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ISU WSU Southern Illinois University UIC Michigan State GVSU Western Illinois University WMU Eastern Michigan University UM-Dearborn DePaul Michigan| Northern Illinois University | Oakland University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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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 | ||
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| 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 | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 14:1 | 17:1 | ||
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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/