Northern Illinois vs. IWU

Should I go to Northern Illinois University or Indiana Wesleyan University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Northern Illinois or IWU 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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ISU Southern Illinois University UIC Western Illinois University DePaul Illinois WMU EIU Bradley Taylor University University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Loyola
Northern Illinois University vs. Indiana Wesleyan University comparison
Northern Illinois University Indiana Wesleyan University College 3 College 4
Northern Illinois University Indiana Wesleyan University
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Overview

 Northern Illinois IWU
Location Dekalb, IL Marion, IN
Setting Small Suburban Distant Town
Enrollment 15,649 2,603
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #454 #299
Religious Affiliation - Wesleyan - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website niu.edu indwes.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Northern Illinois IWU
Tuition (In State) $9,790 $29,684
Tuition (Out of State) $9,790 $29,684
Room & Board $11,420 $10,050
Avg Net Price $13,884 $21,755
Avg Grant Aid $12,552 $20,194
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

 Northern Illinois IWU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,961 3,946
Admitted 18,348 3,422
Acceptance Rate 70.7% 86.7%
Enrolled % 13.3% 16.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.61
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/25 21/27
SAT Range 940/1170 1000/1190
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 IWU
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Business (56%)
  • Health Professions (22%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (3%)
  • Education (3%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (3%)

Outcomes

 Northern Illinois IWU
Graduation Rate 56% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,600 $54,300
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 55%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,859 $24,104
Median Loan Payment $246 $249

Diversity

 Northern Illinois IWU
% Men 46% 34%
% Women 54% 66%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 57% 73%
% Black 16% 19%
% Hispanic 15% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 Northern Illinois IWU
% In-State 93% 60%
% Out-of-State 5% 39%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Northern Illinois University is larger than than IWU based on total student enrollment (15,649 students vs. 2,603 students)

Northern Illinois vs. IWU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northern Illinois or IWU?

  • Indiana Wesleyan University is 203.2% more expensive to attend than Northern Illinois for in-state tuition ($29,684.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 203.2% higher at IWU than Northern Illinois University ($29,684.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Illinois University than IWU ($13,884 vs. $21,755)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Indiana Wesleyan University are 13.6% lower than costs at Northern Illinois University ($10,050 vs. $11,420)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Indiana Wesleyan University than Northern Illinois University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Indiana Wesleyan University students is 60.9% larger than aid received Northern Illinois University ($20,194 vs. $12,552)

Northern Illinois vs. IWU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Indiana Wesleyan University (1086) is 57 points higher than at Northern Illinois (1029)
  • Incoming IWU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Northern Illinois (22)
  • Accepted freshman IWU students have a 0.31 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at Northern Illinois (3.3)
  • IWU has a higher acceptance rate (86.7%) than Northern Illinois (70.7%)

Northern Illinois vs. IWU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at IWU is higher than Northern Illinois University (70% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from Indiana Wesleyan University earn on average $6,700 more per year than Northern Illinois graduates after ten years. ($54,300 vs. $47,600)
  • Northern Illinois University students graduate with a $245 lower median federal student loan debt than IWU graduates. ($23,859 vs. $24,104)
  • Northern Illinois graduates are paying $3 less per month on federal student loans than IWU graduates. ($246 vs. $249)
  • More Northern Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former IWU students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 55%)

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