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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 | Upper Iowa University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Northern Illinois | UIU | ||
| Location | Dekalb, IL | Fayette, IA | ||
| Setting | Small Suburban | Remote Rural | ||
| Enrollment | 15,649 | 3,072 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #454 | #737 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | niu.edu | uiu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Northern Illinois | UIU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $9,790 | $32,589 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $9,790 | $32,589 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,420 | $9,644 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $13,884 | $24,563 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $12,552 | $25,788 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 99% | 100% |
Admission |
Northern Illinois | UIU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 25,961 | 1,405 | ||
| Admitted | 18,348 | 762 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 70.7% | 54.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 13.3% | 28.3% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.3 | 3.34 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Easy | Extremely Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 19/25 | 18/24 | ||
| SAT Range | 940/1170 | 890/1050 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | Required to be considered for admission | ||
| Application Deadline | Aug 1, 2025 |
Academics |
Northern Illinois | UIU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 14:1 | 13:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Northern Illinois | UIU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 56% | 45% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $47,600 | $42,100 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 61% | 50% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $23,859 | $24,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $246 | $248 |
Diversity |
Northern Illinois | UIU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 46% | 41% | ||
| % Women | 54% | 59% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 57% | 66% | ||
| % Black | 16% | 19% | ||
| % Hispanic | 15% | 5% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 2% | ||
| % International | 2% | 3% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 3% |
Students |
Northern Illinois | UIU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 93% | 49% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 5% | 48% | ||
Campus |
Northern Illinois | UIU | ||
| 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 UIU based on total student enrollment (15,649 students vs. 3,072 students)
Northern Illinois vs. UIU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Northern Illinois or UIU?
- Upper Iowa University is 232.9% more expensive to attend than Northern Illinois for in-state tuition ($32,589.00 vs. $9,790.00)
- Out of state tuition is 232.9% higher at UIU than Northern Illinois University ($32,589.00 vs. $9,790.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Illinois University than UIU ($13,884 vs. $24,563)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Upper Iowa University are 18.4% lower than costs at Northern Illinois University ($9,644 vs. $11,420)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Upper Iowa University than Northern Illinois University (100% vs. 99%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Upper Iowa University students is 105.4% larger than aid received Northern Illinois University ($25,788 vs. $12,552)
Northern Illinois vs. UIU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Northern Illinois or UIU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UIU or Northern Illinois .
- The average SAT score at Northern Illinois University (1029) is 99 points higher than at UIU (930)
- Incoming Northern Illinois students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at UIU (20)
- Accepted freshman UIU students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.34) than students at Northern Illinois (3.3)
- Northern Illinois has a higher acceptance rate (70.7%) than UIU (54.2%)
Northern Illinois vs. UIU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Northern Illinois or UIU? 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 UIU and Northern Illinois.
- The graduation rate at Northern Illinois is higher than Upper Iowa University (56% vs. 45%)
- Graduates from Northern Illinois University earn on average $5,500 more per year than UIU graduates after ten years. ($47,600 vs. $42,100)
- Northern Illinois University students graduate with a $141 lower median federal student loan debt than UIU graduates. ($23,859 vs. $24,000)
- Northern Illinois graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than UIU graduates. ($246 vs. $248)
- More Northern Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UIU students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 50%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/