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ISU Southern Illinois University NMSU UIC Western Illinois University Texas Tech DePaul Illinois WMU EIU Bradley University of Wisconsin-Whitewater| Northern Illinois University | University of New Mexico Main Campus | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Northern Illinois | UNM | ||
| Location | Dekalb, IL | Albuquerque, NM | ||
| Setting | Small Suburban | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 15,504 | 22,700 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #488 | #671 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | niu.edu | unm.edu | ||
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Costs |
Northern Illinois | UNM | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $9,790 | $6,803 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $9,790 | $25,138 | ||
| Room & Board | $12,800 | $11,884 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $13,533 | $7,528 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $13,565 | $12,252 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 98% | 99% |
Admission |
Northern Illinois | UNM | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 24,177 | 12,907 | ||
| Admitted | 17,033 | 12,320 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 70.5% | 95.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 12.9% | 29.3% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.3 | 3.42 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Easy | Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 19/25 | 19/26 | ||
| SAT Range | 940/1170 | 900/1160 | ||
| 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, 2026 |
Academics |
Northern Illinois | UNM | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 14:1 | 15:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Northern Illinois | UNM | ||
| Graduation Rate | 56% | 44% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $47,600 | $42,700 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 61% | 47% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $23,859 | $19,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $246 | $201 |
Diversity |
Northern Illinois | UNM | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 11% | 11% | ||
| % Women | 16% | 14% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 57% | 35% | ||
| % Black | 16% | 2% | ||
| % Hispanic | 15% | 47% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 6% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 3% | ||
| % International | 2% | 1% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 1% |
Students |
Northern Illinois | UNM | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 93% | 84% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 5% | 15% | ||
Campus |
Northern Illinois | UNM | ||
| 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
- University of New Mexico Main Campus is larger than than Northern Illinois based on total student enrollment (22,700 students vs. 15,504 students)
Northern Illinois vs. UNM Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Northern Illinois or UNM?
- Northern Illinois University is 43.9% more expensive to attend than UNM for in-state tuition ($9,790.00 vs. $6,803.00)
- Out of state tuition is 156.8% higher at UNM than Northern Illinois University ($25,138.00 vs. $9,790.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of New Mexico Main Campus than Northern Illinois ($7,528 vs. $13,533)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of New Mexico Main Campus are 7.7% lower than costs at Northern Illinois University ($11,884 vs. $12,800)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of New Mexico Main Campus than Northern Illinois University (99% vs. 98%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Illinois University students is 10.7% larger than aid received University of New Mexico Main Campus ($13,565 vs. $12,252)
Northern Illinois vs. UNM Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Northern Illinois or UNM? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UNM or Northern Illinois .
- The average SAT score at University of New Mexico Main Campus (1040) is 11 points higher than at Northern Illinois (1029)
- Incoming Northern Illinois students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at UNM (22)
- Accepted freshman UNM students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at Northern Illinois (3.3)
- UNM has a higher acceptance rate (95.5%) than Northern Illinois (70.5%)
Northern Illinois vs. UNM Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Northern Illinois or UNM? 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 UNM and Northern Illinois.
- The graduation rate at Northern Illinois is higher than University of New Mexico Main Campus (56% vs. 44%)
- Graduates from Northern Illinois University earn on average $4,900 more per year than UNM graduates after ten years. ($47,600 vs. $42,700)
- University of New Mexico Main Campus students graduate with a $4,359 lower median federal student loan debt than Northern Illinois graduates. ($19,500 vs. $23,859)
- UNM graduates are paying $45 less per month on federal student loans than Northern Illinois graduates. ($201 vs. $246)
- More Northern Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNM students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 47%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/