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Georgia State KSU ISU Southern Illinois University UIC Western Illinois University Georgia VSU North Georgia DePaul Illinois Georgia College| Georgia Southern University | Northern Illinois University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
GS | Northern Illinois | ||
| Location | Statesboro, GA | Dekalb, IL | ||
| Setting | Remote Town | Small Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 26,041 | 15,504 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #931 | #488 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | georgiasouthern.edu | niu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
GS | Northern Illinois | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $4,371 | $9,790 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $15,425 | $9,790 | ||
| Room & Board | $10,993 | $12,800 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $16,957 | $13,533 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $8,075 | $13,565 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 89% | 98% |
Admission |
GS | Northern Illinois | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 14,410 | 24,177 | ||
| Admitted | 12,916 | 17,033 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 89.6% | 70.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 36.8% | 12.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.36 | 3.3 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very Easy | Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 18/23 | 19/25 | ||
| SAT Range | 980/1160 | 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 | May 1, 2026 | Aug 1, 2026 |
Academics |
GS | Northern Illinois | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 24:1 | 14:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
GS | Northern Illinois | ||
| Graduation Rate | 47% | 56% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $44,800 | $47,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 52% | 61% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $23,000 | $23,859 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $237 | $246 |
Diversity |
GS | Northern Illinois | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 4% | 11% | ||
| % Women | 10% | 16% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Medium | High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 62% | 57% | ||
| % Black | 26% | 16% | ||
| % Hispanic | 5% | 15% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 3% | ||
| % International | 1% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 1% |
Students |
GS | Northern Illinois | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 91% | 93% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 7% | 5% | ||
Campus |
GS | 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
- Georgia Southern University is larger than than Northern Illinois based on total student enrollment (26,041 students vs. 15,504 students)
GS vs. Northern Illinois Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, GS or Northern Illinois?
- Northern Illinois University is 124% more expensive to attend than GS for in-state tuition ($9,790.00 vs. $4,371.00)
- Out of state tuition is 57.6% higher at GS than Northern Illinois University ($15,425.00 vs. $9,790.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Illinois University than GS ($13,533 vs. $16,957)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Georgia Southern University are 16.4% lower than costs at Northern Illinois University ($10,993 vs. $12,800)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Illinois University than Georgia Southern University (98% vs. 89%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Illinois University students is 68% larger than aid received Georgia Southern University ($13,565 vs. $8,075)
GS vs. Northern Illinois Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, GS or Northern Illinois? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Northern Illinois or GS .
- The average SAT score at Georgia Southern University (1089) is 60 points higher than at Northern Illinois (1029)
- Incoming GS students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Northern Illinois (22)
- Accepted freshman GS students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.36) than students at Northern Illinois (3.3)
- GS has a higher acceptance rate (89.6%) than Northern Illinois (70.5%)
GS vs. Northern Illinois Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, GS 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 GS.
- The graduation rate at Northern Illinois is higher than Georgia Southern University (56% vs. 47%)
- Graduates from Northern Illinois University earn on average $2,800 more per year than GS graduates after ten years. ($47,600 vs. $44,800)
- Georgia Southern University students graduate with a $859 lower median federal student loan debt than Northern Illinois graduates. ($23,000 vs. $23,859)
- GS graduates are paying $9 less per month on federal student loans than Northern Illinois graduates. ($237 vs. $246)
- More Northern Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former GS students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 52%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/