Northeastern Illinois University vs. VCM

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

Northeastern Illinois University VCM
Location Chicago, IL Chicago, IL
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 5,756 263
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #629
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website neiu.edu vandercook.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northeastern Illinois University VCM
Tuition (In State) $10,091 $27,670
Tuition (Out of State) $20,182 $27,670
Room & Board $10,742 $7,500
Avg Net Price $14,262 $12,436
Avg Grant Aid $15,143 $27,884
% Receiving Grant Aid 85% 100%

Admission

Northeastern Illinois University VCM
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,603 22
Admitted 2,886 22
Acceptance Rate 62.7% 100%
Enrolled % 17.9% 50%
Avg High School GPA 3.1 3.1
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 15/21 15/20
SAT Range 810/1010 890/1160
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 Apr 1, 2025

Academics

Northeastern Illinois University VCM
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 4:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Education (100%)

Outcomes

Northeastern Illinois University VCM
Graduation Rate 23% 45%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,000 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 56% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,500 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $149 $279

Diversity

Northeastern Illinois University VCM
% Men 39% 43%
% Women 61% 57%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 33% 62%
% Black 10% 8%
% Hispanic 37% 21%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 4% 2%
% Unknown Race 3% 2%

Students

Northeastern Illinois University VCM
% In-State 97% 58%
% Out-of-State 2% 42%

Campus

Northeastern Illinois University VCM
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 VCM based on total student enrollment (5,756 students vs. 263 students)

Northeastern Illinois University vs. VCM Cost Comparison

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

  • VanderCook College of Music is 174.2% more expensive to attend than Northeastern Illinois University for in-state tuition ($27,670.00 vs. $10,091.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 37.1% higher at VCM than Northeastern Illinois University ($27,670.00 vs. $20,182.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at VanderCook College of Music than Northeastern Illinois University ($12,436 vs. $14,262)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at VanderCook College of Music are 43.2% lower than costs at Northeastern Illinois University ($7,500 vs. $10,742)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at VanderCook College of Music than Northeastern Illinois University (100% vs. 85%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by VanderCook College of Music students is 84.1% larger than aid received Northeastern Illinois University ($27,884 vs. $15,143)

Northeastern Illinois University vs. VCM Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at VanderCook College of Music (1107) is 237 points higher than at Northeastern Illinois University (870)
  • Incoming VCM students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Northeastern Illinois University (18)
  • Accepted freshman Northeastern Illinois University students have at the same average high school GPA (3.1) as students at VCM (3.1)
  • VCM has a higher acceptance rate (100%) than Northeastern Illinois University (62.7%)

Northeastern Illinois University vs. VCM Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at VCM is higher than Northeastern Illinois University (45% vs. 23%)
  • Northeastern Illinois University students graduate with a $12,500 lower median federal student loan debt than VCM graduates. ($14,500 vs. $27,000)
  • Northeastern Illinois University graduates are paying $130 less per month on federal student loans than VCM graduates. ($149 vs. $279)
  • More VCM graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northeastern Illinois University students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 56%)

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