Northern Illinois vs. Principia College

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

Northern Illinois Principia College
Location Dekalb, IL Elsah, Illinois
Setting Small Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 15,649 323
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #454
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website niu.edu principiacollege.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northern Illinois Principia College
Tuition (In State) $9,790 $31,200
Tuition (Out of State) $9,790 $31,200
Room & Board $11,420 $12,870
Avg Net Price $13,884 $18,039
Avg Grant Aid $12,552 $27,051
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 94%

Admission

Northern Illinois Principia College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,961 209
Admitted 18,348 100
Acceptance Rate 70.7% 47.8%
Enrolled % 13.3% 61%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.34
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Challenging
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 19/25
SAT Range 940/1170 970/1300
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 Principia College
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 6:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (9%)

Outcomes

Northern Illinois Principia College
Graduation Rate 56% -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,600 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 61% -
Median Student Loan Debt $23,859 N/A
Median Loan Payment $246 N/A

Diversity

Northern Illinois Principia College
% Men 46% 59%
% Women 54% 41%
Racial Diversity High -
HBCU No No
% White 57% 0%
% Black 16% 0%
% Hispanic 15% 0%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 0%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

Northern Illinois Principia College
% In-State 93% 3%
% Out-of-State 5% 41%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Northern Illinois University is larger than than Principia College based on total student enrollment (15,649 students vs. 323 students)

Northern Illinois vs. Principia College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northern Illinois or Principia College?

  • Principia College is 218.7% more expensive to attend than Northern Illinois for in-state tuition ($31,200.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 218.7% higher at Principia College than Northern Illinois University ($31,200.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Illinois University than Principia College ($13,884 vs. $18,039)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Illinois University are 12.7% lower than costs at Principia College ($11,420 vs. $12,870)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Illinois University than Principia College (99% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Principia College students is 115.5% larger than aid received Northern Illinois University ($27,051 vs. $12,552)

Northern Illinois vs. Principia College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Principia College students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.34) than students at Northern Illinois (3.3)
  • Northern Illinois has a higher acceptance rate (70.7%) than Principia College (47.8%)

Northern Illinois vs. Principia College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Northern Illinois or Principia College? 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 Principia College and Northern Illinois.

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