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ISU Southern Illinois University UIC Western Illinois University DePaul Illinois WMU EIU Bradley University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Loyola Northwest| Concordia University Chicago | Northern Illinois University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Concordia University Chicago | Northern Illinois | ||
| Location | River Forest, IL | Dekalb, IL | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Small Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 5,354 | 15,649 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #706 | #454 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | cuchicago.edu | niu.edu | ||
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Costs |
Concordia University Chicago | Northern Illinois | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $33,944 | $9,790 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $33,944 | $9,790 | ||
| Room & Board | $10,762 | $11,420 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $18,832 | $13,884 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $25,141 | $12,552 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 100% | 99% |
Admission |
Concordia University Chicago | Northern Illinois | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 4,296 | 25,961 | ||
| Admitted | 3,997 | 18,348 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 93% | 70.7% | ||
| Enrolled % | 6.7% | 13.3% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.18 | 3.3 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Easy | Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 19/25 | 19/25 | ||
| SAT Range | 990/1180 | 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 | Aug 1, 2025 |
Academics |
Concordia University Chicago | Northern Illinois | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 12:1 | 14:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Concordia University Chicago | Northern Illinois | ||
| Graduation Rate | 60% | 56% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $42,300 | $47,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 57% | 61% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $24,951 | $23,859 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $257 | $246 |
Diversity |
Concordia University Chicago | Northern Illinois | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 35% | 46% | ||
| % Women | 65% | 54% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 54% | 57% | ||
| % Black | 13% | 16% | ||
| % Hispanic | 26% | 15% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 3% | ||
| % International | 1% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 1% |
Students |
Concordia University Chicago | Northern Illinois | ||
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| % In-State | 62% | 93% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 38% | 5% | ||
Campus |
Concordia University Chicago | 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
- Northern Illinois University is larger than than Concordia University Chicago based on total student enrollment (15,649 students vs. 5,354 students)
Concordia University Chicago vs. Northern Illinois Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Concordia University Chicago or Northern Illinois?
- Concordia University Chicago is 246.7% more expensive to attend than Northern Illinois for in-state tuition ($33,944.00 vs. $9,790.00)
- Out of state tuition is 246.7% higher at Concordia University Chicago than Northern Illinois University ($33,944.00 vs. $9,790.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Illinois University than Concordia University Chicago ($13,884 vs. $18,832)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Concordia University Chicago are 6.1% lower than costs at Northern Illinois University ($10,762 vs. $11,420)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Concordia University Chicago than Northern Illinois University (100% vs. 99%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Concordia University Chicago students is 100.3% larger than aid received Northern Illinois University ($25,141 vs. $12,552)
Concordia University Chicago vs. Northern Illinois Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Concordia University Chicago or Northern Illinois? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Northern Illinois or Concordia University Chicago .
- The average SAT score at Concordia University Chicago (1047) is 18 points higher than at Northern Illinois (1029)
- Incoming Concordia University Chicago students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Northern Illinois (22)
- Accepted freshman Northern Illinois students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.3) than students at Concordia University Chicago (3.18)
- Concordia University Chicago has a higher acceptance rate (93%) than Northern Illinois (70.7%)
Concordia University Chicago vs. Northern Illinois Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Concordia University Chicago 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 Concordia University Chicago.
- The graduation rate at Concordia University Chicago is higher than Northern Illinois University (60% vs. 56%)
- Graduates from Northern Illinois University earn on average $5,300 more per year than Concordia University Chicago graduates after ten years. ($47,600 vs. $42,300)
- Northern Illinois University students graduate with a $1,092 lower median federal student loan debt than Concordia University Chicago graduates. ($23,859 vs. $24,951)
- Northern Illinois graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than Concordia University Chicago graduates. ($246 vs. $257)
- More Northern Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Concordia University Chicago students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 57%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/