule.

CDC SVI band

middle indicator band

ADI band

middle indicator band

SVI counties

102

ADI counties

102

  • CDC SVI county data is available for 102 counties; county indicators vary and are best used as public planning context.
  • ADI block-group data is available across 102 counties; local conditions can vary within the same state.

Indiana

Median household income

$71,607

Census ACS

Fair market rent (2BR)

$1,030

HUD monthly estimate

Living wage

21.18/hr

Single adult, MIT model

BLS median wage

$47,860

State occupational estimate

Reported violent crime rate (state aggregate): 33.97 per 100k population. Public safety context is based on aggregate state-level public data - not a safety rating.

Public planning context

Community indicators vary by county and are included only as public planning context. Use this alongside scholarship amount, school cost, and living expenses - not as an eligibility rule.

CDC SVI band

middle indicator band

ADI band

higher indicator band

SVI counties

92

ADI counties

92

  • CDC SVI county data is available for 92 counties; county indicators vary and are best used as public planning context.
  • ADI block-group data is available across 92 counties; local conditions can vary within the same state.

Sources: Census ACS, HUD FMR, MIT Living Wage, BLS OEWS, and public reference datasets where available. Rent figures may reflect metro or state averages.

Public safety context uses aggregate public data and is included only as planning context.

Reference only - not ScholarshipTop eligibility rules or guarantees.

Data availability varies by school, city, state, and source year.

FAQ

Which state has more scholarship opportunities in 2026?
Illinois has more listed scholarship opportunities, with 280 compared with 165 in Indiana.
Which state has the higher average scholarship award?
Indiana has the higher average award size at 3885.0694444444443, while Illinois averages 1936.8087649402391.
Which state has the higher maximum listed scholarship award?
Indiana has the higher maximum listed award at 20000, compared with 18574 in Illinois.
Which Illinois institutions appear strongest by scholarship count?
The strongest Illinois institutions in the data are Loyola University Chicago, Waubonsee Community College, and Kankakee Community College Foundation.
Which Indiana organizations appear strongest by scholarship count?
The strongest Indiana organizations in the data are Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity, Indiana Commission for Higher Education, and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity.

Sources and official pages

Official and high-authority pages used to support this State vs State comparison.

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