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ISU Southern Illinois University UIC Western Illinois University Elmhurst College DePaul Illinois WMU EIU Bradley University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Loyola| North Central College | Northern Illinois University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
North Central College | Northern Illinois | ||
| Location | Naperville, IL | Dekalb, IL | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Small Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 2,695 | 15,649 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #340 | #454 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | United Methodist | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | northcentralcollege.edu | niu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
North Central College | Northern Illinois | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $42,866 | $9,790 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $42,866 | $9,790 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,998 | $11,420 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $25,285 | $13,884 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $30,776 | $12,552 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 100% | 99% |
Admission |
North Central College | Northern Illinois | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 5,099 | 25,961 | ||
| Admitted | 3,104 | 18,348 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 60.9% | 70.7% | ||
| Enrolled % | 15.6% | 13.3% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.6 | 3.3 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Average | Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 22/28 | 19/25 | ||
| SAT Range | 1020/1240 | 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 15, 2025 | Aug 1, 2025 |
Academics |
North Central College | Northern Illinois | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 12:1 | 14:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
North Central College | Northern Illinois | ||
| Graduation Rate | 64% | 56% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $48,900 | $47,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 74% | 61% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $25,000 | $23,859 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $258 | $246 |
Diversity |
North Central College | Northern Illinois | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 47% | 46% | ||
| % Women | 53% | 54% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 71% | 57% | ||
| % Black | 4% | 16% | ||
| % Hispanic | 11% | 15% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 3% | ||
| % International | 2% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 7% | 1% |
Students |
North Central College | Northern Illinois | ||
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| % In-State | 85% | 93% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 11% | 5% | ||
Campus |
North Central College | Northern Illinois | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Northern Illinois University is larger than than North Central College based on total student enrollment (15,649 students vs. 2,695 students)
North Central College vs. Northern Illinois Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, North Central College or Northern Illinois?
- North Central College is 337.9% more expensive to attend than Northern Illinois for in-state tuition ($42,866.00 vs. $9,790.00)
- Out of state tuition is 337.9% higher at North Central College than Northern Illinois University ($42,866.00 vs. $9,790.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Illinois University than North Central College ($13,884 vs. $25,285)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Illinois University are 5.1% lower than costs at North Central College ($11,420 vs. $11,998)
- More students receive financial grant aid at North Central College than Northern Illinois University (100% vs. 99%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by North Central College students is 145.2% larger than aid received Northern Illinois University ($30,776 vs. $12,552)
North Central College vs. Northern Illinois Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, North Central College or Northern Illinois? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Northern Illinois or North Central College .
- The average SAT score at North Central College (1125) is 96 points higher than at Northern Illinois (1029)
- Incoming North Central College students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Northern Illinois (22)
- Accepted freshman North Central College students have a 0.3 point higher average high school GPA (3.6) than students at Northern Illinois (3.3)
- Northern Illinois has a higher acceptance rate (70.7%) than North Central College (60.9%)
North Central College vs. Northern Illinois Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, North Central College 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 North Central College.
- The graduation rate at North Central College is higher than Northern Illinois University (64% vs. 56%)
- Graduates from North Central College earn on average $1,300 more per year than Northern Illinois graduates after ten years. ($48,900 vs. $47,600)
- Northern Illinois University students graduate with a $1,141 lower median federal student loan debt than North Central College graduates. ($23,859 vs. $25,000)
- Northern Illinois graduates are paying $12 less per month on federal student loans than North Central College graduates. ($246 vs. $258)
- More North Central College 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/