CSU vs. Northern Illinois

Should I go to Chicago State University or Northern Illinois University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if CSU 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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Chicago State University vs. Northern Illinois University comparison
Chicago State University Northern Illinois University College 3 College 4
Chicago State University Northern Illinois University
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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
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
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (31%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (9%)

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/