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ISU Southern Illinois University UIC Western Illinois University DePaul Illinois WMU EIU Bradley University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Loyola Northwest| Northern Illinois University | Indiana University East | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
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 | ||
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| 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 | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 14:1 | 13:1 | ||
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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/