Northern Illinois vs. Northwest

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

Northern Illinois Northwest
Location Dekalb, IL Maryville, MO
Setting Small Suburban Remote Town
Enrollment 15,649 8,505
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #454 #914
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website niu.edu nwmissouri.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northern Illinois Northwest
Tuition (In State) $9,790 $6,015
Tuition (Out of State) $9,790 $12,082
Room & Board $11,420 $10,428
Avg Net Price $13,884 $14,197
Avg Grant Aid $12,552 $8,387
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 95%

Admission

Northern Illinois Northwest
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,961 6,877
Admitted 18,348 5,884
Acceptance Rate 70.7% 85.6%
Enrolled % 13.3% 18.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.45
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/25 18/24
SAT Range 940/1170 938/1158
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, 2024

Academics

Northern Illinois Northwest
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Business (29%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Agriculture (6%)
  • General Studies (6%)

Outcomes

Northern Illinois Northwest
Graduation Rate 56% 49%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,600 $41,200
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,859 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $246 $258

Diversity

Northern Illinois Northwest
% Men 46% 38%
% Women 54% 62%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 57% 79%
% Black 16% 7%
% Hispanic 15% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 6%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

Northern Illinois Northwest
% In-State 93% 65%
% Out-of-State 5% 33%

Campus

Northern Illinois Northwest
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 Northwest based on total student enrollment (15,649 students vs. 8,505 students)

Northern Illinois vs. Northwest Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northern Illinois or Northwest?

  • Northern Illinois University is 62.8% more expensive to attend than Northwest for in-state tuition ($9,790.00 vs. $6,015.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 23.4% higher at Northwest than Northern Illinois University ($12,082.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Illinois University than Northwest ($13,884 vs. $14,197)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northwest Missouri State University are 9.5% lower than costs at Northern Illinois University ($10,428 vs. $11,420)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Illinois University than Northwest Missouri State University (99% vs. 95%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Illinois University students is 49.7% larger than aid received Northwest Missouri State University ($12,552 vs. $8,387)

Northern Illinois vs. Northwest Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northwest Missouri State University (1047) is 18 points higher than at Northern Illinois (1029)
  • Incoming Northwest students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Northern Illinois (22)
  • Accepted freshman Northwest students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.45) than students at Northern Illinois (3.3)
  • Northwest has a higher acceptance rate (85.6%) than Northern Illinois (70.7%)

Northern Illinois vs. Northwest Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Northern Illinois or Northwest? 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 Northwest and Northern Illinois.

  • The graduation rate at Northern Illinois is higher than Northwest Missouri State University (56% vs. 49%)
  • Graduates from Northern Illinois University earn on average $6,400 more per year than Northwest graduates after ten years. ($47,600 vs. $41,200)
  • Northern Illinois University students graduate with a $1,141 lower median federal student loan debt than Northwest graduates. ($23,859 vs. $25,000)
  • Northern Illinois graduates are paying $12 less per month on federal student loans than Northwest graduates. ($246 vs. $258)
  • More Northwest graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northern Illinois 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/