Cal State Fullerton vs. Northern Illinois

Should I go to California State University Fullerton or Northern Illinois University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Cal State Fullerton or Northern Illinois is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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California State University Fullerton vs. Northern Illinois University comparison
California State University Fullerton Northern Illinois University College 3 College 4
California State University Fullerton Northern Illinois University
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Overview

Cal State Fullerton Northern Illinois
Location Fullerton, CA Dekalb, IL
Setting Midsize City Small Suburban
Enrollment 40,386 15,649
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #699 #454
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fullerton.edu niu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cal State Fullerton Northern Illinois
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $9,790
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $9,790
Room & Board $16,702 $11,420
Avg Net Price $7,925 $13,884
Avg Grant Aid $9,194 $12,552
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 99%

Admission

Cal State Fullerton Northern Illinois
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 48,748 25,961
Admitted 32,527 18,348
Acceptance Rate 66.7% 70.7%
Enrolled % 16.2% 13.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.77 3.3
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Easy
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 18/23 19/25
SAT Range 1000/1180 940/1170
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2024 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

Cal State Fullerton Northern Illinois
Student to Faculty Ratio 24:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (25%)
  • Communication (14%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (9%)

Outcomes

Cal State Fullerton Northern Illinois
Graduation Rate 50% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,000 $47,600
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 61%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,000 $23,859
Median Loan Payment $155 $246

Diversity

Cal State Fullerton Northern Illinois
% Men 42% 46%
% Women 58% 54%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 22% 57%
% Black 2% 16%
% Hispanic 40% 15%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 6% 2%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

Cal State Fullerton Northern Illinois
% In-State 99% 93%
% Out-of-State 1% 5%

Campus

Cal State Fullerton Northern Illinois
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • California State University Fullerton is larger than than Northern Illinois based on total student enrollment (40,386 students vs. 15,649 students)

Cal State Fullerton vs. Northern Illinois Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal State Fullerton or Northern Illinois?

  • Northern Illinois University is 70.5% more expensive to attend than Cal State Fullerton for in-state tuition ($9,790.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 80% higher at Cal State Fullerton than Northern Illinois University ($17,622.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Fullerton than Northern Illinois ($7,925 vs. $13,884)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Illinois University are 46.3% lower than costs at California State University Fullerton ($11,420 vs. $16,702)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Illinois University than California State University Fullerton (99% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Illinois University students is 36.5% larger than aid received California State University Fullerton ($12,552 vs. $9,194)

Cal State Fullerton vs. Northern Illinois Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Cal State Fullerton or Northern Illinois? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Northern Illinois or Cal State Fullerton .

  • The average SAT score at Northern Illinois University (1029) is 5 points higher than at Cal State Fullerton (1024)
  • Incoming Cal State Fullerton students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at Northern Illinois (22)
  • Accepted freshman Cal State Fullerton students have a 0.47 point higher average high school GPA (3.77) than students at Northern Illinois (3.3)
  • Northern Illinois has a higher acceptance rate (70.7%) than Cal State Fullerton (66.7%)

Cal State Fullerton vs. Northern Illinois Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cal State Fullerton or Northern Illinois? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Northern Illinois and Cal State Fullerton.

  • The graduation rate at Northern Illinois is higher than California State University Fullerton (56% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from California State University Fullerton earn on average $1,400 more per year than Northern Illinois graduates after ten years. ($49,000 vs. $47,600)
  • California State University Fullerton students graduate with a $8,859 lower median federal student loan debt than Northern Illinois graduates. ($15,000 vs. $23,859)
  • Cal State Fullerton graduates are paying $91 less per month on federal student loans than Northern Illinois graduates. ($155 vs. $246)
  • More Cal State Fullerton graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northern Illinois students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 61%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/