EIU vs. Northern Illinois

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

 EIU Northern Illinois
Location Charleston, IL Dekalb, IL
Setting Remote Town Small Suburban
Enrollment 8,804 15,504
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #714 #488
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website eiu.edu niu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 EIU Northern Illinois
Tuition (In State) $9,903 $9,790
Tuition (Out of State) $12,379 $9,790
Room & Board $11,298 $12,800
Avg Net Price $14,621 $13,533
Avg Grant Aid $11,122 $13,565
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 98%

Admission

 EIU Northern Illinois
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,648 24,177
Admitted 7,892 17,033
Acceptance Rate 67.8% 70.5%
Enrolled % 10.4% 12.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.39 3.3
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Easy
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 19/25
SAT Range 890/1110 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, 2026

Academics

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

Outcomes

 EIU Northern Illinois
Graduation Rate 59% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,500 $47,600
Making Student Loan Payments 59% 61%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,650 $23,859
Median Loan Payment $244 $246

Diversity

 EIU Northern Illinois
% Men 10% 11%
% Women 12% 16%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 68% 57%
% Black 19% 16%
% Hispanic 6% 15%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

 EIU Northern Illinois
% In-State 90% 93%
% Out-of-State 7% 5%

Campus

 EIU 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

  • Northern Illinois University is larger than than EIU based on total student enrollment (15,504 students vs. 8,804 students)

EIU vs. Northern Illinois Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, EIU or Northern Illinois?

  • Eastern Illinois University is 1.2% more expensive to attend than Northern Illinois for in-state tuition ($9,903.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 26.4% higher at EIU than Northern Illinois University ($12,379.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Illinois University than EIU ($13,533 vs. $14,621)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Eastern Illinois University are 13.3% lower than costs at Northern Illinois University ($11,298 vs. $12,800)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Illinois University than Eastern Illinois University (98% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Illinois University students is 22% larger than aid received Eastern Illinois University ($13,565 vs. $11,122)

EIU vs. Northern Illinois Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northern Illinois University (1029) is 19 points higher than at EIU (1010)
  • Incoming EIU students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at Northern Illinois (22)
  • Accepted freshman EIU students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.39) than students at Northern Illinois (3.3)
  • Northern Illinois has a higher acceptance rate (70.5%) than EIU (67.8%)

EIU vs. Northern Illinois Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, EIU 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 EIU.

  • The graduation rate at EIU is higher than Northern Illinois University (59% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from Northern Illinois University earn on average $4,100 more per year than EIU graduates after ten years. ($47,600 vs. $43,500)
  • Eastern Illinois University students graduate with a $209 lower median federal student loan debt than Northern Illinois graduates. ($23,650 vs. $23,859)
  • EIU graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Northern Illinois graduates. ($244 vs. $246)
  • More Northern Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former EIU students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 59%)

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