Northern Illinois vs. AIU Online

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

Northern Illinois AIU Online
Location Dekalb, IL Hoffman Estates, IL
Setting Small Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 15,649 14,333
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #454
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit For-profit
Website niu.edu aiuniv.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northern Illinois AIU Online
Tuition (In State) $9,790 $11,762
Tuition (Out of State) $9,790 $11,762
Room & Board $11,420 $6,917
Avg Net Price $13,884 $13,808
Avg Grant Aid $12,552 $6,284
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 78%

Admission

Northern Illinois AIU Online
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,961 -
Admitted 18,348 -
Acceptance Rate 70.7%
Enrolled % 13.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Easy Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/25
SAT Range 940/1170
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025

Academics

Northern Illinois AIU Online
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 40:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Business (86%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (2%)

Outcomes

Northern Illinois AIU Online
Graduation Rate 56% -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,600 $47,400
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 23%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,859 $32,981
Median Loan Payment $246 $341

Diversity

Northern Illinois AIU Online
% Men 46% 39%
% Women 54% 61%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 57% 34%
% Black 16% 46%
% Hispanic 15% 5%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 10%

Students

Northern Illinois AIU Online
% In-State 93% 2%
% Out-of-State 5% 98%

Campus

Northern Illinois AIU Online
Campus Housing Yes No
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Northern Illinois University is larger than than AIU Online based on total student enrollment (15,649 students vs. 14,333 students)

Northern Illinois vs. AIU Online Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northern Illinois or AIU Online?

  • American InterContinental University Online is 20.1% more expensive to attend than Northern Illinois for in-state tuition ($11,762.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 20.1% higher at AIU Online than Northern Illinois University ($11,762.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at American InterContinental University Online than Northern Illinois ($13,808 vs. $13,884)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at American InterContinental University Online are 65.1% lower than costs at Northern Illinois University ($6,917 vs. $11,420)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Illinois University than American InterContinental University Online (99% vs. 78%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Illinois University students is 99.7% larger than aid received American InterContinental University Online ($12,552 vs. $6,284)

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

Northern Illinois vs. AIU Online Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Northern Illinois or AIU Online? 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 AIU Online and Northern Illinois.

  • Graduates from Northern Illinois University earn on average $200 more per year than AIU Online graduates after ten years. ($47,600 vs. $47,400)
  • Northern Illinois University students graduate with a $9,122 lower median federal student loan debt than AIU Online graduates. ($23,859 vs. $32,981)
  • Northern Illinois graduates are paying $95 less per month on federal student loans than AIU Online graduates. ($246 vs. $341)
  • More Northern Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former AIU Online students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 23%)

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