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ISU Southern Illinois University UIC GCU Western Illinois University ASU U of A DePaul Illinois WMU EIU Bradley| Northern Arizona University | Northern Illinois University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
NAU | Northern Illinois | ||
| Location | Flagstaff, AZ | Dekalb, IL | ||
| Setting | Small City | Small Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 28,186 | 15,504 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #488 | |||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | nau.edu | niu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
NAU | Northern Illinois | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,352 | $9,790 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $27,600 | $9,790 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,728 | $12,800 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $16,544 | $13,533 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $12,377 | $13,565 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 95% | 98% |
Admission |
NAU | Northern Illinois | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 37,805 | 24,177 | ||
| Admitted | 34,383 | 17,033 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 90.9% | 70.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 15.9% | 12.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.7 | 3.3 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Unavailable | Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 19/25 | |||
| SAT Range | 940/1170 | |||
| Submit Test Scores | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | ||
| Application Deadline | Aug 1, 2026 | Aug 1, 2026 |
Academics |
NAU | Northern Illinois | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 19:1 | 14:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
NAU | Northern Illinois | ||
| Graduation Rate | 52% | 56% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $43,900 | $47,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 55% | 61% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $20,000 | $23,859 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $206 | $246 |
Diversity |
NAU | Northern Illinois | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 6% | 11% | ||
| % Women | 11% | 16% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 59% | 57% | ||
| % Black | 3% | 16% | ||
| % Hispanic | 22% | 15% | ||
| % Native American | 3% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 3% | ||
| % International | 4% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 1% |
Students |
NAU | Northern Illinois | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 79% | 93% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 20% | 5% | ||
Campus |
NAU | Northern Illinois | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Northern Arizona University is larger than than Northern Illinois based on total student enrollment (28,186 students vs. 15,504 students)
NAU vs. Northern Illinois Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, NAU or Northern Illinois?
- Northern Arizona University is 16% more expensive to attend than Northern Illinois for in-state tuition ($11,352.00 vs. $9,790.00)
- Out of state tuition is 181.9% higher at NAU than Northern Illinois University ($27,600.00 vs. $9,790.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Illinois University than NAU ($13,533 vs. $16,544)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Arizona University are 9.1% lower than costs at Northern Illinois University ($11,728 vs. $12,800)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Illinois University than Northern Arizona University (98% vs. 95%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Illinois University students is 9.6% larger than aid received Northern Arizona University ($13,565 vs. $12,377)
NAU vs. Northern Illinois Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, NAU or Northern Illinois? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Northern Illinois or NAU .
- Accepted freshman NAU students have a 0.4 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at Northern Illinois (3.3)
- NAU has a higher acceptance rate (90.9%) than Northern Illinois (70.5%)
NAU vs. Northern Illinois Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, NAU or Northern Illinois? 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 Northern Illinois and NAU.
- The graduation rate at Northern Illinois is higher than Northern Arizona University (56% vs. 52%)
- Graduates from Northern Illinois University earn on average $3,700 more per year than NAU graduates after ten years. ($47,600 vs. $43,900)
- Northern Arizona University students graduate with a $3,859 lower median federal student loan debt than Northern Illinois graduates. ($20,000 vs. $23,859)
- NAU graduates are paying $40 less per month on federal student loans than Northern Illinois graduates. ($206 vs. $246)
- More Northern Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NAU students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 55%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/