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Loyola ISU Southern Illinois University IIT ISU Illinois Western Illinois University UC UB Michigan State UChicago University of Illinois at Springfield| University of Illinois at Chicago | Northern Illinois University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
UIC | Northern Illinois | ||
| Location | Chicago, IL | Dekalb, IL | ||
| Setting | Large City | Small Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 33,522 | 15,504 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #198 | #488 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | uic.edu | niu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
UIC | Northern Illinois | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,178 | $9,790 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $26,200 | $9,790 | ||
| Room & Board | $14,600 | $12,800 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $11,499 | $13,533 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $15,421 | $13,565 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 72% | 98% |
Admission |
UIC | Northern Illinois | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 25,420 | 24,177 | ||
| Admitted | 19,955 | 17,033 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 78.5% | 70.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 23.3% | 12.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.41 | 3.3 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 25/32 | 19/25 | ||
| SAT Range | 1120/1340 | 940/1170 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | ||
| Application Deadline | Feb 1, 2026 | Aug 1, 2026 |
Academics |
UIC | Northern Illinois | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 17:1 | 14:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
UIC | Northern Illinois | ||
| Graduation Rate | 54% | 56% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $61,900 | $47,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 68% | 61% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $18,750 | $23,859 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $193 | $246 |
Diversity |
UIC | Northern Illinois | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 14% | 11% | ||
| % Women | 20% | 16% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 34% | 57% | ||
| % Black | 8% | 16% | ||
| % Hispanic | 28% | 15% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 3% | ||
| % International | 2% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 1% |
Students |
UIC | Northern Illinois | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 89% | 93% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 4% | 5% | ||
Campus |
UIC | Northern Illinois | ||
| 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
- University of Illinois at Chicago is larger than than Northern Illinois based on total student enrollment (33,522 students vs. 15,504 students)
UIC vs. Northern Illinois Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, UIC or Northern Illinois?
- University of Illinois at Chicago is 14.2% more expensive to attend than Northern Illinois for in-state tuition ($11,178.00 vs. $9,790.00)
- Out of state tuition is 167.6% higher at UIC than Northern Illinois University ($26,200.00 vs. $9,790.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Illinois at Chicago than Northern Illinois ($11,499 vs. $13,533)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Illinois University are 14.1% lower than costs at University of Illinois at Chicago ($12,800 vs. $14,600)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Illinois University than University of Illinois at Chicago (98% vs. 72%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of Illinois at Chicago students is 13.7% larger than aid received Northern Illinois University ($15,421 vs. $13,565)
UIC vs. Northern Illinois Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, UIC or Northern Illinois? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Northern Illinois or UIC .
- The average SAT score at University of Illinois at Chicago (1092) is 63 points higher than at Northern Illinois (1029)
- Incoming UIC students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Northern Illinois (22)
- Accepted freshman UIC students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at Northern Illinois (3.3)
- UIC has a higher acceptance rate (78.5%) than Northern Illinois (70.5%)
UIC vs. Northern Illinois Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, UIC or Northern Illinois? 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 Northern Illinois and UIC.
- The graduation rate at Northern Illinois is higher than University of Illinois at Chicago (56% vs. 54%)
- Graduates from University of Illinois at Chicago earn on average $14,300 more per year than Northern Illinois graduates after ten years. ($61,900 vs. $47,600)
- University of Illinois at Chicago students graduate with a $5,109 lower median federal student loan debt than Northern Illinois graduates. ($18,750 vs. $23,859)
- UIC graduates are paying $53 less per month on federal student loans than Northern Illinois graduates. ($193 vs. $246)
- More UIC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northern Illinois students, three years after graduation. (68% vs. 61%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/