Northern Illinois vs. WKU

Should I go to Northern Illinois University or Western Kentucky University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Northern Illinois or WKU 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. Western Kentucky University comparison
Northern Illinois University Western Kentucky University College 3 College 4
Northern Illinois University Western Kentucky University
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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
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
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)

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/