Northern Illinois vs. BGSU

Should I go to Northern Illinois University or Bowling Green State University Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Northern Illinois or BGSU 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. Bowling Green State University Main Campus comparison
Northern Illinois University Bowling Green State University Main Campus College 3 College 4
Northern Illinois University Bowling Green State University Main Campus
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Overview

 Northern Illinois BGSU
Location Dekalb, IL Bowling Green, OH
Setting Small Suburban Distant Town
Enrollment 15,649 16,920
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #454 #728
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website niu.edu bgsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Northern Illinois BGSU
Tuition (In State) $9,790 $11,272
Tuition (Out of State) $9,790 $19,845
Room & Board $11,420 $12,584
Avg Net Price $13,884 $20,485
Avg Grant Aid $12,552 $8,898
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 95%

Admission

 Northern Illinois BGSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,961 17,447
Admitted 18,348 13,723
Acceptance Rate 70.7% 78.7%
Enrolled % 13.3% 21.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.6
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/25 20/25
SAT Range 940/1170 990/1200
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 Jul 15, 2025

Academics

 Northern Illinois BGSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Education (19%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)

Outcomes

 Northern Illinois BGSU
Graduation Rate 56% 58%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,600 $43,600
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 53%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,859 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $246 $268

Diversity

 Northern Illinois BGSU
% Men 46% 42%
% Women 54% 58%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 57% 78%
% Black 16% 10%
% Hispanic 15% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 Northern Illinois BGSU
% In-State 93% 88%
% Out-of-State 5% 11%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Bowling Green State University Main Campus is larger than than Northern Illinois based on total student enrollment (16,920 students vs. 15,649 students)

Northern Illinois vs. BGSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northern Illinois or BGSU?

  • Bowling Green State University Main Campus is 15.1% more expensive to attend than Northern Illinois for in-state tuition ($11,272.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 102.7% higher at BGSU than Northern Illinois University ($19,845.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Illinois University than BGSU ($13,884 vs. $20,485)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Illinois University are 10.2% lower than costs at Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($11,420 vs. $12,584)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Illinois University than Bowling Green State University Main Campus (99% vs. 95%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Illinois University students is 41.1% larger than aid received Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($12,552 vs. $8,898)

Northern Illinois vs. BGSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northern Illinois University (1029) is 17 points higher than at BGSU (1012)
  • Incoming Northern Illinois students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at BGSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman BGSU students have a 0.3 point higher average high school GPA (3.6) than students at Northern Illinois (3.3)
  • BGSU has a higher acceptance rate (78.7%) than Northern Illinois (70.7%)

Northern Illinois vs. BGSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at BGSU is higher than Northern Illinois University (58% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from Northern Illinois University earn on average $4,000 more per year than BGSU graduates after ten years. ($47,600 vs. $43,600)
  • Northern Illinois University students graduate with a $2,141 lower median federal student loan debt than BGSU graduates. ($23,859 vs. $26,000)
  • Northern Illinois graduates are paying $22 less per month on federal student loans than BGSU graduates. ($246 vs. $268)
  • More Northern Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BGSU students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 53%)

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