Northern Illinois vs. Cleary College

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

Northern Illinois Cleary College
Location Dekalb, IL Ann Arbor, MI
Setting Small Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 15,649 891
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #454
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website niu.edu cleary.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northern Illinois Cleary College
Tuition (In State) $9,790 $22,279
Tuition (Out of State) $9,790 $22,279
Room & Board $11,420 $14,200
Avg Net Price $13,884 $27,209
Avg Grant Aid $12,552 $8,447
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 86%

Admission

Northern Illinois Cleary College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,961 810
Admitted 18,348 547
Acceptance Rate 70.7% 67.5%Open
Enrolled % 13.3% 18.8%Open
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.17
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 19/25 18/19
SAT Range 940/1170 950/1170
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 Cleary College
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Business (79%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (16%)
  • Health Professions (5%)

Outcomes

Northern Illinois Cleary College
Graduation Rate 56% 59%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,600 $54,900
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 47%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,859 $30,227
Median Loan Payment $246 $312

Diversity

Northern Illinois Cleary College
% Men 46% 59%
% Women 54% 41%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 57% 79%
% Black 16% 5%
% Hispanic 15% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 0%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 9%

Students

Northern Illinois Cleary College
% In-State 93% 82%
% Out-of-State 5% 12%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Northern Illinois University is larger than than Cleary College based on total student enrollment (15,649 students vs. 891 students)

Northern Illinois vs. Cleary College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northern Illinois or Cleary College?

  • Cleary University is 127.6% more expensive to attend than Northern Illinois for in-state tuition ($22,279.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 127.6% higher at Cleary College than Northern Illinois University ($22,279.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Illinois University than Cleary College ($13,884 vs. $27,209)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Illinois University are 24.3% lower than costs at Cleary University ($11,420 vs. $14,200)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Illinois University than Cleary University (99% vs. 86%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Illinois University students is 48.6% larger than aid received Cleary University ($12,552 vs. $8,447)

Northern Illinois vs. Cleary College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northern Illinois University (1029) is 79 points higher than at Cleary College (950)
  • Incoming Northern Illinois students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Cleary College (20)
  • Accepted freshman Northern Illinois students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.3) than students at Cleary College (3.17)
  • Northern Illinois has a higher acceptance rate (70.7%) than Cleary College (67.5%)

Northern Illinois vs. Cleary College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Northern Illinois or Cleary College? 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 Cleary College and Northern Illinois.

  • The graduation rate at Cleary College is higher than Northern Illinois University (59% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from Cleary University earn on average $7,300 more per year than Northern Illinois graduates after ten years. ($54,900 vs. $47,600)
  • Northern Illinois University students graduate with a $6,368 lower median federal student loan debt than Cleary College graduates. ($23,859 vs. $30,227)
  • Northern Illinois graduates are paying $66 less per month on federal student loans than Cleary College graduates. ($246 vs. $312)
  • More Northern Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cleary College students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 47%)

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