Blackburn College vs. Northern Illinois

Should I go to Blackburn College or Northern Illinois University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Blackburn College 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.

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Blackburn College vs. Northern Illinois University comparison
Blackburn College Northern Illinois University College 3 College 4
Blackburn College Northern Illinois University
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Overview

Blackburn College Northern Illinois
Location Carlinville, IL Dekalb, IL
Setting Rural Fringe Small Suburban
Enrollment 382 15,649
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #454
Religious Affiliation Presbyterian Church (USA) - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website blackburn.edu niu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Blackburn College Northern Illinois
Tuition (In State) $26,055 $9,790
Tuition (Out of State) $26,055 $9,790
Room & Board $9,020 $11,420
Avg Net Price $21,575 $13,884
Avg Grant Aid $14,112 $12,552
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 99%

Admission

Blackburn College Northern Illinois
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 783 25,961
Admitted 504 18,348
Acceptance Rate 64.4% 70.7%
Enrolled % 21% 13.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.23 3.3
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Easy
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 16/24 19/25
SAT Range 888/1125 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 Aug 1, 2024

Academics

Blackburn College Northern Illinois
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (16%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (9%)

Outcomes

Blackburn College Northern Illinois
Graduation Rate 48% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,400 $47,600
Making Student Loan Payments 58% 61%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $23,859
Median Loan Payment $268 $246

Diversity

Blackburn College Northern Illinois
% Men 44% 46%
% Women 56% 54%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 80% 57%
% Black 13% 16%
% Hispanic 2% 15%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

Blackburn College Northern Illinois
% In-State 70% 93%
% Out-of-State 30% 5%

Campus

Blackburn College Northern Illinois
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Northern Illinois University is larger than than Blackburn College based on total student enrollment (15,649 students vs. 382 students)

Blackburn College vs. Northern Illinois Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Blackburn College or Northern Illinois?

  • Blackburn College is 166.1% more expensive to attend than Northern Illinois for in-state tuition ($26,055.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 166.1% higher at Blackburn College than Northern Illinois University ($26,055.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Illinois University than Blackburn College ($13,884 vs. $21,575)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Blackburn College are 26.6% lower than costs at Northern Illinois University ($9,020 vs. $11,420)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Blackburn College than Northern Illinois University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Blackburn College students is 12.4% larger than aid received Northern Illinois University ($14,112 vs. $12,552)

Blackburn College vs. Northern Illinois Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northern Illinois University (1029) is 24 points higher than at Blackburn College (1005)
  • Incoming Blackburn College students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at Northern Illinois (22)
  • Accepted freshman Northern Illinois students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.3) than students at Blackburn College (3.23)
  • Northern Illinois has a higher acceptance rate (70.7%) than Blackburn College (64.4%)

Blackburn College vs. Northern Illinois Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Blackburn College 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 Blackburn College.

  • The graduation rate at Northern Illinois is higher than Blackburn College (56% vs. 48%)
  • Graduates from Northern Illinois University earn on average $7,200 more per year than Blackburn College graduates after ten years. ($47,600 vs. $40,400)
  • Northern Illinois University students graduate with a $2,141 lower median federal student loan debt than Blackburn College graduates. ($23,859 vs. $26,000)
  • Northern Illinois graduates are paying $22 less per month on federal student loans than Blackburn College graduates. ($246 vs. $268)
  • More Northern Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Blackburn College students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 58%)

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