Should I go to University of Illinois at Chicago or Northern Illinois University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UIC or Northern Illinois 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.
Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison.
Loyola ISU Southern Illinois University IIT ISU Illinois Western Illinois University UC UB Michigan State UChicago University of Illinois at SpringfieldUniversity of Illinois at Chicago | Northern Illinois University | College 3 | College 4 | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
UIC | Northern Illinois | ||
Location | Chicago, IL | Dekalb, IL | ||
Setting | Large City | Small Suburban | ||
Enrollment | 33,747 | 15,649 | ||
Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
National Ranking | #234 | #454 | ||
Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
Website | uic.edu | niu.edu | ||
Team Colors |
Costs |
UIC | Northern Illinois | ||
Tuition (In State) | $10,970 | $9,790 | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Tuition (Out of State) | $25,578 | $9,790 | ||
Room & Board | $14,400 | $11,420 | ||
Avg Net Price | $10,384 | $13,884 | ||
Avg Grant Aid | $13,813 | $12,552 | ||
% Receiving Grant Aid | 73% | 99% |
Admission |
UIC | Northern Illinois | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
Applied | 23,562 | 25,961 | ||
Admitted | 18,541 | 18,348 | ||
Acceptance Rate | 78.7% | 70.7% | ||
Enrolled % | 22.9% | 13.3% | ||
Avg High School GPA | 3.41 | 3.3 | ||
Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
Admissions Standards | Difficult | Easy | ||
Applicant Competition | Low | |||
ACT Range | 24/30 | 19/25 | ||
SAT Range | 1110/1340 | 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, 2025 | Aug 1, 2025 |
Academics |
UIC | Northern Illinois | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Student to Faculty Ratio | 18:1 | 14:1 | ||
Popular Majors |
|
|
||
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 | 44% | 46% | ||
% Women | 56% | 54% | ||
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 | 88% | 93% | ||
% Out-of-State | 5% | 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 |
Which college is more expensive, UIC or Northern Illinois?
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 .
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.
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/