Add a college to compare up to four schools
Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison.
ISU Southern Illinois University UIC Western Illinois University Roosevelt University Loyola Illinois WMU EIU Columbia College Bradley University of Wisconsin-Whitewater| DePaul University | Northern Illinois University | College 3 | College 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|||
| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
DePaul | Northern Illinois | ||
| Location | Chicago, IL | Dekalb, IL | ||
| Setting | Large City | Small Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 21,348 | 15,504 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #235 | #488 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | Roman Catholic | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | depaul.edu | niu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
DePaul | Northern Illinois | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $43,665 | $9,790 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $43,665 | $9,790 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,468 | $12,800 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $32,129 | $13,533 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $27,782 | $13,565 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 99% | 98% |
Admission |
DePaul | Northern Illinois | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 32,176 | 24,177 | ||
| Admitted | 23,660 | 17,033 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 73.5% | 70.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 12.4% | 12.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.8 | 3.3 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Difficult | Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 26/31 | 19/25 | ||
| SAT Range | 1130/1340 | 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 | Feb 1, 2026 | Aug 1, 2026 |
Academics |
DePaul | Northern Illinois | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 17:1 | 14:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
|
|
||
Outcomes |
DePaul | Northern Illinois | ||
| Graduation Rate | 66% | 56% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $56,900 | $47,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 62% | 61% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $23,332 | $23,859 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $241 | $246 |
Diversity |
DePaul | Northern Illinois | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 15% | 11% | ||
| % Women | 18% | 16% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 55% | 57% | ||
| % Black | 8% | 16% | ||
| % Hispanic | 18% | 15% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 3% | ||
| % International | 3% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 4% | 1% |
Students |
DePaul | Northern Illinois | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 69% | 93% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 30% | 5% | ||
Campus |
DePaul | Northern Illinois | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- DePaul University is larger than than Northern Illinois based on total student enrollment (21,348 students vs. 15,504 students)
DePaul vs. Northern Illinois Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, DePaul or Northern Illinois?
- DePaul University is 346% more expensive to attend than Northern Illinois for in-state tuition ($43,665.00 vs. $9,790.00)
- Out of state tuition is 346% higher at DePaul than Northern Illinois University ($43,665.00 vs. $9,790.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Illinois University than DePaul ($13,533 vs. $32,129)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Illinois University are 44.3% lower than costs at DePaul University ($12,800 vs. $18,468)
- More students receive financial grant aid at DePaul University than Northern Illinois University (99% vs. 98%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by DePaul University students is 104.8% larger than aid received Northern Illinois University ($27,782 vs. $13,565)
DePaul vs. Northern Illinois Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, DePaul or Northern Illinois? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Northern Illinois or DePaul .
- Accepted freshman DePaul students have a 0.5 point higher average high school GPA (3.8) than students at Northern Illinois (3.3)
- DePaul has a higher acceptance rate (73.5%) than Northern Illinois (70.5%)
DePaul vs. Northern Illinois Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, DePaul 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 DePaul.
- The graduation rate at DePaul is higher than Northern Illinois University (66% vs. 56%)
- Graduates from DePaul University earn on average $9,300 more per year than Northern Illinois graduates after ten years. ($56,900 vs. $47,600)
- DePaul University students graduate with a $527 lower median federal student loan debt than Northern Illinois graduates. ($23,332 vs. $23,859)
- DePaul graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than Northern Illinois graduates. ($241 vs. $246)
- More DePaul graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northern Illinois students, three years after graduation. (62% vs. 61%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/