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ISU Southern Illinois University UIC Western Illinois University DePaul Illinois WMU EIU Bradley Purdue Calumet University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Loyola| Northern Illinois University | Indiana University Northwest | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Northern Illinois | IU Northwest | ||
| Location | Dekalb, IL | Gary, IN | ||
| Setting | Small Suburban | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 15,649 | 3,198 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #454 | #882 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | niu.edu | iun.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Northern Illinois | IU Northwest | ||
| 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 | $6,553 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $12,552 | $8,754 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 99% | 80% |
Admission |
Northern Illinois | IU Northwest | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 25,961 | 1,915 | ||
| Admitted | 18,348 | 1,538 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 70.7% | 80.3% | ||
| Enrolled % | 13.3% | 27.3% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.3 | 3.14 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B | ||
| Admissions Standards | Easy | Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 19/25 | 20/25 | ||
| 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 |
Academics |
Northern Illinois | IU Northwest | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 14:1 | 12:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Northern Illinois | IU Northwest | ||
| Graduation Rate | 56% | 23% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $47,600 | $39,500 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 61% | 33% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $23,859 | $25,030 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $246 | $258 |
Diversity |
Northern Illinois | IU Northwest | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 46% | 25% | ||
| % Women | 54% | 75% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 57% | 55% | ||
| % Black | 16% | 18% | ||
| % Hispanic | 15% | 20% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 3% | ||
| % International | 2% | 0% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 1% |
Students |
Northern Illinois | IU Northwest | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 93% | 97% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 5% | 2% | ||
Campus |
Northern Illinois | IU Northwest | ||
| 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 Northwest based on total student enrollment (15,649 students vs. 3,198 students)
Northern Illinois vs. IU Northwest Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Northern Illinois or IU Northwest?
- Northern Illinois University is 34.6% more expensive to attend than IU Northwest for in-state tuition ($9,790.00 vs. $7,274.00)
- Out of state tuition is 110.8% higher at IU Northwest 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 Northwest than Northern Illinois ($6,553 vs. $13,884)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Indiana University Northwest 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 Northwest (99% vs. 80%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Illinois University students is 43.4% larger than aid received Indiana University Northwest ($12,552 vs. $8,754)
Northern Illinois vs. IU Northwest Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Northern Illinois or IU Northwest? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between IU Northwest or Northern Illinois .
- The average SAT score at Northern Illinois University (1029) is 101 points higher than at IU Northwest (928)
- Incoming Northern Illinois students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at IU Northwest (20)
- Accepted freshman Northern Illinois students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.3) than students at IU Northwest (3.14)
- IU Northwest has a higher acceptance rate (80.3%) than Northern Illinois (70.7%)
Northern Illinois vs. IU Northwest Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Northern Illinois or IU Northwest? 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 Northwest and Northern Illinois.
- The graduation rate at Northern Illinois is higher than Indiana University Northwest (56% vs. 23%)
- Graduates from Northern Illinois University earn on average $8,100 more per year than IU Northwest graduates after ten years. ($47,600 vs. $39,500)
- Northern Illinois University students graduate with a $1,171 lower median federal student loan debt than IU Northwest graduates. ($23,859 vs. $25,030)
- Northern Illinois graduates are paying $12 less per month on federal student loans than IU Northwest graduates. ($246 vs. $258)
- More Northern Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former IU Northwest students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 33%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/