Northeastern Illinois University vs. UW-Eau Claire

Should I go to Northeastern Illinois University or University of Wisconsin Eau Claire? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Northeastern Illinois University or UW-Eau Claire 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 Wisconsin Eau Claire comparison
Northeastern Illinois University University of Wisconsin Eau Claire College 3 College 4
Northeastern Illinois University University of Wisconsin Eau Claire
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Overview

 Northeastern Illinois University UW-Eau Claire
Location Chicago, IL Eau Claire, WI
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 5,756 10,104
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #629 #565
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website neiu.edu uwec.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Northeastern Illinois University UW-Eau Claire
Tuition (In State) $10,091 $7,361
Tuition (Out of State) $20,182 $16,074
Room & Board $10,742 $9,014
Avg Net Price $14,262 $15,000
Avg Grant Aid $15,143 $4,251
% Receiving Grant Aid 85% 76%

Admission

 Northeastern Illinois University UW-Eau Claire
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,603 10,403
Admitted 2,886 7,971
Acceptance Rate 62.7% 76.6%
Enrolled % 17.9% 26.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.1 3.59
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 15/21 21/26
SAT Range 810/1010
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jul 15, 2025 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

 Northeastern Illinois University UW-Eau Claire
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

 Northeastern Illinois University UW-Eau Claire
Graduation Rate 23% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,000 $47,900
Making Student Loan Payments 56% 76%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,500 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $149 $240

Diversity

 Northeastern Illinois University UW-Eau Claire
% Men 39% 40%
% Women 61% 60%
Racial Diversity Very High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 33% 89%
% Black 10% 1%
% Hispanic 37% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 4% 2%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

 Northeastern Illinois University UW-Eau Claire
% In-State 97% 64%
% Out-of-State 2% 35%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Wisconsin Eau Claire is larger than than Northeastern Illinois University based on total student enrollment (10,104 students vs. 5,756 students)

Northeastern Illinois University vs. UW-Eau Claire Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northeastern Illinois University or UW-Eau Claire?

  • Northeastern Illinois University is 37.1% more expensive to attend than UW-Eau Claire for in-state tuition ($10,091.00 vs. $7,361.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 25.6% higher at Northeastern Illinois University than University of Wisconsin Eau Claire ($20,182.00 vs. $16,074.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northeastern Illinois University than UW-Eau Claire ($14,262 vs. $15,000)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Wisconsin Eau Claire are 19.2% lower than costs at Northeastern Illinois University ($9,014 vs. $10,742)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northeastern Illinois University than University of Wisconsin Eau Claire (85% vs. 76%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northeastern Illinois University students is 256.2% larger than aid received University of Wisconsin Eau Claire ($15,143 vs. $4,251)

Northeastern Illinois University vs. UW-Eau Claire Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Wisconsin Eau Claire (1110) is 240 points higher than at Northeastern Illinois University (870)
  • Incoming UW-Eau Claire students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Northeastern Illinois University (18)
  • Accepted freshman UW-Eau Claire students have a 0.49 point higher average high school GPA (3.59) than students at Northeastern Illinois University (3.1)
  • UW-Eau Claire has a higher acceptance rate (76.6%) than Northeastern Illinois University (62.7%)

Northeastern Illinois University vs. UW-Eau Claire Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Northeastern Illinois University or UW-Eau Claire? 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 UW-Eau Claire and Northeastern Illinois University.

  • The graduation rate at UW-Eau Claire is higher than Northeastern Illinois University (65% vs. 23%)
  • Graduates from University of Wisconsin Eau Claire earn on average $7,900 more per year than Northeastern Illinois University graduates after ten years. ($47,900 vs. $40,000)
  • Northeastern Illinois University students graduate with a $8,750 lower median federal student loan debt than UW-Eau Claire graduates. ($14,500 vs. $23,250)
  • Northeastern Illinois University graduates are paying $91 less per month on federal student loans than UW-Eau Claire graduates. ($149 vs. $240)
  • More UW-Eau Claire graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northeastern Illinois University students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 56%)

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