Northern Illinois vs. MVNU

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

 Northern Illinois MVNU
Location Dekalb, IL Mount Vernon, OH
Setting Small Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 15,649 1,941
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #454 #623
Religious Affiliation - Church of the Nazarene - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website niu.edu mvnu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Northern Illinois MVNU
Tuition (In State) $9,790 $33,918
Tuition (Out of State) $9,790 $33,918
Room & Board $11,420 $9,612
Avg Net Price $13,884 $23,391
Avg Grant Aid $12,552 $23,202
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

 Northern Illinois MVNU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,961 1,070
Admitted 18,348 913
Acceptance Rate 70.7% 85.3%
Enrolled % 13.3% 32.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.55
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/25 18/25
SAT Range 940/1170 963/1228
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 MVNU
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Business (44%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Human Services (6%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (4%)

Outcomes

 Northern Illinois MVNU
Graduation Rate 56% 57%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,600 $46,100
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 65%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,859 $26,536
Median Loan Payment $246 $274

Diversity

 Northern Illinois MVNU
% Men 46% 38%
% Women 54% 62%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 57% 85%
% Black 16% 5%
% Hispanic 15% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 5%

Students

 Northern Illinois MVNU
% In-State 93% 85%
% Out-of-State 5% 13%

Campus

 Northern Illinois MVNU
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 MVNU based on total student enrollment (15,649 students vs. 1,941 students)

Northern Illinois vs. MVNU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northern Illinois or MVNU?

  • Mount Vernon Nazarene University is 246.5% more expensive to attend than Northern Illinois for in-state tuition ($33,918.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 246.5% higher at MVNU than Northern Illinois University ($33,918.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Illinois University than MVNU ($13,884 vs. $23,391)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Mount Vernon Nazarene University are 18.8% lower than costs at Northern Illinois University ($9,612 vs. $11,420)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Mount Vernon Nazarene University than Northern Illinois University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mount Vernon Nazarene University students is 84.8% larger than aid received Northern Illinois University ($23,202 vs. $12,552)

Northern Illinois vs. MVNU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Mount Vernon Nazarene University (1047) is 18 points higher than at Northern Illinois (1029)
  • Incoming MVNU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Northern Illinois (22)
  • Accepted freshman MVNU students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at Northern Illinois (3.3)
  • MVNU has a higher acceptance rate (85.3%) than Northern Illinois (70.7%)

Northern Illinois vs. MVNU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at MVNU is higher than Northern Illinois University (57% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from Northern Illinois University earn on average $1,500 more per year than MVNU graduates after ten years. ($47,600 vs. $46,100)
  • Northern Illinois University students graduate with a $2,677 lower median federal student loan debt than MVNU graduates. ($23,859 vs. $26,536)
  • Northern Illinois graduates are paying $28 less per month on federal student loans than MVNU graduates. ($246 vs. $274)
  • More MVNU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northern Illinois students, three years after graduation. (65% vs. 61%)

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