Northeastern Illinois University vs. UM-Dearborn

Should I go to Northeastern Illinois University or University of Michigan Dearborn? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Northeastern Illinois University or UM-Dearborn 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. University of Michigan Dearborn comparison
Northeastern Illinois University University of Michigan Dearborn College 3 College 4
Northeastern Illinois University University of Michigan Dearborn
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Overview

 Northeastern Illinois University UM-Dearborn
Location Chicago, IL Dearborn, MI
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 5,504 8,035
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #736 #405
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website neiu.edu umich.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Northeastern Illinois University UM-Dearborn
Tuition (In State) $10,343 $14,544
Tuition (Out of State) $20,686 $30,960
Room & Board $10,742 $10,803
Avg Net Price $14,669 $12,798
Avg Grant Aid $12,560 $9,552
% Receiving Grant Aid 85% 96%

Admission

 Northeastern Illinois University UM-Dearborn
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,481 12,373
Admitted 5,971 7,254
Acceptance Rate 70.4% 58.6%
Enrolled % 9.3% 15.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.1 3.66
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Challenging
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 15/21 23/30
SAT Range 810/1010 990/1260
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 Apr 1, 2026

Academics

 Northeastern Illinois University UM-Dearborn
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Biology (8%)

Outcomes

 Northeastern Illinois University UM-Dearborn
Graduation Rate 23% 49%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,000 $52,800
Making Student Loan Payments 56% 46%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,500 $25,750
Median Loan Payment $149 $266

Diversity

 Northeastern Illinois University UM-Dearborn
% Men 9% 15%
% Women 18% 9%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 33% 69%
% Black 10% 9%
% Hispanic 37% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 4% 2%
% Unknown Race 3% 3%

Students

 Northeastern Illinois University UM-Dearborn
% In-State 98% 93%
% Out-of-State 1% 3%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Michigan Dearborn is larger than than Northeastern Illinois University based on total student enrollment (8,035 students vs. 5,504 students)

Northeastern Illinois University vs. UM-Dearborn Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northeastern Illinois University or UM-Dearborn?

  • University of Michigan Dearborn is 40.6% more expensive to attend than Northeastern Illinois University for in-state tuition ($14,544.00 vs. $10,343.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 49.7% higher at UM-Dearborn than Northeastern Illinois University ($30,960.00 vs. $20,686.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Michigan Dearborn than Northeastern Illinois University ($12,798 vs. $14,669)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northeastern Illinois University are 0.6% lower than costs at University of Michigan Dearborn ($10,742 vs. $10,803)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Michigan Dearborn than Northeastern Illinois University (96% vs. 85%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northeastern Illinois University students is 31.5% larger than aid received University of Michigan Dearborn ($12,560 vs. $9,552)

Northeastern Illinois University vs. UM-Dearborn Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Michigan Dearborn (1105) is 235 points higher than at Northeastern Illinois University (870)
  • Incoming UM-Dearborn students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Northeastern Illinois University (18)
  • Accepted freshman UM-Dearborn students have a 0.56 point higher average high school GPA (3.66) than students at Northeastern Illinois University (3.1)
  • Northeastern Illinois University has a higher acceptance rate (70.4%) than UM-Dearborn (58.6%)

Northeastern Illinois University vs. UM-Dearborn Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Northeastern Illinois University or UM-Dearborn? 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 UM-Dearborn and Northeastern Illinois University.

  • The graduation rate at UM-Dearborn is higher than Northeastern Illinois University (49% vs. 23%)
  • Graduates from University of Michigan Dearborn earn on average $12,800 more per year than Northeastern Illinois University graduates after ten years. ($52,800 vs. $40,000)
  • Northeastern Illinois University students graduate with a $11,250 lower median federal student loan debt than UM-Dearborn graduates. ($14,500 vs. $25,750)
  • Northeastern Illinois University graduates are paying $117 less per month on federal student loans than UM-Dearborn graduates. ($149 vs. $266)
  • More Northeastern Illinois University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UM-Dearborn students, three years after graduation. (56% vs. 46%)

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