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ISU Southern Illinois University UIC Western Illinois University DePaul Illinois WMU EIU Bradley University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Loyola Northwest| Northern Illinois University | Penn State Greater Allegheny | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Northern Illinois | Penn State Greater Allegheny | ||
| Location | Dekalb, IL | McKeesport, PA | ||
| Setting | Small Suburban | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 15,504 | 361 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #488 | |||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | niu.edu | psu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Northern Illinois | Penn State Greater Allegheny | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $9,790 | $13,824 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $9,790 | $23,316 | ||
| Room & Board | $12,800 | $12,022 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $13,533 | $14,933 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $13,565 | $10,867 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 98% | 88% |
Admission |
Northern Illinois | Penn State Greater Allegheny | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 24,177 | 581 | ||
| Admitted | 17,033 | 550 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 70.5% | 94.7% | ||
| Enrolled % | 12.9% | 22.5% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.3 | - | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | - | ||
| Admissions Standards | Easy | Moderate | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 19/25 | |||
| SAT Range | 940/1170 | 1020/1215 | ||
| 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 | Penn State Greater Allegheny | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 14:1 | 8:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Northern Illinois | Penn State Greater Allegheny | ||
| Graduation Rate | 56% | 47% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $47,600 | $55,300 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 61% | 69% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $23,859 | $26,818 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $246 | $277 |
Diversity |
Northern Illinois | Penn State Greater Allegheny | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 11% | 0% | ||
| % Women | 16% | 0% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 57% | 61% | ||
| % Black | 16% | 19% | ||
| % Hispanic | 15% | 7% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 3% | ||
| % International | 2% | 4% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 1% |
Students |
Northern Illinois | Penn State Greater Allegheny | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 93% | 68% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 5% | 30% | ||
Campus |
Northern Illinois | Penn State Greater Allegheny | ||
| 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 Penn State Greater Allegheny based on total student enrollment (15,504 students vs. 361 students)
Northern Illinois vs. Penn State Greater Allegheny Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Northern Illinois or Penn State Greater Allegheny?
- Penn State Greater Allegheny is 41.2% more expensive to attend than Northern Illinois for in-state tuition ($13,824.00 vs. $9,790.00)
- Out of state tuition is 138.2% higher at Penn State Greater Allegheny than Northern Illinois University ($23,316.00 vs. $9,790.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Illinois University than Penn State Greater Allegheny ($13,533 vs. $14,933)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Greater Allegheny are 6.5% lower than costs at Northern Illinois University ($12,022 vs. $12,800)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Illinois University than Penn State Greater Allegheny (98% vs. 88%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Illinois University students is 24.8% larger than aid received Penn State Greater Allegheny ($13,565 vs. $10,867)
Northern Illinois vs. Penn State Greater Allegheny Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Northern Illinois or Penn State Greater Allegheny? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Penn State Greater Allegheny or Northern Illinois .
- The average SAT score at Northern Illinois University (1029) is 86 points higher than at Penn State Greater Allegheny (943)
- Incoming Penn State Greater Allegheny students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Northern Illinois (22)
- Penn State Greater Allegheny has a higher acceptance rate (94.7%) than Northern Illinois (70.5%)
Northern Illinois vs. Penn State Greater Allegheny Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Northern Illinois or Penn State Greater Allegheny? 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 Penn State Greater Allegheny and Northern Illinois.
- The graduation rate at Northern Illinois is higher than Penn State Greater Allegheny (56% vs. 47%)
- Graduates from Penn State Greater Allegheny earn on average $7,700 more per year than Northern Illinois graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $47,600)
- Northern Illinois University students graduate with a $2,959 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Greater Allegheny graduates. ($23,859 vs. $26,818)
- Northern Illinois graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Greater Allegheny graduates. ($246 vs. $277)
- More Penn State Greater Allegheny graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northern Illinois students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 61%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/