Northern Illinois vs. IUPUI

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

Northern Illinois IUPUI
Location Dekalb, IL Indianapolis, IN
Setting Small Suburban Large City
Enrollment 15,649 25,979
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #454 #482
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website niu.edu iupui.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northern Illinois IUPUI
Tuition (In State) $9,790 $8,972
Tuition (Out of State) $9,790 $31,410
Room & Board $11,420 $11,252
Avg Net Price $13,884 $11,462
Avg Grant Aid $12,552 $12,201
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 83%

Admission

Northern Illinois IUPUI
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,961 15,637
Admitted 18,348 12,961
Acceptance Rate 70.7% 82.9%
Enrolled % 13.3% 27.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.52
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/25 21/27
SAT Range 940/1170 1050/1250
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 May 15, 2025

Academics

Northern Illinois IUPUI
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (18%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (13%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (5%)

Outcomes

Northern Illinois IUPUI
Graduation Rate 56% 33%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,600 $48,600
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 53%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,859 $23,090
Median Loan Payment $246 $238

Diversity

Northern Illinois IUPUI
% Men 46% 40%
% Women 54% 60%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 57% 72%
% Black 16% 10%
% Hispanic 15% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 2% 4%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

Northern Illinois IUPUI
% In-State 93% 91%
% Out-of-State 5% 7%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis is larger than than Northern Illinois based on total student enrollment (25,979 students vs. 15,649 students)

Northern Illinois vs. IUPUI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northern Illinois or IUPUI?

  • Northern Illinois University is 9.1% more expensive to attend than IUPUI for in-state tuition ($9,790.00 vs. $8,972.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 220.8% higher at IUPUI than Northern Illinois University ($31,410.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis than Northern Illinois ($11,462 vs. $13,884)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis are 1.5% lower than costs at Northern Illinois University ($11,252 vs. $11,420)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Illinois University than Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (99% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Illinois University students is 2.9% larger than aid received Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis ($12,552 vs. $12,201)

Northern Illinois vs. IUPUI Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northern Illinois University (1029) is 15 points higher than at IUPUI (1014)
  • Incoming Northern Illinois students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at IUPUI (22)
  • Accepted freshman IUPUI students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.52) than students at Northern Illinois (3.3)
  • IUPUI has a higher acceptance rate (82.9%) than Northern Illinois (70.7%)

Northern Illinois vs. IUPUI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Northern Illinois is higher than Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (56% vs. 33%)
  • Graduates from Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis earn on average $1,000 more per year than Northern Illinois graduates after ten years. ($48,600 vs. $47,600)
  • Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis students graduate with a $769 lower median federal student loan debt than Northern Illinois graduates. ($23,090 vs. $23,859)
  • IUPUI graduates are paying $8 less per month on federal student loans than Northern Illinois graduates. ($238 vs. $246)
  • More Northern Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former IUPUI students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 53%)

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