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ISU Southern Illinois University UIC Western Illinois University DePaul Illinois WMU EIU Bradley University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Loyola Northwest| Chicago State University | Northern Illinois University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
CSU | Northern Illinois | ||
| Location | Chicago, IL | Dekalb, IL | ||
| Setting | Large City | Small Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 2,317 | 15,649 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #870 | #454 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | csu.edu | niu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
CSU | Northern Illinois | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $7,656 | $9,790 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $7,656 | $9,790 | ||
| Room & Board | $13,800 | $11,420 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $6,446 | $13,884 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $15,891 | $12,552 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 93% | 99% |
Admission |
CSU | Northern Illinois | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 7,404 | 25,961 | ||
| Admitted | 3,592 | 18,348 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 48.5% | 70.7% | ||
| Enrolled % | 4.8% | 13.3% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.18 | 3.3 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Extremely Easy | Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 15/19 | 19/25 | ||
| SAT Range | 750/963 | 940/1170 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | ||
| Application Deadline | Aug 1, 2025 |
Academics |
CSU | Northern Illinois | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 11:1 | 14:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
CSU | Northern Illinois | ||
| Graduation Rate | 21% | 56% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $38,300 | $47,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 25% | 61% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $31,250 | $23,859 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $323 | $246 |
Diversity |
CSU | Northern Illinois | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 33% | 46% | ||
| % Women | 67% | 54% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 3% | 57% | ||
| % Black | 75% | 16% | ||
| % Hispanic | 8% | 15% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 0% | 3% | ||
| % International | 2% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 12% | 1% |
Students |
CSU | Northern Illinois | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 77% | 93% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 20% | 5% | ||
Campus |
CSU | Northern Illinois | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Northern Illinois University is larger than than CSU based on total student enrollment (15,649 students vs. 2,317 students)
CSU vs. Northern Illinois Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, CSU or Northern Illinois?
- Northern Illinois University is 27.9% more expensive to attend than CSU for in-state tuition ($9,790.00 vs. $7,656.00)
- Out of state tuition is 27.9% higher at Northern Illinois than Chicago State University ($9,790.00 vs. $7,656.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Chicago State University than Northern Illinois ($6,446 vs. $13,884)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Illinois University are 20.8% lower than costs at Chicago State University ($11,420 vs. $13,800)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Illinois University than Chicago State University (99% vs. 93%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Chicago State University students is 26.6% larger than aid received Northern Illinois University ($15,891 vs. $12,552)
CSU vs. Northern Illinois Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, CSU or Northern Illinois? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Northern Illinois or CSU .
- The average SAT score at Northern Illinois University (1029) is 154 points higher than at CSU (875)
- Incoming Northern Illinois students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at CSU (18)
- Accepted freshman Northern Illinois students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.3) than students at CSU (3.18)
- Northern Illinois has a higher acceptance rate (70.7%) than CSU (48.5%)
CSU vs. Northern Illinois Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, CSU 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 CSU.
- The graduation rate at Northern Illinois is higher than Chicago State University (56% vs. 21%)
- Graduates from Northern Illinois University earn on average $9,300 more per year than CSU graduates after ten years. ($47,600 vs. $38,300)
- Northern Illinois University students graduate with a $7,391 lower median federal student loan debt than CSU graduates. ($23,859 vs. $31,250)
- Northern Illinois graduates are paying $77 less per month on federal student loans than CSU graduates. ($246 vs. $323)
- More Northern Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CSU students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 25%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/