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ISU Southern Illinois University UIC Western Illinois University DePaul Illinois WMU EIU Bradley Augustana University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Loyola| Northern Illinois University | Carthage College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Northern Illinois | Carthage | ||
| Location | Dekalb, IL | Kenosha, WI | ||
| Setting | Small Suburban | Midsize Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 15,649 | 2,667 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #454 | #604 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | Evangelical Lutheran Church | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | niu.edu | carthage.edu | ||
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Costs |
Northern Illinois | Carthage | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $9,790 | $34,500 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $9,790 | $34,500 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,420 | $12,648 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $13,884 | $26,209 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $12,552 | $20,535 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 99% | 100% |
Admission |
Northern Illinois | Carthage | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 25,961 | 8,112 | ||
| Admitted | 18,348 | 6,638 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 70.7% | 81.8% | ||
| Enrolled % | 13.3% | 11% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.3 | 3.36 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Easy | Moderate | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 19/25 | 20/27 | ||
| SAT Range | 940/1170 | 980/1200 | ||
| 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 |
Academics |
Northern Illinois | Carthage | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 14:1 | 13:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Northern Illinois | Carthage | ||
| Graduation Rate | 56% | 59% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $47,600 | $48,800 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 61% | 73% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $23,859 | $27,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $246 | $279 |
Diversity |
Northern Illinois | Carthage | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 46% | 44% | ||
| % Women | 54% | 56% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 57% | 75% | ||
| % Black | 16% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 15% | 4% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 3% | ||
| % International | 2% | 1% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 11% |
Students |
Northern Illinois | Carthage | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 93% | 34% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 5% | 64% | ||
Campus |
Northern Illinois | Carthage | ||
| 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 Carthage based on total student enrollment (15,649 students vs. 2,667 students)
Northern Illinois vs. Carthage Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Northern Illinois or Carthage?
- Carthage College is 252.4% more expensive to attend than Northern Illinois for in-state tuition ($34,500.00 vs. $9,790.00)
- Out of state tuition is 252.4% higher at Carthage than Northern Illinois University ($34,500.00 vs. $9,790.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Illinois University than Carthage ($13,884 vs. $26,209)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Illinois University are 10.8% lower than costs at Carthage College ($11,420 vs. $12,648)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Carthage College than Northern Illinois University (100% vs. 99%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Carthage College students is 63.6% larger than aid received Northern Illinois University ($20,535 vs. $12,552)
Northern Illinois vs. Carthage Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Northern Illinois or Carthage? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Carthage or Northern Illinois .
- The average SAT score at Carthage College (1145) is 116 points higher than at Northern Illinois (1029)
- Incoming Carthage students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Northern Illinois (22)
- Accepted freshman Carthage students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.36) than students at Northern Illinois (3.3)
- Carthage has a higher acceptance rate (81.8%) than Northern Illinois (70.7%)
Northern Illinois vs. Carthage Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Northern Illinois or Carthage? 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 Carthage and Northern Illinois.
- The graduation rate at Carthage is higher than Northern Illinois University (59% vs. 56%)
- Graduates from Carthage College earn on average $1,200 more per year than Northern Illinois graduates after ten years. ($48,800 vs. $47,600)
- Northern Illinois University students graduate with a $3,141 lower median federal student loan debt than Carthage graduates. ($23,859 vs. $27,000)
- Northern Illinois graduates are paying $33 less per month on federal student loans than Carthage graduates. ($246 vs. $279)
- More Carthage graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northern Illinois students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 61%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/