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Michigan State ISU UM-Dearborn Oakland Southern Illinois University UIC Detroit Mercy- UDM- U of D- University of Detroit Western Illinois University Eastern Michigan University CMU Michigan GVSU| Northern Illinois University | Wayne State University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Northern Illinois | WSU | ||
| Location | Dekalb, IL | Detroit, MI | ||
| Setting | Small Suburban | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 15,649 | 23,630 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #454 | #582 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | niu.edu | wayne.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Northern Illinois | WSU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $9,790 | $12,933 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $9,790 | $29,622 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,420 | $11,321 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $13,884 | $15,347 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $12,552 | $10,605 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 99% | 96% |
Admission |
Northern Illinois | WSU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 25,961 | 14,002 | ||
| Admitted | 18,348 | 10,547 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 70.7% | 75.3% | ||
| Enrolled % | 13.3% | 24.4% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.3 | 3.42 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Easy | Challenging | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 19/25 | 21/28 | ||
| SAT Range | 940/1170 | 1040/1260 | ||
| 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 | Aug 1, 2025 |
Academics |
Northern Illinois | WSU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 14:1 | 14:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Northern Illinois | WSU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 56% | 26% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $47,600 | $51,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 61% | 38% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $23,859 | $22,258 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $246 | $230 |
Diversity |
Northern Illinois | WSU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 46% | 40% | ||
| % Women | 54% | 60% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 57% | 57% | ||
| % Black | 16% | 19% | ||
| % Hispanic | 15% | 5% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 3% | ||
| % International | 2% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 5% |
Students |
Northern Illinois | WSU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 93% | 93% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 5% | 3% | ||
Campus |
Northern Illinois | WSU | ||
| 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
- Wayne State University is larger than than Northern Illinois based on total student enrollment (23,630 students vs. 15,649 students)
Northern Illinois vs. WSU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Northern Illinois or WSU?
- Wayne State University is 32.1% more expensive to attend than Northern Illinois for in-state tuition ($12,933.00 vs. $9,790.00)
- Out of state tuition is 202.6% higher at WSU than Northern Illinois University ($29,622.00 vs. $9,790.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Illinois University than WSU ($13,884 vs. $15,347)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wayne State University are 0.9% lower than costs at Northern Illinois University ($11,321 vs. $11,420)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Illinois University than Wayne State University (99% vs. 96%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Illinois University students is 18.4% larger than aid received Wayne State University ($12,552 vs. $10,605)
Northern Illinois vs. WSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Northern Illinois or WSU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between WSU or Northern Illinois .
- The average SAT score at Wayne State University (1070) is 41 points higher than at Northern Illinois (1029)
- Incoming WSU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Northern Illinois (22)
- Accepted freshman WSU students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at Northern Illinois (3.3)
- WSU has a higher acceptance rate (75.3%) than Northern Illinois (70.7%)
Northern Illinois vs. WSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Northern Illinois or WSU? 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 WSU and Northern Illinois.
- The graduation rate at Northern Illinois is higher than Wayne State University (56% vs. 26%)
- Graduates from Wayne State University earn on average $3,400 more per year than Northern Illinois graduates after ten years. ($51,000 vs. $47,600)
- Wayne State University students graduate with a $1,601 lower median federal student loan debt than Northern Illinois graduates. ($22,258 vs. $23,859)
- WSU graduates are paying $16 less per month on federal student loans than Northern Illinois graduates. ($230 vs. $246)
- More Northern Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WSU students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 38%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/