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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 | Saint Catharine College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Northern Illinois | St. Catharine | ||
| Location | Dekalb, IL | Saint Catharine, KY | ||
| Setting | Small Suburban | Distant Rural | ||
| Enrollment | 15,649 | 649 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #454 | |||
| Religious Affiliation | - | Roman Catholic | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | niu.edu | sccky.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Northern Illinois | St. Catharine | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $9,790 | $19,732 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $9,790 | $19,732 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,420 | $9,636 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $13,884 | $24,513 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $12,552 | $9,299 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 99% | 100% |
Admission |
Northern Illinois | St. Catharine | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 25,961 | 462 | ||
| Admitted | 18,348 | 359 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 70.7% | 77.7%Open | ||
| Enrolled % | 13.3% | 37.9%Open | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.3 | 3.1 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B | ||
| Admissions Standards | Easy | Extremely Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 19/25 | 18/22 | ||
| SAT Range | 940/1170 | 880/1140 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | Not applicable | ||
| Application Deadline | Aug 1, 2025 |
Academics |
Northern Illinois | St. Catharine | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 14:1 | 0:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Northern Illinois | St. Catharine | ||
| Graduation Rate | 56% | - | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $47,600 | $33,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 61% | 49% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $23,859 | $19,975 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $246 | $206 |
Diversity |
Northern Illinois | St. Catharine | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 46% | 0% | ||
| % Women | 54% | 0% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 57% | 73% | ||
| % Black | 16% | 11% | ||
| % Hispanic | 15% | 5% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 3% | ||
| % International | 2% | 4% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 3% |
Students |
Northern Illinois | St. Catharine | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 93% | - | ||
| % Out-of-State | 5% | - | ||
Campus |
Northern Illinois | St. Catharine | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Northern Illinois University is larger than than St. Catharine based on total student enrollment (15,649 students vs. 649 students)
Northern Illinois vs. St. Catharine Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Northern Illinois or St. Catharine?
- Saint Catharine College is 101.6% more expensive to attend than Northern Illinois for in-state tuition ($19,732.00 vs. $9,790.00)
- Out of state tuition is 101.6% higher at St. Catharine than Northern Illinois University ($19,732.00 vs. $9,790.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Illinois University than St. Catharine ($13,884 vs. $24,513)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Saint Catharine College are 18.5% lower than costs at Northern Illinois University ($9,636 vs. $11,420)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Saint Catharine College than Northern Illinois University (100% vs. 99%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Illinois University students is 35% larger than aid received Saint Catharine College ($12,552 vs. $9,299)
Northern Illinois vs. St. Catharine Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Northern Illinois or St. Catharine? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between St. Catharine or Northern Illinois .
- The average SAT score at Northern Illinois University (1029) is 81 points higher than at St. Catharine (948)
- Incoming Northern Illinois students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at St. Catharine (20)
- Accepted freshman Northern Illinois students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.3) than students at St. Catharine (3.1)
- St. Catharine has a higher acceptance rate (77.7%) than Northern Illinois (70.7%)
Northern Illinois vs. St. Catharine Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Northern Illinois or St. Catharine? 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 St. Catharine and Northern Illinois.
- Graduates from Northern Illinois University earn on average $14,600 more per year than St. Catharine graduates after ten years. ($47,600 vs. $33,000)
- Saint Catharine College students graduate with a $3,884 lower median federal student loan debt than Northern Illinois graduates. ($19,975 vs. $23,859)
- St. Catharine graduates are paying $40 less per month on federal student loans than Northern Illinois graduates. ($206 vs. $246)
- More Northern Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former St. Catharine students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 49%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/