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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 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Northern Illinois | SIUE | ||
| Location | Dekalb, IL | Edwardsville, IL | ||
| Setting | Small Suburban | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 15,649 | 12,519 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #454 | #506 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | niu.edu | siue.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Northern Illinois | SIUE | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $9,790 | $9,306 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $9,790 | $9,306 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,420 | $10,272 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $13,884 | $13,586 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $12,552 | $10,649 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 99% | 96% |
Admission |
Northern Illinois | SIUE | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 25,961 | 9,325 | ||
| Admitted | 18,348 | 9,093 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 70.7% | 97.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 13.3% | 20.5% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.3 | 3.54 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Easy | Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 19/25 | 19/26 | ||
| SAT Range | 940/1170 | 930/1160 | ||
| 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 | May 1, 2025 |
Academics |
Northern Illinois | SIUE | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 14:1 | 15:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Northern Illinois | SIUE | ||
| Graduation Rate | 56% | 52% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $47,600 | $47,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 61% | 61% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $23,859 | $21,430 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $246 | $221 |
Diversity |
Northern Illinois | SIUE | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 46% | 42% | ||
| % Women | 54% | 58% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 57% | 73% | ||
| % Black | 16% | 15% | ||
| % Hispanic | 15% | 4% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 3% | ||
| % International | 2% | 1% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 1% |
Students |
Northern Illinois | SIUE | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 93% | 79% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 5% | 16% | ||
Campus |
Northern Illinois | SIUE | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Northern Illinois University is larger than than SIUE based on total student enrollment (15,649 students vs. 12,519 students)
Northern Illinois vs. SIUE Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Northern Illinois or SIUE?
- Northern Illinois University is 5.2% more expensive to attend than SIUE for in-state tuition ($9,790.00 vs. $9,306.00)
- Out of state tuition is 5.2% higher at Northern Illinois than Southern Illinois University Edwardsville ($9,790.00 vs. $9,306.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville than Northern Illinois ($13,586 vs. $13,884)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville are 11.2% lower than costs at Northern Illinois University ($10,272 vs. $11,420)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Illinois University than Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (99% vs. 96%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Illinois University students is 17.9% larger than aid received Southern Illinois University Edwardsville ($12,552 vs. $10,649)
Northern Illinois vs. SIUE Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Northern Illinois or SIUE? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between SIUE or Northern Illinois .
- The average SAT score at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (1070) is 41 points higher than at Northern Illinois (1029)
- Incoming SIUE students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Northern Illinois (22)
- Accepted freshman SIUE students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.54) than students at Northern Illinois (3.3)
- SIUE has a higher acceptance rate (97.5%) than Northern Illinois (70.7%)
Northern Illinois vs. SIUE Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Northern Illinois or SIUE? 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 SIUE and Northern Illinois.
- The graduation rate at Northern Illinois is higher than Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (56% vs. 52%)
- Graduates from Northern Illinois University earn on average $600 more per year than SIUE graduates after ten years. ($47,600 vs. $47,000)
- Southern Illinois University Edwardsville students graduate with a $2,429 lower median federal student loan debt than Northern Illinois graduates. ($21,430 vs. $23,859)
- SIUE graduates are paying $25 less per month on federal student loans than Northern Illinois graduates. ($221 vs. $246)
- More Northern Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SIUE students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 61%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/