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ISU Southern Illinois University UIC Eastern Murray State University Western Illinois University Kentucky DePaul Louisville Illinois WMU EIU| Northern Illinois University | Western Kentucky University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Northern Illinois | WKU | ||
| Location | Dekalb, IL | Bowling Green, KY | ||
| Setting | Small Suburban | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 15,649 | 16,493 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #454 | #875 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | niu.edu | wku.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Northern Illinois | WKU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $9,790 | $11,112 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $9,790 | $27,000 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,420 | $11,072 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $13,884 | $12,625 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $12,552 | $10,260 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 99% | 99% |
Admission |
Northern Illinois | WKU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 25,961 | 7,505 | ||
| Admitted | 18,348 | 7,276 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 70.7% | 96.9% | ||
| Enrolled % | 13.3% | 37.9% | ||
| 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 | 18/25 | ||
| SAT Range | 940/1170 | 980/1170 | ||
| 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 | WKU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 14:1 | 18:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Northern Illinois | WKU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 56% | 50% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $47,600 | $37,100 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 61% | 47% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $23,859 | $24,250 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $246 | $250 |
Diversity |
Northern Illinois | WKU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 46% | 37% | ||
| % Women | 54% | 63% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 57% | 76% | ||
| % Black | 16% | 10% | ||
| % Hispanic | 15% | 3% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 3% | ||
| % International | 2% | 6% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 1% |
Students |
Northern Illinois | WKU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 93% | 70% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 5% | 29% | ||
Campus |
Northern Illinois | WKU | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Western Kentucky University is larger than than Northern Illinois based on total student enrollment (16,493 students vs. 15,649 students)
Northern Illinois vs. WKU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Northern Illinois or WKU?
- Western Kentucky University is 13.5% more expensive to attend than Northern Illinois for in-state tuition ($11,112.00 vs. $9,790.00)
- Out of state tuition is 175.8% higher at WKU than Northern Illinois University ($27,000.00 vs. $9,790.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Kentucky University than Northern Illinois ($12,625 vs. $13,884)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Kentucky University are 3.1% lower than costs at Northern Illinois University ($11,072 vs. $11,420)
- The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Northern Illinois University as Western Kentucky University (99% vs. 99%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Illinois University students is 22.3% larger than aid received Western Kentucky University ($12,552 vs. $10,260)
Northern Illinois vs. WKU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Northern Illinois or WKU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between WKU or Northern Illinois .
- The average SAT score at Western Kentucky University (1047) is 18 points higher than at Northern Illinois (1029)
- Incoming WKU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Northern Illinois (22)
- Accepted freshman WKU students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at Northern Illinois (3.3)
- WKU has a higher acceptance rate (96.9%) than Northern Illinois (70.7%)
Northern Illinois vs. WKU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Northern Illinois or WKU? 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 WKU and Northern Illinois.
- The graduation rate at Northern Illinois is higher than Western Kentucky University (56% vs. 50%)
- Graduates from Northern Illinois University earn on average $10,500 more per year than WKU graduates after ten years. ($47,600 vs. $37,100)
- Northern Illinois University students graduate with a $391 lower median federal student loan debt than WKU graduates. ($23,859 vs. $24,250)
- Northern Illinois graduates are paying $4 less per month on federal student loans than WKU graduates. ($246 vs. $250)
- More Northern Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WKU 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/