Northern Illinois vs. Wartburg College

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

Northern Illinois Wartburg College
Location Dekalb, IL Waverly, IA
Setting Small Suburban Distant Town
Enrollment 15,649 1,444
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #454 #654
Religious Affiliation - Evangelical Lutheran Church - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website niu.edu wartburg.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northern Illinois Wartburg College
Tuition (In State) $9,790 $46,740
Tuition (Out of State) $9,790 $46,740
Room & Board $11,420 $10,280
Avg Net Price $13,884 $23,683
Avg Grant Aid $12,552 $36,157
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 97%

Admission

Northern Illinois Wartburg College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,961 2,779
Admitted 18,348 2,708
Acceptance Rate 70.7% 97.4%
Enrolled % 13.3% 13%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.48
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/25 19/25
SAT Range 940/1170 970/1120
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

Academics

Northern Illinois Wartburg College
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Biology (15%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)

Outcomes

Northern Illinois Wartburg College
Graduation Rate 56% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,600 $48,100
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 81%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,859 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $246 $279

Diversity

Northern Illinois Wartburg College
% Men 46% 49%
% Women 54% 51%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 57% 77%
% Black 16% 5%
% Hispanic 15% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 2% 8%
% Unknown Race 1% 4%

Students

Northern Illinois Wartburg College
% In-State 93% 70%
% Out-of-State 5% 27%

Campus

Northern Illinois Wartburg College
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 Wartburg College based on total student enrollment (15,649 students vs. 1,444 students)

Northern Illinois vs. Wartburg College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northern Illinois or Wartburg College?

  • Wartburg College is 377.4% more expensive to attend than Northern Illinois for in-state tuition ($46,740.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 377.4% higher at Wartburg College than Northern Illinois University ($46,740.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Illinois University than Wartburg College ($13,884 vs. $23,683)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wartburg College are 11.1% lower than costs at Northern Illinois University ($10,280 vs. $11,420)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Illinois University than Wartburg College (99% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wartburg College students is 188.1% larger than aid received Northern Illinois University ($36,157 vs. $12,552)

Northern Illinois vs. Wartburg College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Wartburg College (1105) is 76 points higher than at Northern Illinois (1029)
  • Incoming Wartburg College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Northern Illinois (22)
  • Accepted freshman Wartburg College students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.48) than students at Northern Illinois (3.3)
  • Wartburg College has a higher acceptance rate (97.4%) than Northern Illinois (70.7%)

Northern Illinois vs. Wartburg College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Northern Illinois or Wartburg College? 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 Wartburg College and Northern Illinois.

  • The graduation rate at Wartburg College is higher than Northern Illinois University (63% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from Wartburg College earn on average $500 more per year than Northern Illinois graduates after ten years. ($48,100 vs. $47,600)
  • Northern Illinois University students graduate with a $3,141 lower median federal student loan debt than Wartburg College graduates. ($23,859 vs. $27,000)
  • Northern Illinois graduates are paying $33 less per month on federal student loans than Wartburg College graduates. ($246 vs. $279)
  • More Wartburg College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northern Illinois students, three years after graduation. (81% vs. 61%)

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