NAU vs. Northern Illinois

Should I go to Northern Arizona University or Northern Illinois University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if NAU or Northern Illinois 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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Northern Arizona University vs. Northern Illinois University comparison
Northern Arizona University Northern Illinois University College 3 College 4
Northern Arizona University Northern Illinois University
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Overview

NAU Northern Illinois
Location Flagstaff, AZ Dekalb, IL
Setting Small City Small Suburban
Enrollment 28,086 15,649
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #454
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nau.edu niu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

NAU Northern Illinois
Tuition (In State) $11,024 $9,790
Tuition (Out of State) $26,286 $9,790
Room & Board $11,728 $11,420
Avg Net Price $17,115 $13,884
Avg Grant Aid $11,865 $12,552
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 99%

Admission

NAU Northern Illinois
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 44,855 25,961
Admitted 35,881 18,348
Acceptance Rate 80% 70.7%
Enrolled % 15.5% 13.3%
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, 2025 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

NAU Northern Illinois
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (9%)

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 37% 46%
% Women 63% 54%
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 73% 93%
% Out-of-State 26% 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 (28,086 students vs. 15,649 students)

NAU vs. Northern Illinois Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NAU or Northern Illinois?

  • Northern Arizona University is 12.6% more expensive to attend than Northern Illinois for in-state tuition ($11,024.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 168.5% higher at NAU than Northern Illinois University ($26,286.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Illinois University than NAU ($13,884 vs. $17,115)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Illinois University are 2.7% lower than costs at Northern Arizona University ($11,420 vs. $11,728)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Arizona University than Northern Illinois University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Illinois University students is 5.8% larger than aid received Northern Arizona University ($12,552 vs. $11,865)

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 (80%) than Northern Illinois (70.7%)

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/