Northern Illinois vs. Oakland

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

Northern Illinois Oakland
Location Dekalb, IL Rochester Hills, MI
Setting Small Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 15,649 16,108
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #454 #751
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website niu.edu oakland.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northern Illinois Oakland
Tuition (In State) $9,790 $14,476
Tuition (Out of State) $9,790 $23,730
Room & Board $11,420 $11,192
Avg Net Price $13,884 $15,161
Avg Grant Aid $12,552 $9,755
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

Northern Illinois Oakland
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,961 11,110
Admitted 18,348 10,005
Acceptance Rate 70.7% 90.1%
Enrolled % 13.3% 21.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.51
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/25
SAT Range 940/1170 1015/1245
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 Oakland
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (26%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)

Outcomes

Northern Illinois Oakland
Graduation Rate 56% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,600 $46,700
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 51%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,859 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $246 $258

Diversity

Northern Illinois Oakland
% Men 46% 43%
% Women 54% 57%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 57% 76%
% Black 16% 8%
% Hispanic 15% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 4%

Students

Northern Illinois Oakland
% In-State 93% 95%
% Out-of-State 5% 2%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Oakland University is larger than than Northern Illinois based on total student enrollment (16,108 students vs. 15,649 students)

Northern Illinois vs. Oakland Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northern Illinois or Oakland?

  • Oakland University is 47.9% more expensive to attend than Northern Illinois for in-state tuition ($14,476.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 142.4% higher at Oakland than Northern Illinois University ($23,730.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Illinois University than Oakland ($13,884 vs. $15,161)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Oakland University are 2% lower than costs at Northern Illinois University ($11,192 vs. $11,420)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Oakland University than Northern Illinois University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Illinois University students is 28.7% larger than aid received Oakland University ($12,552 vs. $9,755)

Northern Illinois vs. Oakland Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Oakland University (1070) is 41 points higher than at Northern Illinois (1029)
  • Incoming Oakland students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Northern Illinois (22)
  • Accepted freshman Oakland students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (3.51) than students at Northern Illinois (3.3)
  • Oakland has a higher acceptance rate (90.1%) than Northern Illinois (70.7%)

Northern Illinois vs. Oakland Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Northern Illinois is higher than Oakland University (56% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from Northern Illinois University earn on average $900 more per year than Oakland graduates after ten years. ($47,600 vs. $46,700)
  • Northern Illinois University students graduate with a $1,141 lower median federal student loan debt than Oakland graduates. ($23,859 vs. $25,000)
  • Northern Illinois graduates are paying $12 less per month on federal student loans than Oakland graduates. ($246 vs. $258)
  • More Northern Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Oakland 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/