SIUE vs. NSU

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

SIUE NSU
Location Edwardsville, IL Aberdeen, SD
Setting Large Suburban Remote Town
Enrollment 12,519 3,344
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #506 #820
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website siue.edu northern.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

SIUE NSU
Tuition (In State) $9,306 $7,616
Tuition (Out of State) $9,306 $10,718
Room & Board $10,272 $9,150
Avg Net Price $13,586 $17,264
Avg Grant Aid $10,649 $5,715
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 91%

Admission

SIUE NSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,325 1,322
Admitted 9,093 1,033
Acceptance Rate 97.5% 78.1%
Enrolled % 20.5% 28.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.54 3.37
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26 18/24
SAT Range 930/1160 800/1150
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline May 1, 2025

Academics

SIUE NSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Business (35%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)
  • Biology (4%)

Outcomes

SIUE NSU
Graduation Rate 52% 42%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,000 $37,400
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,430 $24,399
Median Loan Payment $221 $252

Diversity

SIUE NSU
% Men 42% 37%
% Women 58% 63%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 73% 83%
% Black 15% 2%
% Hispanic 4% 4%
% Native American 0% 3%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 1% 4%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

SIUE NSU
% In-State 79% 69%
% Out-of-State 16% 30%

Campus

SIUE NSU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is larger than than NSU based on total student enrollment (12,519 students vs. 3,344 students)

SIUE vs. NSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SIUE or NSU?

  • Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is 22.2% more expensive to attend than NSU for in-state tuition ($9,306.00 vs. $7,616.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 15.2% higher at NSU than Southern Illinois University Edwardsville ($10,718.00 vs. $9,306.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville than NSU ($13,586 vs. $17,264)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern State University are 12.3% lower than costs at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville ($9,150 vs. $10,272)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville than Northern State University (96% vs. 91%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Southern Illinois University Edwardsville students is 86.3% larger than aid received Northern State University ($10,649 vs. $5,715)

SIUE vs. NSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (1070) is 46 points higher than at NSU (1024)
  • Incoming SIUE students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at NSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman SIUE students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.54) than students at NSU (3.37)
  • SIUE has a higher acceptance rate (97.5%) than NSU (78.1%)

SIUE vs. NSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SIUE or NSU? 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 NSU and SIUE.

  • The graduation rate at SIUE is higher than Northern State University (52% vs. 42%)
  • Graduates from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville earn on average $9,600 more per year than NSU graduates after ten years. ($47,000 vs. $37,400)
  • Southern Illinois University Edwardsville students graduate with a $2,969 lower median federal student loan debt than NSU graduates. ($21,430 vs. $24,399)
  • SIUE graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than NSU graduates. ($221 vs. $252)
  • More NSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SIUE students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 61%)

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