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ISU Southern Illinois University UIC Western Illinois University DePaul Illinois WMU SIUE Bradley University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Loyola Northwest| Eastern Illinois University | Northern Illinois University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
EIU | Northern Illinois | ||
| Location | Charleston, IL | Dekalb, IL | ||
| Setting | Remote Town | Small Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 8,857 | 15,649 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #672 | #454 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | eiu.edu | niu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
EIU | Northern Illinois | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $9,709 | $9,790 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $12,136 | $9,790 | ||
| Room & Board | $10,812 | $11,420 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $13,380 | $13,884 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $11,773 | $12,552 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 100% | 99% |
Admission |
EIU | Northern Illinois | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 11,584 | 25,961 | ||
| Admitted | 7,873 | 18,348 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 68% | 70.7% | ||
| Enrolled % | 11.1% | 13.3% | ||
| 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 | 900/1120 | 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, 2025 |
Academics |
EIU | Northern Illinois | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 15:1 | 14:1 | ||
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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 | 42% | 46% | ||
| % Women | 58% | 54% | ||
| 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 | 91% | 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 (15,649 students vs. 8,857 students)
EIU vs. Northern Illinois Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, EIU or Northern Illinois?
- Northern Illinois University is 0.8% more expensive to attend than EIU for in-state tuition ($9,790.00 vs. $9,709.00)
- Out of state tuition is 24% higher at EIU than Northern Illinois University ($12,136.00 vs. $9,790.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Eastern Illinois University than Northern Illinois ($13,380 vs. $13,884)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Eastern Illinois University are 5.6% lower than costs at Northern Illinois University ($10,812 vs. $11,420)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Eastern Illinois University than Northern Illinois University (100% vs. 99%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Illinois University students is 6.6% larger than aid received Eastern Illinois University ($12,552 vs. $11,773)
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 (70.7%) than EIU (68%)
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/