Northern Illinois vs. Stritch

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

Northern Illinois Stritch
Location Dekalb, IL Milwaukee, WI
Setting Small Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 15,649 1,332
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #454 #561
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website niu.edu stritch.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northern Illinois Stritch
Tuition (In State) $9,790 $34,744
Tuition (Out of State) $9,790 $34,744
Room & Board $11,420 $8,900
Avg Net Price $13,884 $20,002
Avg Grant Aid $12,552 $28,670
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 99%

Admission

Northern Illinois Stritch
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,961 728
Admitted 18,348 674
Acceptance Rate 70.7% 92.6%
Enrolled % 13.3% 15.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.18
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/25 18/21
SAT Range 940/1170 1010/1220
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 Stritch
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 7:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Business (72%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Education (4%)
  • English and Literature (2%)
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies (1%)

Outcomes

Northern Illinois Stritch
Graduation Rate 56% 55%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,600 $52,500
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 51%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,859 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $246 $279

Diversity

Northern Illinois Stritch
% Men 46% 29%
% Women 54% 71%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 57% 54%
% Black 16% 21%
% Hispanic 15% 11%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 6%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

Northern Illinois Stritch
% In-State 93% 51%
% Out-of-State 5% 24%

Campus

Northern Illinois Stritch
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 Stritch based on total student enrollment (15,649 students vs. 1,332 students)

Northern Illinois vs. Stritch Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northern Illinois or Stritch?

  • Cardinal Stritch University is 254.9% more expensive to attend than Northern Illinois for in-state tuition ($34,744.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 254.9% higher at Stritch than Northern Illinois University ($34,744.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Illinois University than Stritch ($13,884 vs. $20,002)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cardinal Stritch University are 28.3% lower than costs at Northern Illinois University ($8,900 vs. $11,420)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Northern Illinois University as Cardinal Stritch University (99% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cardinal Stritch University students is 128.4% larger than aid received Northern Illinois University ($28,670 vs. $12,552)

Northern Illinois vs. Stritch Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northern Illinois University (1029) is 1 points higher than at Stritch (1028)
  • Incoming Northern Illinois students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at Stritch (22)
  • Accepted freshman Northern Illinois students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.3) than students at Stritch (3.18)
  • Stritch has a higher acceptance rate (92.6%) than Northern Illinois (70.7%)

Northern Illinois vs. Stritch Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Northern Illinois is higher than Cardinal Stritch University (56% vs. 55%)
  • Graduates from Cardinal Stritch University earn on average $4,900 more per year than Northern Illinois graduates after ten years. ($52,500 vs. $47,600)
  • Northern Illinois University students graduate with a $3,141 lower median federal student loan debt than Stritch graduates. ($23,859 vs. $27,000)
  • Northern Illinois graduates are paying $33 less per month on federal student loans than Stritch graduates. ($246 vs. $279)
  • More Northern Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Stritch students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 51%)

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