ISU vs. North Central College

Should I go to Illinois State University or North Central College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if ISU or North Central College 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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Illinois State University vs. North Central College comparison
Illinois State University North Central College College 3 College 4
Illinois State University North Central College
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Overview

ISU North Central College
Location Normal, IL Naperville, IL
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 20,683 2,695
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #493 #340
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinoisstate.edu northcentralcollege.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ISU North Central College
Tuition (In State) $11,840 $42,866
Tuition (Out of State) $23,681 $42,866
Room & Board $10,602 $11,998
Avg Net Price $20,551 $25,285
Avg Grant Aid $11,619 $30,776
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 100%

Admission

ISU North Central College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,596 5,099
Admitted 16,899 3,104
Acceptance Rate 86.2% 60.9%
Enrolled % 23.6% 15.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.6
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/27 22/28
SAT Range 1000/1210 1020/1240
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 Apr 1, 2025 Apr 15, 2025

Academics

ISU North Central College
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (28%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)

Outcomes

ISU North Central College
Graduation Rate 71% 64%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,000 $48,900
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,000 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $227 $258

Diversity

ISU North Central College
% Men 42% 47%
% Women 58% 53%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 77% 71%
% Black 8% 4%
% Hispanic 9% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 7%

Students

ISU North Central College
% In-State 96% 85%
% Out-of-State 3% 11%

Campus

ISU North Central College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Illinois State University is larger than than North Central College based on total student enrollment (20,683 students vs. 2,695 students)

ISU vs. North Central College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or North Central College?

  • North Central College is 262% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($42,866.00 vs. $11,840.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 81% higher at North Central College than Illinois State University ($42,866.00 vs. $23,681.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Illinois State University than North Central College ($20,551 vs. $25,285)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois State University are 13.2% lower than costs at North Central College ($10,602 vs. $11,998)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at North Central College than Illinois State University (100% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by North Central College students is 164.9% larger than aid received Illinois State University ($30,776 vs. $11,619)

ISU vs. North Central College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, ISU or North Central College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between North Central College or ISU .

  • The average SAT score at North Central College (1125) is 35 points higher than at ISU (1090)
  • Incoming North Central College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at ISU (24)
  • Accepted freshman North Central College students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.6) than students at ISU (3.41)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (86.2%) than North Central College (60.9%)

ISU vs. North Central College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ISU or North Central College? 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 North Central College and ISU.

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than North Central College (71% vs. 64%)
  • Graduates from Illinois State University earn on average $100 more per year than North Central College graduates after ten years. ($49,000 vs. $48,900)
  • Illinois State University students graduate with a $3,000 lower median federal student loan debt than North Central College graduates. ($22,000 vs. $25,000)
  • ISU graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than North Central College graduates. ($227 vs. $258)
  • More North Central College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ISU students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 74%)

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