Northeastern Illinois University vs. LEC

Should I go to Northeastern Illinois University or Lake Erie College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Northeastern Illinois University or LEC 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. Lake Erie College comparison
Northeastern Illinois University Lake Erie College College 3 College 4
Northeastern Illinois University
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Overview

 Northeastern Illinois University LEC
Location Chicago, IL Painesville, OH
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 5,504 942
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #736
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website neiu.edu lec.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Northeastern Illinois University LEC
Tuition (In State) $10,343 $34,596
Tuition (Out of State) $20,686 $34,596
Room & Board $10,742 $11,592
Avg Net Price $14,669 $22,322
Avg Grant Aid $12,560 $26,289
% Receiving Grant Aid 85% 100%

Admission

 Northeastern Illinois University LEC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,481 1,193
Admitted 5,971 765
Acceptance Rate 70.4% 64.1%
Enrolled % 9.3% 24.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.1 3.19
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 15/21 18/24
SAT Range 810/1010 945/1115
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jul 15, 2026 Aug 1, 2026

Academics

 Northeastern Illinois University LEC
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Business (36%)
  • Agriculture (12%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

 Northeastern Illinois University LEC
Graduation Rate 23% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,000 $36,600
Making Student Loan Payments 56% 62%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,500 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $149 $279

Diversity

 Northeastern Illinois University LEC
% Men 9% 8%
% Women 18% 13%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 33% 77%
% Black 10% 10%
% Hispanic 37% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 4% 4%
% Unknown Race 3% 3%

Students

 Northeastern Illinois University LEC
% In-State 98% 54%
% Out-of-State 1% 40%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Northeastern Illinois University is larger than than LEC based on total student enrollment (5,504 students vs. 942 students)

Northeastern Illinois University vs. LEC Cost Comparison

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

  • Lake Erie College is 234.5% more expensive to attend than Northeastern Illinois University for in-state tuition ($34,596.00 vs. $10,343.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 67.2% higher at LEC than Northeastern Illinois University ($34,596.00 vs. $20,686.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northeastern Illinois University than LEC ($14,669 vs. $22,322)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northeastern Illinois University are 7.9% lower than costs at Lake Erie College ($10,742 vs. $11,592)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Lake Erie College than Northeastern Illinois University (100% vs. 85%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lake Erie College students is 109.3% larger than aid received Northeastern Illinois University ($26,289 vs. $12,560)

Northeastern Illinois University vs. LEC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Lake Erie College (989) is 119 points higher than at Northeastern Illinois University (870)
  • Incoming LEC students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at Northeastern Illinois University (18)
  • Accepted freshman LEC students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.19) than students at Northeastern Illinois University (3.1)
  • Northeastern Illinois University has a higher acceptance rate (70.4%) than LEC (64.1%)

Northeastern Illinois University vs. LEC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at LEC is higher than Northeastern Illinois University (53% vs. 23%)
  • Graduates from Northeastern Illinois University earn on average $3,400 more per year than LEC graduates after ten years. ($40,000 vs. $36,600)
  • Northeastern Illinois University students graduate with a $12,500 lower median federal student loan debt than LEC graduates. ($14,500 vs. $27,000)
  • Northeastern Illinois University graduates are paying $130 less per month on federal student loans than LEC graduates. ($149 vs. $279)
  • More LEC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northeastern Illinois University students, three years after graduation. (62% vs. 56%)

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