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ISU Southern Illinois University UIC Western Illinois University Harper DePaul COD Illinois WMU EIU Bradley University of Wisconsin-Whitewater| Elgin Community College | Northern Illinois University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
ECC | Northern Illinois | ||
| Location | Elgin, IL | Dekalb, IL | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Small Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 8,910 | 15,649 | ||
| Type | Public 2 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #454 | |||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | elgin.edu | niu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
ECC | Northern Illinois | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $3,168 | $9,790 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $9,504 | $9,790 | ||
| Room & Board | $7,650 | $11,420 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $3,968 | $13,884 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $5,148 | $12,552 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 65% | 99% |
Admission |
ECC | Northern Illinois | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | - | 25,961 | ||
| Admitted | - | 18,348 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | Open | 70.7% | ||
| Enrolled % | Open | 13.3% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | - | 3.3 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | - | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Unavailable | Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 19/25 | |||
| SAT Range | 940/1170 | |||
| Submit Test Scores | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | |||
| Application Deadline | Aug 1, 2025 |
Academics |
ECC | Northern Illinois | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 18:1 | 14:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
ECC | Northern Illinois | ||
| Graduation Rate | - | 56% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $35,500 | $47,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 44% | 61% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $5,393 | $23,859 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $55 | $246 |
Diversity |
ECC | Northern Illinois | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 44% | 46% | ||
| % Women | 56% | 54% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 49% | 57% | ||
| % Black | 5% | 16% | ||
| % Hispanic | 34% | 15% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 3% | ||
| % International | 0% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 3% | 1% |
Students |
ECC | Northern Illinois | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 99% | 93% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 0% | 5% | ||
Campus |
ECC | Northern Illinois | ||
| Campus Housing | No | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | No | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Northern Illinois University is larger than than ECC based on total student enrollment (15,649 students vs. 8,910 students)
ECC vs. Northern Illinois Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, ECC or Northern Illinois?
- Northern Illinois University is 37.3% more expensive to attend than ECC for in-state tuition ($9,790.00 vs. $7,128.00)
- Out of state tuition is 3% higher at Northern Illinois than Elgin Community College ($9,790.00 vs. $9,504.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Elgin Community College than Northern Illinois ($3,968 vs. $13,884)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Elgin Community College are 49.3% lower than costs at Northern Illinois University ($7,650 vs. $11,420)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Illinois University than Elgin Community College (99% vs. 65%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Illinois University students is 143.8% larger than aid received Elgin Community College ($12,552 vs. $5,148)
Which college is harder to get into, ECC or Northern Illinois? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Northern Illinois or ECC .
ECC vs. Northern Illinois Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, ECC 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 ECC.
- Graduates from Northern Illinois University earn on average $12,100 more per year than ECC graduates after ten years. ($47,600 vs. $35,500)
- Elgin Community College students graduate with a $18,466 lower median federal student loan debt than Northern Illinois graduates. ($5,393 vs. $23,859)
- ECC graduates are paying $191 less per month on federal student loans than Northern Illinois graduates. ($55 vs. $246)
- More Northern Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ECC students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 44%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/