IU Northwest vs. Eastern

Should I go to Indiana University Northwest or Eastern Kentucky University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if IU Northwest or Eastern 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

WKU Purdue Calumet NKU BSU Kentucky DePaul Morehead State University Louisville Cumberland College ETSU Murray State University IU
Indiana University Northwest vs. Eastern Kentucky University comparison
Indiana University Northwest Eastern Kentucky University College 3 College 4
Indiana University Northwest Eastern Kentucky University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

IU Northwest Eastern
Location Gary, IN Richmond, KY
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 3,198 14,324
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #882 #854
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iun.edu eku.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

IU Northwest Eastern
Tuition (In State) $7,274 $9,544
Tuition (Out of State) $20,634 $19,922
Room & Board $9,412 $10,360
Avg Net Price $6,553 $10,806
Avg Grant Aid $8,754 $10,583
% Receiving Grant Aid 80% 98%

Admission

IU Northwest Eastern
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,915 15,821
Admitted 1,538 10,174
Acceptance Rate 80.3% 64.3%
Enrolled % 27.3% 26.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.14 3.39
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Easy Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/25 17/24
SAT Range 950/1170 940/1185
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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

IU Northwest Eastern
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (33%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (13%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (14%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)

Outcomes

IU Northwest Eastern
Graduation Rate 23% 38%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,500 $37,900
Making Student Loan Payments 33% 49%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,030 $23,695
Median Loan Payment $258 $245

Diversity

IU Northwest Eastern
% Men 25% 39%
% Women 75% 61%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 55% 85%
% Black 18% 6%
% Hispanic 20% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

IU Northwest Eastern
% In-State 97% 91%
% Out-of-State 2% 9%

Campus

IU Northwest Eastern
Campus Housing No Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Eastern Kentucky University is larger than than IU Northwest based on total student enrollment (14,324 students vs. 3,198 students)

IU Northwest vs. Eastern Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, IU Northwest or Eastern?

  • Eastern Kentucky University is 31.2% more expensive to attend than IU Northwest for in-state tuition ($9,544.00 vs. $7,274.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 3.6% higher at IU Northwest than Eastern Kentucky University ($20,634.00 vs. $19,922.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Indiana University Northwest than Eastern ($6,553 vs. $10,806)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Indiana University Northwest are 10.1% lower than costs at Eastern Kentucky University ($9,412 vs. $10,360)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Eastern Kentucky University than Indiana University Northwest (98% vs. 80%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Eastern Kentucky University students is 20.9% larger than aid received Indiana University Northwest ($10,583 vs. $8,754)

IU Northwest vs. Eastern Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, IU Northwest or Eastern? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Eastern or IU Northwest .

  • The average SAT score at Eastern Kentucky University (1028) is 100 points higher than at IU Northwest (928)
  • Incoming Eastern students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at IU Northwest (20)
  • Accepted freshman Eastern students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.39) than students at IU Northwest (3.14)
  • IU Northwest has a higher acceptance rate (80.3%) than Eastern (64.3%)

IU Northwest vs. Eastern Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, IU Northwest or Eastern? 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 Eastern and IU Northwest.

  • The graduation rate at Eastern is higher than Indiana University Northwest (38% vs. 23%)
  • Graduates from Indiana University Northwest earn on average $1,600 more per year than Eastern graduates after ten years. ($39,500 vs. $37,900)
  • Eastern Kentucky University students graduate with a $1,335 lower median federal student loan debt than IU Northwest graduates. ($23,695 vs. $25,030)
  • Eastern graduates are paying $13 less per month on federal student loans than IU Northwest graduates. ($245 vs. $258)
  • More Eastern graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former IU Northwest students, three years after graduation. (49% vs. 33%)

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