Northeastern Illinois University vs. CCS

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

 Northeastern Illinois University CCS
Location Chicago, IL Detroit, MI
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 5,504 1,459
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #736
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website neiu.edu collegeforcreativestudies.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Northeastern Illinois University CCS
Tuition (In State) $10,343 $49,950
Tuition (Out of State) $20,686 $49,950
Room & Board $10,742 $11,040
Avg Net Price $14,669 $34,436
Avg Grant Aid $12,560 $26,983
% Receiving Grant Aid 85% 99%

Admission

 Northeastern Illinois University CCS
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,481 1,132
Admitted 5,971 1,050
Acceptance Rate 70.4% 92.8%
Enrolled % 9.3% 25%
Avg High School GPA 3.1 3.19
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 15/21
SAT Range 810/1010
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jul 15, 2026

Academics

 Northeastern Illinois University CCS
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (87%)
  • Communications Technology (13%)

Outcomes

 Northeastern Illinois University CCS
Graduation Rate 23% 57%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,000 $46,100
Making Student Loan Payments 56% 60%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,500 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $149 $279

Diversity

 Northeastern Illinois University CCS
% Men 9% 2%
% Women 18% 2%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 33% 58%
% Black 10% 10%
% Hispanic 37% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 4% 7%
% Unknown Race 3% 11%

Students

 Northeastern Illinois University CCS
% In-State 98% 76%
% Out-of-State 1% 18%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Northeastern Illinois University is larger than than CCS based on total student enrollment (5,504 students vs. 1,459 students)

Northeastern Illinois University vs. CCS Cost Comparison

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

  • College for Creative Studies is 382.9% more expensive to attend than Northeastern Illinois University for in-state tuition ($49,950.00 vs. $10,343.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 141.5% higher at CCS than Northeastern Illinois University ($49,950.00 vs. $20,686.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northeastern Illinois University than CCS ($14,669 vs. $34,436)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northeastern Illinois University are 2.8% lower than costs at College for Creative Studies ($10,742 vs. $11,040)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at College for Creative Studies than Northeastern Illinois University (99% vs. 85%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by College for Creative Studies students is 114.8% larger than aid received Northeastern Illinois University ($26,983 vs. $12,560)

Northeastern Illinois University vs. CCS Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at College for Creative Studies (1070) is 200 points higher than at Northeastern Illinois University (870)
  • Incoming CCS students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Northeastern Illinois University (18)
  • Accepted freshman CCS students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.19) than students at Northeastern Illinois University (3.1)
  • CCS has a higher acceptance rate (92.8%) than Northeastern Illinois University (70.4%)

Northeastern Illinois University vs. CCS Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at CCS is higher than Northeastern Illinois University (57% vs. 23%)
  • Graduates from College for Creative Studies earn on average $6,100 more per year than Northeastern Illinois University graduates after ten years. ($46,100 vs. $40,000)
  • Northeastern Illinois University students graduate with a $12,500 lower median federal student loan debt than CCS graduates. ($14,500 vs. $27,000)
  • Northeastern Illinois University graduates are paying $130 less per month on federal student loans than CCS graduates. ($149 vs. $279)
  • More CCS graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northeastern Illinois University students, three years after graduation. (60% vs. 56%)

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