Northern Illinois vs. CMU - CLAS

Should I go to Northern Illinois University or Central Methodist University College of Liberal Arts & Sciences? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Northern Illinois or CMU - CLAS 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. Central Methodist University College of Liberal Arts & Sciences comparison
Northern Illinois University Central Methodist University College of Liberal Arts & Sciences College 3 College 4
Northern Illinois University
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Overview

 Northern Illinois CMU - CLAS
Location Dekalb, IL Fayette, MO
Setting Small Suburban Distant Town
Enrollment 15,649 1,080
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #454 #781
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website niu.edu centralmethodist.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Northern Illinois CMU - CLAS
Tuition (In State) $9,790 $26,360
Tuition (Out of State) $9,790 $26,360
Room & Board $11,420 $8,910
Avg Net Price $13,884 $24,828
Avg Grant Aid $12,552 $18,044
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

 Northern Illinois CMU - CLAS
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,961 1,166
Admitted 18,348 1,141
Acceptance Rate 70.7% 97.9%
Enrolled % 13.3% 25.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.5
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/25 18/23
SAT Range 940/1170 930/1090
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 Aug 15, 2025

Academics

 Northern Illinois CMU - CLAS
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (22%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • General Studies (8%)

Outcomes

 Northern Illinois CMU - CLAS
Graduation Rate 56% 43%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,600 $38,600
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,859 $16,875
Median Loan Payment $246 $174

Diversity

 Northern Illinois CMU - CLAS
% Men 46% 48%
% Women 54% 52%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 57% 78%
% Black 16% 8%
% Hispanic 15% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 4%
% Unknown Race 1% 4%

Students

 Northern Illinois CMU - CLAS
% In-State 93% 59%
% Out-of-State 5% 27%

Campus

 Northern Illinois CMU - CLAS
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

  • Northern Illinois University is larger than than CMU - CLAS based on total student enrollment (15,649 students vs. 1,080 students)

Northern Illinois vs. CMU - CLAS Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northern Illinois or CMU - CLAS?

  • Central Methodist University College of Liberal Arts & Sciences is 169.3% more expensive to attend than Northern Illinois for in-state tuition ($26,360.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 169.3% higher at CMU - CLAS than Northern Illinois University ($26,360.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Illinois University than CMU - CLAS ($13,884 vs. $24,828)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Central Methodist University College of Liberal Arts & Sciences are 28.2% lower than costs at Northern Illinois University ($8,910 vs. $11,420)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Central Methodist University College of Liberal Arts & Sciences than Northern Illinois University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Central Methodist University College of Liberal Arts & Sciences students is 43.8% larger than aid received Northern Illinois University ($18,044 vs. $12,552)

Northern Illinois vs. CMU - CLAS Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Central Methodist University College of Liberal Arts & Sciences (1043) is 14 points higher than at Northern Illinois (1029)
  • Incoming CMU - CLAS students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Northern Illinois (22)
  • Accepted freshman CMU - CLAS students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at Northern Illinois (3.3)
  • CMU - CLAS has a higher acceptance rate (97.9%) than Northern Illinois (70.7%)

Northern Illinois vs. CMU - CLAS Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Northern Illinois or CMU - CLAS? 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 CMU - CLAS and Northern Illinois.

  • The graduation rate at Northern Illinois is higher than Central Methodist University College of Liberal Arts & Sciences (56% vs. 43%)
  • Graduates from Northern Illinois University earn on average $9,000 more per year than CMU - CLAS graduates after ten years. ($47,600 vs. $38,600)
  • Central Methodist University College of Liberal Arts & Sciences students graduate with a $6,984 lower median federal student loan debt than Northern Illinois graduates. ($16,875 vs. $23,859)
  • CMU - CLAS graduates are paying $72 less per month on federal student loans than Northern Illinois graduates. ($174 vs. $246)
  • More CMU - CLAS graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northern Illinois students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 61%)

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