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Illinois Southern Illinois University UIC Western Illinois University DePaul EIU IWU WMU Bradley University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Loyola IIT| Illinois State University | Northern Illinois University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
ISU | Northern Illinois | ||
| Location | Normal, IL | Dekalb, IL | ||
| Setting | Small City | Small Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 20,989 | 15,504 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #501 | #488 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | illinoisstate.edu | niu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
ISU | Northern Illinois | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $12,066 | $9,790 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $24,131 | $9,790 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,584 | $12,800 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $20,871 | $13,533 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $11,590 | $13,565 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 96% | 98% |
Admission |
ISU | Northern Illinois | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 20,884 | 24,177 | ||
| Admitted | 18,589 | 17,033 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 89% | 70.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 22.3% | 12.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.41 | 3.3 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Average | Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 22/27 | 19/25 | ||
| SAT Range | 1010/1230 | 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, 2026 | Aug 1, 2026 |
Academics |
ISU | Northern Illinois | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 19:1 | 14:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
ISU | Northern Illinois | ||
| Graduation Rate | 71% | 56% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $49,000 | $47,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 74% | 61% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $22,000 | $23,859 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $227 | $246 |
Diversity |
ISU | Northern Illinois | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 4% | 11% | ||
| % Women | 8% | 16% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 77% | 57% | ||
| % Black | 8% | 16% | ||
| % Hispanic | 9% | 15% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 3% | ||
| % International | 0% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 1% |
Students |
ISU | Northern Illinois | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 96% | 93% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 3% | 5% | ||
Campus |
ISU | Northern Illinois | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Illinois State University is larger than than Northern Illinois based on total student enrollment (20,989 students vs. 15,504 students)
ISU vs. Northern Illinois Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, ISU or Northern Illinois?
- Illinois State University is 23.2% more expensive to attend than Northern Illinois for in-state tuition ($12,066.00 vs. $9,790.00)
- Out of state tuition is 146.5% higher at ISU than Northern Illinois University ($24,131.00 vs. $9,790.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Illinois University than ISU ($13,533 vs. $20,871)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois State University are 10.5% lower than costs at Northern Illinois University ($11,584 vs. $12,800)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Illinois University than Illinois State University (98% vs. 96%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Illinois University students is 17% larger than aid received Illinois State University ($13,565 vs. $11,590)
ISU vs. Northern Illinois Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, ISU or Northern Illinois? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Northern Illinois or ISU .
- The average SAT score at Illinois State University (1090) is 61 points higher than at Northern Illinois (1029)
- Incoming ISU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Northern Illinois (22)
- Accepted freshman ISU students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at Northern Illinois (3.3)
- ISU has a higher acceptance rate (89%) than Northern Illinois (70.5%)
ISU vs. Northern Illinois Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, ISU 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 ISU.
- The graduation rate at ISU is higher than Northern Illinois University (71% vs. 56%)
- Graduates from Illinois State University earn on average $1,400 more per year than Northern Illinois graduates after ten years. ($49,000 vs. $47,600)
- Illinois State University students graduate with a $1,859 lower median federal student loan debt than Northern Illinois graduates. ($22,000 vs. $23,859)
- ISU graduates are paying $19 less per month on federal student loans than Northern Illinois graduates. ($227 vs. $246)
- More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northern Illinois students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 61%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/