EIU vs. Purdue Northwest

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

EIU Purdue Northwest
Location Charleston, IL Hammond, Indiana
Setting Remote Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 8,857 8,911
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #672
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website eiu.edu pnw.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

EIU Purdue Northwest
Tuition (In State) $9,709 $7,373
Tuition (Out of State) $12,136 $14,364
Room & Board $10,812 $8,215
Avg Net Price $13,380 $9,162
Avg Grant Aid $11,773 $7,070
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 75%

Admission

EIU Purdue Northwest
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,584 5,670
Admitted 7,873 4,129
Acceptance Rate 68% 72.8%
Enrolled % 11.1% 31.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.39 3.19
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 18/24
SAT Range 900/1120 950/1170
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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

EIU Purdue Northwest
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (21%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)

Outcomes

EIU Purdue Northwest
Graduation Rate 59% -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,500 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 59% -
Median Student Loan Debt $23,650 N/A
Median Loan Payment $244 N/A

Diversity

EIU Purdue Northwest
% Men 42% 44%
% Women 58% 56%
Racial Diversity Medium -
HBCU No No
% White 68% 0%
% Black 19% 0%
% Hispanic 6% 0%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 0%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

EIU Purdue Northwest
% In-State 91% 87%
% Out-of-State 7% 13%

Campus

EIU Purdue Northwest
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Purdue University Northwest is larger than than EIU based on total student enrollment (8,911 students vs. 8,857 students)

EIU vs. Purdue Northwest Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, EIU or Purdue Northwest?

  • Eastern Illinois University is 31.7% more expensive to attend than Purdue Northwest for in-state tuition ($9,709.00 vs. $7,373.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 18.4% higher at Purdue Northwest than Eastern Illinois University ($14,364.00 vs. $12,136.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Purdue University Northwest than EIU ($9,162 vs. $13,380)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University Northwest are 31.6% lower than costs at Eastern Illinois University ($8,215 vs. $10,812)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Eastern Illinois University than Purdue University Northwest (100% vs. 75%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Eastern Illinois University students is 66.5% larger than aid received Purdue University Northwest ($11,773 vs. $7,070)

EIU vs. Purdue Northwest Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman EIU students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.39) than students at Purdue Northwest (3.19)
  • Purdue Northwest has a higher acceptance rate (72.8%) than EIU (68%)

EIU vs. Purdue Northwest Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, EIU or Purdue Northwest? 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 Purdue Northwest and EIU.

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