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Marquette University UIC ISU Southern Illinois University Northwestern Illinois UChicago Western Illinois University Butler DePaul Bradley Purdue| Loyola University Chicago | Northern Illinois University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Loyola | Northern Illinois | ||
| Location | Chicago, IL | Dekalb, IL | ||
| Setting | Large City | Small Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 17,397 | 15,504 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #224 | #488 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | Roman Catholic | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | luc.edu | niu.edu | ||
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Costs |
Loyola | Northern Illinois | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $50,270 | $9,790 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $50,270 | $9,790 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,894 | $12,800 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $37,592 | $13,533 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $27,123 | $13,565 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 99% | 98% |
Admission |
Loyola | Northern Illinois | ||
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| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 40,468 | 24,177 | ||
| Admitted | 32,937 | 17,033 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 81.4% | 70.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 9% | 12.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.71 | 3.3 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Difficult | Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 27/31 | 19/25 | ||
| SAT Range | 1160/1340 | 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 | Aug 1, 2026 |
Academics |
Loyola | Northern Illinois | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 13:1 | 14:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Loyola | Northern Illinois | ||
| Graduation Rate | 70% | 56% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $59,800 | $47,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 76% | 61% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $25,000 | $23,859 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $258 | $246 |
Diversity |
Loyola | Northern Illinois | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 9% | 11% | ||
| % Women | 20% | 16% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 58% | 57% | ||
| % Black | 4% | 16% | ||
| % Hispanic | 14% | 15% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 3% | ||
| % International | 5% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 1% |
Students |
Loyola | Northern Illinois | ||
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| % In-State | 56% | 93% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 42% | 5% | ||
Campus |
Loyola | Northern Illinois | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Loyola University Chicago is larger than than Northern Illinois based on total student enrollment (17,397 students vs. 15,504 students)
Loyola vs. Northern Illinois Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Loyola or Northern Illinois?
- Loyola University Chicago is 413.5% more expensive to attend than Northern Illinois for in-state tuition ($50,270.00 vs. $9,790.00)
- Out of state tuition is 413.5% higher at Loyola than Northern Illinois University ($50,270.00 vs. $9,790.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Illinois University than Loyola ($13,533 vs. $37,592)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Illinois University are 32% lower than costs at Loyola University Chicago ($12,800 vs. $16,894)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Loyola University Chicago than Northern Illinois University (99% vs. 98%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Loyola University Chicago students is 99.9% larger than aid received Northern Illinois University ($27,123 vs. $13,565)
Loyola vs. Northern Illinois Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Loyola or Northern Illinois? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Northern Illinois or Loyola .
- The average SAT score at Loyola University Chicago (1195) is 166 points higher than at Northern Illinois (1029)
- Incoming Loyola students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Northern Illinois (22)
- Accepted freshman Loyola students have a 0.41 point higher average high school GPA (3.71) than students at Northern Illinois (3.3)
- Loyola has a higher acceptance rate (81.4%) than Northern Illinois (70.5%)
Loyola vs. Northern Illinois Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Loyola 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 Loyola.
- The graduation rate at Loyola is higher than Northern Illinois University (70% vs. 56%)
- Graduates from Loyola University Chicago earn on average $12,200 more per year than Northern Illinois graduates after ten years. ($59,800 vs. $47,600)
- Northern Illinois University students graduate with a $1,141 lower median federal student loan debt than Loyola graduates. ($23,859 vs. $25,000)
- Northern Illinois graduates are paying $12 less per month on federal student loans than Loyola graduates. ($246 vs. $258)
- More Loyola graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northern Illinois students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 61%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/