EIU vs. NSU

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

 EIU NSU
Location Charleston, IL Norfolk, VA
Setting Remote Town Midsize City
Enrollment 8,804 6,045
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #714 #999
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website eiu.edu nsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 EIU NSU
Tuition (In State) $9,903 $5,926
Tuition (Out of State) $12,379 $17,428
Room & Board $11,298 $11,692
Avg Net Price $14,621 $12,272
Avg Grant Aid $11,122 $11,153
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 97%

Admission

 EIU NSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,648 10,211
Admitted 7,892 8,931
Acceptance Rate 67.8% 87.5%
Enrolled % 10.4% 16.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.39 2.9
Typical High School Grades B+ B-
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 16/21
SAT Range 890/1110 840/1100
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline May 31, 2026

Academics

 EIU NSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (21%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

 EIU NSU
Graduation Rate 59% 33%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,500 $36,700
Making Student Loan Payments 59% 27%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,650 $31,000
Median Loan Payment $244 $320

Diversity

 EIU NSU
% Men 10% 3%
% Women 12% 5%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 68% 5%
% Black 19% 84%
% Hispanic 6% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 3%

Students

 EIU NSU
% In-State 90% 65%
% Out-of-State 7% 31%

Campus

 EIU NSU
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

  • Eastern Illinois University is larger than than NSU based on total student enrollment (8,804 students vs. 6,045 students)

EIU vs. NSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, EIU or NSU?

  • Eastern Illinois University is 67.1% more expensive to attend than NSU for in-state tuition ($9,903.00 vs. $5,926.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 40.8% higher at NSU than Eastern Illinois University ($17,428.00 vs. $12,379.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Norfolk State University than EIU ($12,272 vs. $14,621)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Eastern Illinois University are 3.5% lower than costs at Norfolk State University ($11,298 vs. $11,692)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Eastern Illinois University as Norfolk State University (97% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Norfolk State University students is 0.3% larger than aid received Eastern Illinois University ($11,153 vs. $11,122)

EIU vs. NSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, EIU or NSU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between NSU or EIU .

  • The average SAT score at Eastern Illinois University (1010) is 202 points higher than at NSU (808)
  • Incoming EIU students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at NSU (17)
  • Accepted freshman EIU students have a 0.49 point higher average high school GPA (3.39) than students at NSU (2.9)
  • NSU has a higher acceptance rate (87.5%) than EIU (67.8%)

EIU vs. NSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, EIU or NSU? 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 NSU and EIU.

  • The graduation rate at EIU is higher than Norfolk State University (59% vs. 33%)
  • Graduates from Eastern Illinois University earn on average $6,800 more per year than NSU graduates after ten years. ($43,500 vs. $36,700)
  • Eastern Illinois University students graduate with a $7,350 lower median federal student loan debt than NSU graduates. ($23,650 vs. $31,000)
  • EIU graduates are paying $76 less per month on federal student loans than NSU graduates. ($244 vs. $320)
  • More EIU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NSU students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 27%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/