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ISU Southern Illinois University UIC Western Illinois University DePaul Illinois WMU EIU Bradley University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Loyola Northwest| Governors State University | Northern Illinois University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
GSU | Northern Illinois | ||
| Location | University Park, IL | Dekalb, IL | ||
| Setting | Rural Fringe | Small Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 4,427 | 15,649 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #454 | |||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | govst.edu | niu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
GSU | Northern Illinois | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $7,512 | $9,790 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $15,024 | $9,790 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,000 | $11,420 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $9,833 | $13,884 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $11,987 | $12,552 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 100% | 99% |
Admission |
GSU | Northern Illinois | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 1,865 | 25,961 | ||
| Admitted | 1,072 | 18,348 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 57.5% | 70.7% | ||
| Enrolled % | 29.5% | 13.3% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 4.0 | 3.3 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A/A+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Extremely Easy | Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 19/25 | |||
| SAT Range | 830/1060 | 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 | Apr 1, 2025 | Aug 1, 2025 |
Academics |
GSU | Northern Illinois | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 10:1 | 14:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
GSU | Northern Illinois | ||
| Graduation Rate | - | 56% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $42,600 | $47,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 48% | 61% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $17,250 | $23,859 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $178 | $246 |
Diversity |
GSU | Northern Illinois | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 36% | 46% | ||
| % Women | 64% | 54% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 36% | 57% | ||
| % Black | 38% | 16% | ||
| % Hispanic | 11% | 15% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 3% | ||
| % International | 1% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 9% | 1% |
Students |
GSU | Northern Illinois | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 95% | 93% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 3% | 5% | ||
Campus |
GSU | Northern Illinois | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | |||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | |||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Northern Illinois University is larger than than GSU based on total student enrollment (15,649 students vs. 4,427 students)
GSU vs. Northern Illinois Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, GSU or Northern Illinois?
- Northern Illinois University is 30.3% more expensive to attend than GSU for in-state tuition ($9,790.00 vs. $7,512.00)
- Out of state tuition is 53.5% higher at GSU than Northern Illinois University ($15,024.00 vs. $9,790.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Governors State University than Northern Illinois ($9,833 vs. $13,884)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Governors State University are 3.8% lower than costs at Northern Illinois University ($11,000 vs. $11,420)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Governors State University than Northern Illinois University (100% vs. 99%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Illinois University students is 4.7% larger than aid received Governors State University ($12,552 vs. $11,987)
GSU vs. Northern Illinois Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, GSU or Northern Illinois? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Northern Illinois or GSU .
- The average SAT score at Northern Illinois University (1029) is 118 points higher than at GSU (911)
- Incoming Northern Illinois students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at GSU (19)
- Accepted freshman GSU students have a 0.7 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Northern Illinois (3.3)
- Northern Illinois has a higher acceptance rate (70.7%) than GSU (57.5%)
GSU vs. Northern Illinois Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, GSU 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 GSU.
- Graduates from Northern Illinois University earn on average $5,000 more per year than GSU graduates after ten years. ($47,600 vs. $42,600)
- Governors State University students graduate with a $6,609 lower median federal student loan debt than Northern Illinois graduates. ($17,250 vs. $23,859)
- GSU graduates are paying $68 less per month on federal student loans than Northern Illinois graduates. ($178 vs. $246)
- More Northern Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former GSU students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 48%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/