Northern Illinois vs. KWC

Should I go to Northern Illinois University or Kentucky Wesleyan College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Northern Illinois or KWC 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. Kentucky Wesleyan College comparison
Northern Illinois University Kentucky Wesleyan College College 3 College 4
Northern Illinois University Kentucky Wesleyan College
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Overview

Northern Illinois KWC
Location Dekalb, IL Owensboro, KY
Setting Small Suburban Small City
Enrollment 15,649 813
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #454
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website niu.edu kwc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northern Illinois KWC
Tuition (In State) $9,790 $30,040
Tuition (Out of State) $9,790 $30,040
Room & Board $11,420 $11,175
Avg Net Price $13,884 $20,735
Avg Grant Aid $12,552 $20,036
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

Northern Illinois KWC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,961 1,434
Admitted 18,348 983
Acceptance Rate 70.7% 68.5%
Enrolled % 13.3% 22.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.3
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Easy
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 19/25 17/23
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

Academics

Northern Illinois KWC
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

Northern Illinois KWC
Graduation Rate 56% 44%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,600 $38,500
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 54%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,859 $22,907
Median Loan Payment $246 $236

Diversity

Northern Illinois KWC
% Men 46% 51%
% Women 54% 49%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 57% 73%
% Black 16% 15%
% Hispanic 15% 1%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 0%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 9%

Students

Northern Illinois KWC
% In-State 93% 67%
% Out-of-State 5% 32%

Campus

Northern Illinois KWC
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 KWC based on total student enrollment (15,649 students vs. 813 students)

Northern Illinois vs. KWC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northern Illinois or KWC?

  • Kentucky Wesleyan College is 206.8% more expensive to attend than Northern Illinois for in-state tuition ($30,040.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 206.8% higher at KWC than Northern Illinois University ($30,040.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Illinois University than KWC ($13,884 vs. $20,735)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Kentucky Wesleyan College are 2.2% lower than costs at Northern Illinois University ($11,175 vs. $11,420)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Kentucky Wesleyan College than Northern Illinois University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Kentucky Wesleyan College students is 59.6% larger than aid received Northern Illinois University ($20,036 vs. $12,552)

Northern Illinois vs. KWC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Kentucky Wesleyan College (1048) is 19 points higher than at Northern Illinois (1029)
  • Incoming KWC students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Northern Illinois (22)
  • Accepted freshman Northern Illinois students have at the same average high school GPA (3.3) as students at KWC (3.3)
  • Northern Illinois has a higher acceptance rate (70.7%) than KWC (68.5%)

Northern Illinois vs. KWC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Northern Illinois is higher than Kentucky Wesleyan College (56% vs. 44%)
  • Graduates from Northern Illinois University earn on average $9,100 more per year than KWC graduates after ten years. ($47,600 vs. $38,500)
  • Kentucky Wesleyan College students graduate with a $952 lower median federal student loan debt than Northern Illinois graduates. ($22,907 vs. $23,859)
  • KWC graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than Northern Illinois graduates. ($236 vs. $246)
  • More Northern Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former KWC students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 54%)

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