Northern Illinois vs. Defiance College

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

Northern Illinois Defiance College
Location Dekalb, IL Defiance, OH
Setting Small Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 15,649 540
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #454
Religious Affiliation - United Church of Christ - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website niu.edu defiance.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northern Illinois Defiance College
Tuition (In State) $9,790 $34,556
Tuition (Out of State) $9,790 $34,556
Room & Board $11,420 $10,940
Avg Net Price $13,884 $23,196
Avg Grant Aid $12,552 $24,970
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 99%

Admission

Northern Illinois Defiance College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,961 2,722
Admitted 18,348 1,711
Acceptance Rate 70.7% 62.9%
Enrolled % 13.3% 8.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.12
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 19/25 17/23
SAT Range 940/1170 860/1110
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 Defiance College
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Business (26%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (11%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)

Outcomes

Northern Illinois Defiance College
Graduation Rate 56% 51%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,600 $43,700
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 58%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,859 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $246 $279

Diversity

Northern Illinois Defiance College
% Men 46% 60%
% Women 54% 40%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 57% 80%
% Black 16% 8%
% Hispanic 15% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

Northern Illinois Defiance College
% In-State 93% 66%
% Out-of-State 5% 31%

Campus

Northern Illinois Defiance College
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 Defiance College based on total student enrollment (15,649 students vs. 540 students)

Northern Illinois vs. Defiance College Cost Comparison

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

  • Defiance College is 253% more expensive to attend than Northern Illinois for in-state tuition ($34,556.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 253% higher at Defiance College than Northern Illinois University ($34,556.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Illinois University than Defiance College ($13,884 vs. $23,196)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Defiance College are 4.4% lower than costs at Northern Illinois University ($10,940 vs. $11,420)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Northern Illinois University as Defiance College (99% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Defiance College students is 98.9% larger than aid received Northern Illinois University ($24,970 vs. $12,552)

Northern Illinois vs. Defiance College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northern Illinois University (1029) is 45 points higher than at Defiance College (984)
  • Incoming Northern Illinois students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at Defiance College (22)
  • Accepted freshman Northern Illinois students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.3) than students at Defiance College (3.12)
  • Northern Illinois has a higher acceptance rate (70.7%) than Defiance College (62.9%)

Northern Illinois vs. Defiance College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Northern Illinois or Defiance 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 Defiance College and Northern Illinois.

  • The graduation rate at Northern Illinois is higher than Defiance College (56% vs. 51%)
  • Graduates from Northern Illinois University earn on average $3,900 more per year than Defiance College graduates after ten years. ($47,600 vs. $43,700)
  • Northern Illinois University students graduate with a $3,141 lower median federal student loan debt than Defiance College graduates. ($23,859 vs. $27,000)
  • Northern Illinois graduates are paying $33 less per month on federal student loans than Defiance College graduates. ($246 vs. $279)
  • More Northern Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Defiance College students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 58%)

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