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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 | Purdue University Northwest | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Northern Illinois | Purdue Northwest | ||
| Location | Dekalb, IL | Hammond, Indiana | ||
| Setting | Small Suburban | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 15,504 | 8,679 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #488 | |||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | niu.edu | pnw.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Northern Illinois | Purdue Northwest | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $9,790 | $7,594 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $9,790 | $14,795 | ||
| Room & Board | $12,800 | $9,097 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $13,533 | $9,637 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $13,565 | $6,420 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 98% | 85% |
Admission |
Northern Illinois | Purdue Northwest | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 24,177 | 6,394 | ||
| Admitted | 17,033 | 4,516 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 70.5% | 70.6% | ||
| Enrolled % | 12.9% | 26.4% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.3 | 3.19 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B | ||
| Admissions Standards | Easy | Very Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 19/25 | 16/25 | ||
| SAT Range | 940/1170 | 920/1140 | ||
| 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, 2026 | Aug 1, 2026 |
Academics |
Northern Illinois | Purdue Northwest | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 14:1 | 17:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Northern Illinois | Purdue Northwest | ||
| 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 | Purdue Northwest | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 11% | 4% | ||
| % Women | 16% | 5% | ||
| 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 | Purdue Northwest | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 93% | 80% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 5% | 14% | ||
Campus |
Northern Illinois | Purdue Northwest | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | |||
| Meal Plan | Yes | No | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | |||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Northern Illinois University is larger than than Purdue Northwest based on total student enrollment (15,504 students vs. 8,679 students)
Northern Illinois vs. Purdue Northwest Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Northern Illinois or Purdue Northwest?
- Northern Illinois University is 28.9% more expensive to attend than Purdue Northwest for in-state tuition ($9,790.00 vs. $7,594.00)
- Out of state tuition is 51.1% higher at Purdue Northwest than Northern Illinois University ($14,795.00 vs. $9,790.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Purdue University Northwest than Northern Illinois ($9,637 vs. $13,533)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University Northwest are 40.7% lower than costs at Northern Illinois University ($9,097 vs. $12,800)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Illinois University than Purdue University Northwest (98% vs. 85%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Illinois University students is 111.3% larger than aid received Purdue University Northwest ($13,565 vs. $6,420)
Northern Illinois vs. Purdue Northwest Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Northern Illinois or Purdue Northwest? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Purdue Northwest or Northern Illinois .
- Accepted freshman Northern Illinois students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.3) than students at Purdue Northwest (3.19)
- Purdue Northwest has a higher acceptance rate (70.6%) than Northern Illinois (70.5%)
Northern Illinois vs. Purdue Northwest Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Northern Illinois or Purdue Northwest? 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 Northwest and Northern Illinois.
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/