Northern Illinois vs. Westminster College

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

Northern Illinois Westminster College
Location Dekalb, IL Fulton, MO
Setting Small Suburban Distant Town
Enrollment 15,649 610
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #454
Religious Affiliation - Presbyterian Church (USA) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website niu.edu westminster-mo.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northern Illinois Westminster College
Tuition (In State) $9,790 $30,248
Tuition (Out of State) $9,790 $30,248
Room & Board $11,420 $11,762
Avg Net Price $13,884 $26,768
Avg Grant Aid $12,552 $22,039
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 99%

Admission

Northern Illinois Westminster College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,961 2,051
Admitted 18,348 1,544
Acceptance Rate 70.7% 75.3%
Enrolled % 13.3% 10.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.44
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/25 18/24
SAT Range 940/1170 930/1090
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 Westminster College
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • General Studies (6%)

Outcomes

Northern Illinois Westminster College
Graduation Rate 56% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,600 $47,900
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 72%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,859 $26,437
Median Loan Payment $246 $273

Diversity

Northern Illinois Westminster College
% Men 46% 55%
% Women 54% 45%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 57% 65%
% Black 16% 9%
% Hispanic 15% 4%
% Native American 0% 2%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 1%
% International 2% 15%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

Northern Illinois Westminster College
% In-State 93% 81%
% Out-of-State 5% 16%

Campus

Northern Illinois Westminster 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 Westminster College based on total student enrollment (15,649 students vs. 610 students)

Northern Illinois vs. Westminster College Cost Comparison

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

  • Westminster College is 209% more expensive to attend than Northern Illinois for in-state tuition ($30,248.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 209% higher at Westminster College than Northern Illinois University ($30,248.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Illinois University than Westminster College ($13,884 vs. $26,768)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Illinois University are 3% lower than costs at Westminster College ($11,420 vs. $11,762)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Northern Illinois University as Westminster College (99% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Westminster College students is 75.6% larger than aid received Northern Illinois University ($22,039 vs. $12,552)

Northern Illinois vs. Westminster College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Westminster College (1084) is 55 points higher than at Northern Illinois (1029)
  • Incoming Westminster College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Northern Illinois (22)
  • Accepted freshman Westminster College students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.44) than students at Northern Illinois (3.3)
  • Westminster College has a higher acceptance rate (75.3%) than Northern Illinois (70.7%)

Northern Illinois vs. Westminster College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Northern Illinois or Westminster 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 Westminster College and Northern Illinois.

  • The graduation rate at Westminster College is higher than Northern Illinois University (63% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from Westminster College earn on average $300 more per year than Northern Illinois graduates after ten years. ($47,900 vs. $47,600)
  • Northern Illinois University students graduate with a $2,578 lower median federal student loan debt than Westminster College graduates. ($23,859 vs. $26,437)
  • Northern Illinois graduates are paying $27 less per month on federal student loans than Westminster College graduates. ($246 vs. $273)
  • More Westminster College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northern Illinois students, three years after graduation. (72% vs. 61%)

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