Northern Illinois vs. William Jewell College

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

Northern Illinois William Jewell College
Location Dekalb, IL Liberty, MO
Setting Small Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 15,649 853
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #454
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website niu.edu jewell.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northern Illinois William Jewell College
Tuition (In State) $9,790 $18,360
Tuition (Out of State) $9,790 $18,360
Room & Board $11,420 $10,130
Avg Net Price $13,884 $20,108
Avg Grant Aid $12,552 $13,451
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 99%

Admission

Northern Illinois William Jewell College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,961 1,676
Admitted 18,348 687
Acceptance Rate 70.7% 41%
Enrolled % 13.3% 35.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.61
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Easy
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 19/25 20/26
SAT Range 940/1170 1030/1130
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 William Jewell College
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (17%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (12%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)

Outcomes

Northern Illinois William Jewell College
Graduation Rate 56% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,600 $48,500
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,859 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $246 $258

Diversity

Northern Illinois William Jewell College
% Men 46% 51%
% Women 54% 49%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 57% 78%
% Black 16% 4%
% Hispanic 15% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 6%
% International 2% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

Northern Illinois William Jewell College
% In-State 93% 65%
% Out-of-State 5% 33%

Campus

Northern Illinois William Jewell 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 William Jewell College based on total student enrollment (15,649 students vs. 853 students)

Northern Illinois vs. William Jewell College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northern Illinois or William Jewell College?

  • William Jewell College is 87.5% more expensive to attend than Northern Illinois for in-state tuition ($18,360.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 87.5% higher at William Jewell College than Northern Illinois University ($18,360.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Illinois University than William Jewell College ($13,884 vs. $20,108)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at William Jewell College are 12.7% lower than costs at Northern Illinois University ($10,130 vs. $11,420)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Northern Illinois University as William Jewell College (99% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by William Jewell College students is 7.2% larger than aid received Northern Illinois University ($13,451 vs. $12,552)

Northern Illinois vs. William Jewell College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at William Jewell College (1160) is 131 points higher than at Northern Illinois (1029)
  • Incoming William Jewell College students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Northern Illinois (22)
  • Accepted freshman William Jewell College students have a 0.31 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at Northern Illinois (3.3)
  • Northern Illinois has a higher acceptance rate (70.7%) than William Jewell College (41%)

Northern Illinois vs. William Jewell College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Northern Illinois or William Jewell 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 William Jewell College and Northern Illinois.

  • The graduation rate at William Jewell College is higher than Northern Illinois University (63% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from William Jewell College earn on average $900 more per year than Northern Illinois graduates after ten years. ($48,500 vs. $47,600)
  • Northern Illinois University students graduate with a $1,141 lower median federal student loan debt than William Jewell College graduates. ($23,859 vs. $25,000)
  • Northern Illinois graduates are paying $12 less per month on federal student loans than William Jewell College graduates. ($246 vs. $258)
  • More William Jewell College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northern Illinois students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 61%)

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