Northeastern Illinois University vs. VSU

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

Northeastern Illinois University VSU
Location Chicago, IL Petersburg, VA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 5,756 4,648
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #629 #980
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website neiu.edu vsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northeastern Illinois University VSU
Tuition (In State) $10,091 $5,540
Tuition (Out of State) $20,182 $16,542
Room & Board $10,742 $11,544
Avg Net Price $14,262 $15,773
Avg Grant Aid $15,143 $11,498
% Receiving Grant Aid 85% 92%

Admission

Northeastern Illinois University VSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,603 8,230
Admitted 2,886 7,384
Acceptance Rate 62.7% 89.7%
Enrolled % 17.9% 18.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.1 2.85
Typical High School Grades B B-
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 15/21 14/17
SAT Range 810/1010 830/1030
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 May 1, 2025

Academics

Northeastern Illinois University VSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • General Studies (7%)

Outcomes

Northeastern Illinois University VSU
Graduation Rate 23% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,000 $36,700
Making Student Loan Payments 56% 28%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,500 $29,500
Median Loan Payment $149 $305

Diversity

Northeastern Illinois University VSU
% Men 39% 40%
% Women 61% 60%
Racial Diversity Very High Very Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 33% 3%
% Black 10% 87%
% Hispanic 37% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 0%
% International 4% 0%
% Unknown Race 3% 7%

Students

Northeastern Illinois University VSU
% In-State 97% 72%
% Out-of-State 2% 27%

Campus

Northeastern Illinois University VSU
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 VSU based on total student enrollment (5,756 students vs. 4,648 students)

Northeastern Illinois University vs. VSU Cost Comparison

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

  • Northeastern Illinois University is 82.1% more expensive to attend than VSU for in-state tuition ($10,091.00 vs. $5,540.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 22% higher at Northeastern Illinois University than Virginia State University ($20,182.00 vs. $16,542.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northeastern Illinois University than VSU ($14,262 vs. $15,773)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northeastern Illinois University are 7.5% lower than costs at Virginia State University ($10,742 vs. $11,544)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Virginia State University than Northeastern Illinois University (92% vs. 85%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northeastern Illinois University students is 31.7% larger than aid received Virginia State University ($15,143 vs. $11,498)

Northeastern Illinois University vs. VSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northeastern Illinois University (870) is 13 points higher than at VSU (857)
  • Incoming Northeastern Illinois University students have at the same average ACT score (18) as students at VSU (18)
  • Accepted freshman Northeastern Illinois University students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.1) than students at VSU (2.85)
  • VSU has a higher acceptance rate (89.7%) than Northeastern Illinois University (62.7%)

Northeastern Illinois University vs. VSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at VSU is higher than Northeastern Illinois University (40% vs. 23%)
  • Graduates from Northeastern Illinois University earn on average $3,300 more per year than VSU graduates after ten years. ($40,000 vs. $36,700)
  • Northeastern Illinois University students graduate with a $15,000 lower median federal student loan debt than VSU graduates. ($14,500 vs. $29,500)
  • Northeastern Illinois University graduates are paying $156 less per month on federal student loans than VSU graduates. ($149 vs. $305)
  • More Northeastern Illinois University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VSU students, three years after graduation. (56% vs. 28%)

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