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UTSA ISU Southern Illinois University Texas Tech UNT Texas A&M UIC UH Western Illinois University UT Austin Baylor SHSU| Northern Illinois University | Texas State University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Northern Illinois | Texas State | ||
| Location | Dekalb, IL | San Marcos, TX | ||
| Setting | Small Suburban | Distant Town | ||
| Enrollment | 15,649 | 38,171 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #454 | #667 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | niu.edu | txstate.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Northern Illinois | Texas State | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $9,790 | $8,606 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $9,790 | $20,030 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,420 | $11,460 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $13,884 | $14,120 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $12,552 | $11,791 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 99% | 77% |
Admission |
Northern Illinois | Texas State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 25,961 | 28,908 | ||
| Admitted | 18,348 | 25,353 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 70.7% | 87.7% | ||
| Enrolled % | 13.3% | 30% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.3 | 3.38 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Easy | Moderate | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 19/25 | 19/26 | ||
| SAT Range | 940/1170 | 980/1180 | ||
| 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 | Jun 1, 2025 |
Academics |
Northern Illinois | Texas State | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 14:1 | 21:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Northern Illinois | Texas State | ||
| Graduation Rate | 56% | 56% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $47,600 | $49,200 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 61% | 55% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $23,859 | $21,250 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $246 | $219 |
Diversity |
Northern Illinois | Texas State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 46% | 40% | ||
| % Women | 54% | 60% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 57% | 49% | ||
| % Black | 16% | 9% | ||
| % Hispanic | 15% | 35% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 3% | ||
| % International | 2% | 0% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 1% |
Students |
Northern Illinois | Texas State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 93% | 97% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 5% | 2% | ||
Campus |
Northern Illinois | Texas State | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Texas State University is larger than than Northern Illinois based on total student enrollment (38,171 students vs. 15,649 students)
Northern Illinois vs. Texas State Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Northern Illinois or Texas State?
- Northern Illinois University is 13.8% more expensive to attend than Texas State for in-state tuition ($9,790.00 vs. $8,606.00)
- Out of state tuition is 104.6% higher at Texas State than Northern Illinois University ($20,030.00 vs. $9,790.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Illinois University than Texas State ($13,884 vs. $14,120)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Illinois University are 0.4% lower than costs at Texas State University ($11,420 vs. $11,460)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Illinois University than Texas State University (99% vs. 77%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Illinois University students is 6.5% larger than aid received Texas State University ($12,552 vs. $11,791)
Northern Illinois vs. Texas State Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Northern Illinois or Texas State? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Texas State or Northern Illinois .
- The average SAT score at Texas State University (1038) is 9 points higher than at Northern Illinois (1029)
- Incoming Texas State students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Northern Illinois (22)
- Accepted freshman Texas State students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.38) than students at Northern Illinois (3.3)
- Texas State has a higher acceptance rate (87.7%) than Northern Illinois (70.7%)
Northern Illinois vs. Texas State Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Northern Illinois or Texas State? 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 Texas State and Northern Illinois.
- The graduation rate at Northern Illinois is the same as at Texas State University (56% vs. 56%)
- Graduates from Texas State University earn on average $1,600 more per year than Northern Illinois graduates after ten years. ($49,200 vs. $47,600)
- Texas State University students graduate with a $2,609 lower median federal student loan debt than Northern Illinois graduates. ($21,250 vs. $23,859)
- Texas State graduates are paying $27 less per month on federal student loans than Northern Illinois graduates. ($219 vs. $246)
- More Northern Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Texas State students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 55%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/