Northern Illinois vs. Purdue North Central

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

Northern Illinois Purdue North Central
Location Dekalb, IL Westville, IN
Setting Small Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 15,649 6,092
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #454
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website niu.edu pnc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northern Illinois Purdue North Central
Tuition (In State) $9,790 $6,746
Tuition (Out of State) $9,790 $16,164
Room & Board $11,420 $7,380
Avg Net Price $13,884 $7,832
Avg Grant Aid $12,552 $7,168
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 51%

Admission

Northern Illinois Purdue North Central
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,961 2,975
Admitted 18,348 1,485
Acceptance Rate 70.7% 49.9%
Enrolled % 13.3% 27.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.19
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 19/25 19/23
SAT Range 940/1170 950/1130
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Required
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025

Academics

Northern Illinois Purdue North Central
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 0:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Business (44%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (15%)
  • Engineering Technology (13%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Education (4%)

Outcomes

Northern Illinois Purdue North Central
Graduation Rate 56% 17%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,600 $41,900
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 48%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,859 $24,836
Median Loan Payment $246 $256

Diversity

Northern Illinois Purdue North Central
% Men 46% 0%
% Women 54% 0%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 57% 81%
% Black 16% 5%
% Hispanic 15% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

Northern Illinois Purdue North Central
% In-State 93% -
% Out-of-State 5% -

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Northern Illinois University is larger than than Purdue North Central based on total student enrollment (15,649 students vs. 6,092 students)

Northern Illinois vs. Purdue North Central Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northern Illinois or Purdue North Central?

  • Northern Illinois University is 45.1% more expensive to attend than Purdue North Central for in-state tuition ($9,790.00 vs. $6,746.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 65.1% higher at Purdue North Central than Northern Illinois University ($16,164.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Purdue University North Central Campus than Northern Illinois ($7,832 vs. $13,884)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University North Central Campus are 54.7% lower than costs at Northern Illinois University ($7,380 vs. $11,420)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Illinois University than Purdue University North Central Campus (99% vs. 51%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Illinois University students is 75.1% larger than aid received Purdue University North Central Campus ($12,552 vs. $7,168)

Northern Illinois vs. Purdue North Central Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northern Illinois University (1029) is 86 points higher than at Purdue North Central (943)
  • Incoming Northern Illinois students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Purdue North Central (20)
  • Accepted freshman Northern Illinois students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.3) than students at Purdue North Central (3.19)
  • Northern Illinois has a higher acceptance rate (70.7%) than Purdue North Central (49.9%)

Northern Illinois vs. Purdue North Central Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Northern Illinois or Purdue North Central? 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 Purdue North Central and Northern Illinois.

  • The graduation rate at Northern Illinois is higher than Purdue University North Central Campus (56% vs. 17%)
  • Graduates from Northern Illinois University earn on average $5,700 more per year than Purdue North Central graduates after ten years. ($47,600 vs. $41,900)
  • Northern Illinois University students graduate with a $977 lower median federal student loan debt than Purdue North Central graduates. ($23,859 vs. $24,836)
  • Northern Illinois graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than Purdue North Central graduates. ($246 vs. $256)
  • More Northern Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Purdue North Central students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 48%)

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