Northern Illinois vs. Purdue Northwest

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

Northern Illinois Purdue Northwest
Location Dekalb, IL Hammond, Indiana
Setting Small Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 15,649 8,911
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #454
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website niu.edu pnw.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northern Illinois Purdue Northwest
Tuition (In State) $9,790 $7,373
Tuition (Out of State) $9,790 $14,364
Room & Board $11,420 $8,215
Avg Net Price $13,884 $9,162
Avg Grant Aid $12,552 $7,070
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 75%

Admission

Northern Illinois Purdue Northwest
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,961 5,670
Admitted 18,348 4,129
Acceptance Rate 70.7% 72.8%
Enrolled % 13.3% 31.3%
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 18/24
SAT Range 940/1170 950/1170
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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

Northern Illinois Purdue Northwest
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (9%)

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 46% 44%
% Women 54% 56%
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% 87%
% Out-of-State 5% 13%

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 (15,649 students vs. 8,911 students)

Northern Illinois vs. Purdue Northwest Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northern Illinois or Purdue Northwest?

  • Northern Illinois University is 32.8% more expensive to attend than Purdue Northwest for in-state tuition ($9,790.00 vs. $7,373.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 46.7% higher at Purdue Northwest than Northern Illinois University ($14,364.00 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 ($9,162 vs. $13,884)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University Northwest are 39% lower than costs at Northern Illinois University ($8,215 vs. $11,420)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Illinois University than Purdue University Northwest (99% vs. 75%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Illinois University students is 77.5% larger than aid received Purdue University Northwest ($12,552 vs. $7,070)

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 (72.8%) than Northern Illinois (70.7%)

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/