Northern Illinois vs. IPFW

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

Northern Illinois IPFW
Location Dekalb, IL Fort Wayne, IN
Setting Small Suburban Large City
Enrollment 15,649 9,069
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #454 #848
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website niu.edu ipfw.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northern Illinois IPFW
Tuition (In State) $9,790 $7,815
Tuition (Out of State) $9,790 $20,403
Room & Board $11,420 $10,111
Avg Net Price $13,884 $11,951
Avg Grant Aid $12,552 $7,432
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

Northern Illinois IPFW
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,961 5,853
Admitted 18,348 4,721
Acceptance Rate 70.7% 80.7%
Enrolled % 13.3% 25.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.37
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/25 20/26
SAT Range 940/1170 980/1210
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 1, 2025

Academics

Northern Illinois IPFW
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Business (19%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (17%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)

Outcomes

Northern Illinois IPFW
Graduation Rate 56% 26%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,600 $38,600
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 51%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,859 $24,500
Median Loan Payment $246 $253

Diversity

Northern Illinois IPFW
% Men 46% 48%
% Women 54% 52%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 57% 82%
% Black 16% 5%
% Hispanic 15% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

Northern Illinois IPFW
% In-State 93% 85%
% Out-of-State 5% 11%

Campus

Northern Illinois IPFW
Campus Housing Yes Yes
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 IPFW based on total student enrollment (15,649 students vs. 9,069 students)

Northern Illinois vs. IPFW Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northern Illinois or IPFW?

  • Northern Illinois University is 25.3% more expensive to attend than IPFW for in-state tuition ($9,790.00 vs. $7,815.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 108.4% higher at IPFW than Northern Illinois University ($20,403.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne than Northern Illinois ($11,951 vs. $13,884)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne are 12.9% lower than costs at Northern Illinois University ($10,111 vs. $11,420)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne than Northern Illinois University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Illinois University students is 68.9% larger than aid received Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne ($12,552 vs. $7,432)

Northern Illinois vs. IPFW Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northern Illinois University (1029) is 34 points higher than at IPFW (995)
  • Incoming Northern Illinois students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at IPFW (22)
  • Accepted freshman IPFW students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.37) than students at Northern Illinois (3.3)
  • IPFW has a higher acceptance rate (80.7%) than Northern Illinois (70.7%)

Northern Illinois vs. IPFW Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Northern Illinois or IPFW? 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 IPFW and Northern Illinois.

  • The graduation rate at Northern Illinois is higher than Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne (56% vs. 26%)
  • Graduates from Northern Illinois University earn on average $9,000 more per year than IPFW graduates after ten years. ($47,600 vs. $38,600)
  • Northern Illinois University students graduate with a $641 lower median federal student loan debt than IPFW graduates. ($23,859 vs. $24,500)
  • Northern Illinois graduates are paying $7 less per month on federal student loans than IPFW graduates. ($246 vs. $253)
  • More Northern Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former IPFW students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 51%)

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