Northern Illinois vs. AQ

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

Northern Illinois AQ
Location Dekalb, IL Grand Rapids, MI
Setting Small Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 15,649 1,265
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #454 #819
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website niu.edu aquinas.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northern Illinois AQ
Tuition (In State) $9,790 $36,480
Tuition (Out of State) $9,790 $36,480
Room & Board $11,420 $10,572
Avg Net Price $13,884 $18,605
Avg Grant Aid $12,552 $30,049
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

Northern Illinois AQ
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,961 2,116
Admitted 18,348 1,921
Acceptance Rate 70.7% 90.8%
Enrolled % 13.3% 16%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.52
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/25
SAT Range 940/1170 1000/1180
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025

Academics

Northern Illinois AQ
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Biology (6%)

Outcomes

Northern Illinois AQ
Graduation Rate 56% 52%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,600 $40,000
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 60%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,859 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $246 $268

Diversity

Northern Illinois AQ
% Men 46% 43%
% Women 54% 57%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 57% 82%
% Black 16% 3%
% Hispanic 15% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

Northern Illinois AQ
% In-State 93% 84%
% Out-of-State 5% 13%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Northern Illinois University is larger than than AQ based on total student enrollment (15,649 students vs. 1,265 students)

Northern Illinois vs. AQ Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northern Illinois or AQ?

  • Aquinas College is 272.6% more expensive to attend than Northern Illinois for in-state tuition ($36,480.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 272.6% higher at AQ than Northern Illinois University ($36,480.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Illinois University than AQ ($13,884 vs. $18,605)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Aquinas College are 8% lower than costs at Northern Illinois University ($10,572 vs. $11,420)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Aquinas College than Northern Illinois University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Aquinas College students is 139.4% larger than aid received Northern Illinois University ($30,049 vs. $12,552)

Northern Illinois vs. AQ Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Aquinas College (1090) is 61 points higher than at Northern Illinois (1029)
  • Incoming AQ students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Northern Illinois (22)
  • Accepted freshman AQ students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.52) than students at Northern Illinois (3.3)
  • AQ has a higher acceptance rate (90.8%) than Northern Illinois (70.7%)

Northern Illinois vs. AQ Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Northern Illinois or AQ? 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 AQ and Northern Illinois.

  • The graduation rate at Northern Illinois is higher than Aquinas College (56% vs. 52%)
  • Graduates from Northern Illinois University earn on average $7,600 more per year than AQ graduates after ten years. ($47,600 vs. $40,000)
  • Northern Illinois University students graduate with a $2,141 lower median federal student loan debt than AQ graduates. ($23,859 vs. $26,000)
  • Northern Illinois graduates are paying $22 less per month on federal student loans than AQ graduates. ($246 vs. $268)
  • More Northern Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former AQ students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 60%)

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