Northern Illinois vs. IU East

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

Northern Illinois IU East
Location Dekalb, IL Richmond, IN
Setting Small Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 15,649 3,039
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #454 #855
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website niu.edu iue.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northern Illinois IU East
Tuition (In State) $9,790 $7,274
Tuition (Out of State) $9,790 $20,634
Room & Board $11,420 $9,412
Avg Net Price $13,884 $8,837
Avg Grant Aid $12,552 $7,874
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 93%

Admission

Northern Illinois IU East
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,961 1,586
Admitted 18,348 1,230
Acceptance Rate 70.7% 77.6%
Enrolled % 13.3% 28.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.41
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/25 18/26
SAT Range 940/1170 960/1200
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 Aug 18, 2025

Academics

Northern Illinois IU East
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Business (32%)
  • Health Professions (18%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Human Services (7%)

Outcomes

Northern Illinois IU East
Graduation Rate 56% 19%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,600 $32,900
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 40%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,859 $20,500
Median Loan Payment $246 $211

Diversity

Northern Illinois IU East
% Men 46% 35%
% Women 54% 65%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 57% 87%
% Black 16% 4%
% Hispanic 15% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

Northern Illinois IU East
% In-State 93% 74%
% Out-of-State 5% 25%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Northern Illinois University is larger than than IU East based on total student enrollment (15,649 students vs. 3,039 students)

Northern Illinois vs. IU East Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northern Illinois or IU East?

  • Northern Illinois University is 34.6% more expensive to attend than IU East for in-state tuition ($9,790.00 vs. $7,274.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 110.8% higher at IU East than Northern Illinois University ($20,634.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Indiana University East than Northern Illinois ($8,837 vs. $13,884)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Indiana University East are 21.3% lower than costs at Northern Illinois University ($9,412 vs. $11,420)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Illinois University than Indiana University East (99% vs. 93%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Illinois University students is 59.4% larger than aid received Indiana University East ($12,552 vs. $7,874)

Northern Illinois vs. IU East Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northern Illinois University (1029) is 68 points higher than at IU East (961)
  • Incoming Northern Illinois students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at IU East (21)
  • Accepted freshman IU East students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at Northern Illinois (3.3)
  • IU East has a higher acceptance rate (77.6%) than Northern Illinois (70.7%)

Northern Illinois vs. IU East Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Northern Illinois or IU East? 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 IU East and Northern Illinois.

  • The graduation rate at Northern Illinois is higher than Indiana University East (56% vs. 19%)
  • Graduates from Northern Illinois University earn on average $14,700 more per year than IU East graduates after ten years. ($47,600 vs. $32,900)
  • Indiana University East students graduate with a $3,359 lower median federal student loan debt than Northern Illinois graduates. ($20,500 vs. $23,859)
  • IU East graduates are paying $35 less per month on federal student loans than Northern Illinois graduates. ($211 vs. $246)
  • More Northern Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former IU East students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 40%)

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