Northern Illinois vs. SJC

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

Northern Illinois SJC
Location Dekalb, IL Rensselaer, IN
Setting Small Suburban Distant Town
Enrollment 15,649 972
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #454
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website niu.edu saintjoe.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northern Illinois SJC
Tuition (In State) $9,790 $29,650
Tuition (Out of State) $9,790 $29,650
Room & Board $11,420 $9,480
Avg Net Price $13,884 $15,836
Avg Grant Aid $12,552 $21,898
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

Northern Illinois SJC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,961 1,506
Admitted 18,348 1,157
Acceptance Rate 70.7% 76.8%
Enrolled % 13.3% 19.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.27
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/25 21/24
SAT Range 940/1170 930/1130
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Required
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025

Academics

Northern Illinois SJC
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 0:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (28%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

Northern Illinois SJC
Graduation Rate 56% 58%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,600 $44,000
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,859 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $246 $279

Diversity

Northern Illinois SJC
% Men 46% 0%
% Women 54% 0%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 57% 80%
% Black 16% 10%
% Hispanic 15% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

Northern Illinois SJC
% In-State 93% -
% Out-of-State 5% -

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Northern Illinois University is larger than than SJC based on total student enrollment (15,649 students vs. 972 students)

Northern Illinois vs. SJC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northern Illinois or SJC?

  • Saint Josephs College is 202.9% more expensive to attend than Northern Illinois for in-state tuition ($29,650.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 202.9% higher at SJC than Northern Illinois University ($29,650.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Illinois University than SJC ($13,884 vs. $15,836)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Saint Josephs College are 20.5% lower than costs at Northern Illinois University ($9,480 vs. $11,420)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Saint Josephs College than Northern Illinois University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Saint Josephs College students is 74.5% larger than aid received Northern Illinois University ($21,898 vs. $12,552)

Northern Illinois vs. SJC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northern Illinois University (1029) is 44 points higher than at SJC (985)
  • Incoming Northern Illinois students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at SJC (22)
  • Accepted freshman Northern Illinois students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.3) than students at SJC (3.27)
  • SJC has a higher acceptance rate (76.8%) than Northern Illinois (70.7%)

Northern Illinois vs. SJC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Northern Illinois or SJC? 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 SJC and Northern Illinois.

  • The graduation rate at SJC is higher than Northern Illinois University (58% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from Northern Illinois University earn on average $3,600 more per year than SJC graduates after ten years. ($47,600 vs. $44,000)
  • Northern Illinois University students graduate with a $3,141 lower median federal student loan debt than SJC graduates. ($23,859 vs. $27,000)
  • Northern Illinois graduates are paying $33 less per month on federal student loans than SJC graduates. ($246 vs. $279)
  • More SJC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northern Illinois students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 61%)

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