Northern Illinois vs. Wright State

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

Northern Illinois Wright State
Location Dekalb, IL Dayton, OH
Setting Small Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 15,504 9,884
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #488 #795
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website niu.edu wright.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northern Illinois Wright State
Tuition (In State) $9,790 $11,138
Tuition (Out of State) $9,790 $20,556
Room & Board $12,800 $10,900
Avg Net Price $13,533 $15,400
Avg Grant Aid $13,565 $7,890
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 90%

Admission

Northern Illinois Wright State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 24,177 8,894
Admitted 17,033 8,463
Acceptance Rate 70.5% 95.2%Open
Enrolled % 12.9% 17.3%Open
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.41
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/25 17/25
SAT Range 940/1170 913/1230
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, 2026 Aug 23, 2026

Academics

Northern Illinois Wright State
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Business (29%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Education (7%)

Outcomes

Northern Illinois Wright State
Graduation Rate 56% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,600 $43,400
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 51%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,859 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $246 $258

Diversity

Northern Illinois Wright State
% Men 11% 14%
% Women 16% 16%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 57% 72%
% Black 16% 12%
% Hispanic 15% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 2% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

Northern Illinois Wright State
% In-State 93% 95%
% Out-of-State 5% 5%

Campus

Northern Illinois Wright State
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

  • Northern Illinois University is larger than than Wright State based on total student enrollment (15,504 students vs. 9,884 students)

Northern Illinois vs. Wright State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northern Illinois or Wright State?

  • Wright State University Main Campus is 13.8% more expensive to attend than Northern Illinois for in-state tuition ($11,138.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 110% higher at Wright State than Northern Illinois University ($20,556.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Illinois University than Wright State ($13,533 vs. $15,400)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wright State University Main Campus are 17.4% lower than costs at Northern Illinois University ($10,900 vs. $12,800)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Illinois University than Wright State University Main Campus (98% vs. 90%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Illinois University students is 71.9% larger than aid received Wright State University Main Campus ($13,565 vs. $7,890)

Northern Illinois vs. Wright State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Wright State University Main Campus (1034) is 5 points higher than at Northern Illinois (1029)
  • Incoming Northern Illinois students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at Wright State (22)
  • Accepted freshman Wright State students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at Northern Illinois (3.3)
  • Wright State has a higher acceptance rate (95.2%) than Northern Illinois (70.5%)

Northern Illinois vs. Wright State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Northern Illinois or Wright State? 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 Wright State and Northern Illinois.

  • The graduation rate at Northern Illinois is higher than Wright State University Main Campus (56% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from Northern Illinois University earn on average $4,200 more per year than Wright State graduates after ten years. ($47,600 vs. $43,400)
  • Northern Illinois University students graduate with a $1,141 lower median federal student loan debt than Wright State graduates. ($23,859 vs. $25,000)
  • Northern Illinois graduates are paying $12 less per month on federal student loans than Wright State graduates. ($246 vs. $258)
  • More Northern Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Wright State students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 51%)

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