ISU vs. Northeastern Illinois University

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

 ISU Northeastern Illinois University
Location Normal, IL Chicago, IL
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 20,683 5,756
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #493 #629
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinoisstate.edu neiu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 ISU Northeastern Illinois University
Tuition (In State) $11,840 $10,091
Tuition (Out of State) $23,681 $20,182
Room & Board $10,602 $10,742
Avg Net Price $20,551 $14,262
Avg Grant Aid $11,619 $15,143
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 85%

Admission

 ISU Northeastern Illinois University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,596 4,603
Admitted 16,899 2,886
Acceptance Rate 86.2% 62.7%
Enrolled % 23.6% 17.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.1
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Moderate Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/27 15/21
SAT Range 1000/1210 810/1010
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 Jul 15, 2025

Academics

 ISU Northeastern Illinois University
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)

Outcomes

 ISU Northeastern Illinois University
Graduation Rate 71% 23%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,000 $40,000
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,000 $14,500
Median Loan Payment $227 $149

Diversity

 ISU Northeastern Illinois University
% Men 42% 39%
% Women 58% 61%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 77% 33%
% Black 8% 10%
% Hispanic 9% 37%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 0% 4%
% Unknown Race 0% 3%

Students

 ISU Northeastern Illinois University
% In-State 96% 97%
% Out-of-State 3% 2%

Campus

 ISU Northeastern Illinois University
Campus Housing Yes No
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Illinois State University is larger than than Northeastern Illinois University based on total student enrollment (20,683 students vs. 5,756 students)

ISU vs. Northeastern Illinois University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or Northeastern Illinois University?

  • Illinois State University is 17.3% more expensive to attend than Northeastern Illinois University for in-state tuition ($11,840.00 vs. $10,091.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 17.3% higher at ISU than Northeastern Illinois University ($23,681.00 vs. $20,182.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northeastern Illinois University than ISU ($14,262 vs. $20,551)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois State University are 1.3% lower than costs at Northeastern Illinois University ($10,602 vs. $10,742)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois State University than Northeastern Illinois University (97% vs. 85%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northeastern Illinois University students is 30.3% larger than aid received Illinois State University ($15,143 vs. $11,619)

ISU vs. Northeastern Illinois University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Illinois State University (1090) is 220 points higher than at Northeastern Illinois University (870)
  • Incoming ISU students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Northeastern Illinois University (18)
  • Accepted freshman ISU students have a 0.31 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at Northeastern Illinois University (3.1)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (86.2%) than Northeastern Illinois University (62.7%)

ISU vs. Northeastern Illinois University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ISU or Northeastern Illinois University? 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 Northeastern Illinois University and ISU.

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than Northeastern Illinois University (71% vs. 23%)
  • Graduates from Illinois State University earn on average $9,000 more per year than Northeastern Illinois University graduates after ten years. ($49,000 vs. $40,000)
  • Northeastern Illinois University students graduate with a $7,500 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($14,500 vs. $22,000)
  • Northeastern Illinois University graduates are paying $78 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($149 vs. $227)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northeastern Illinois University students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 56%)

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