DePaul vs. Northern Illinois

Should I go to DePaul University or Northern Illinois University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if DePaul 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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DePaul University vs. Northern Illinois University comparison
DePaul University Northern Illinois University College 3 College 4
DePaul University Northern Illinois University
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Overview

DePaul Northern Illinois
Location Chicago, IL Dekalb, IL
Setting Large City Small Suburban
Enrollment 20,917 15,649
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #251 #454
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website depaul.edu niu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

DePaul Northern Illinois
Tuition (In State) $42,189 $9,790
Tuition (Out of State) $42,189 $9,790
Room & Board $16,068 $11,420
Avg Net Price $32,151 $13,884
Avg Grant Aid $26,004 $12,552
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 99%

Admission

DePaul Northern Illinois
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 31,785 25,961
Admitted 22,302 18,348
Acceptance Rate 70.2% 70.7%
Enrolled % 13.3% 13.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.8 3.3
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Easy
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 24/30 19/25
SAT Range 1070/1300 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, 2025 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

DePaul Northern Illinois
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (33%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (9%)

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 44% 46%
% Women 56% 54%
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 63% 93%
% Out-of-State 36% 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 (20,917 students vs. 15,649 students)

DePaul vs. Northern Illinois Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, DePaul or Northern Illinois?

  • DePaul University is 330.9% more expensive to attend than Northern Illinois for in-state tuition ($42,189.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 330.9% higher at DePaul than Northern Illinois University ($42,189.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Illinois University than DePaul ($13,884 vs. $32,151)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Illinois University are 40.7% lower than costs at DePaul University ($11,420 vs. $16,068)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at DePaul University as Northern Illinois University (99% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by DePaul University students is 107.2% larger than aid received Northern Illinois University ($26,004 vs. $12,552)

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)
  • Northern Illinois has a higher acceptance rate (70.7%) than DePaul (70.2%)

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/