Add a college to compare up to four schools
Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison.
ISU Southern Illinois University Sacramento State San Francisco State UIC Humboldt State University Western Illinois University San Jose State UC Merced Cal State Fullerton Sonoma State University California State University-Fresno| California State University Chico | Northern Illinois University | College 3 | College 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|||
| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
CSU | Northern Illinois | ||
| Location | Chico, CA | Dekalb, IL | ||
| Setting | Small City | Small Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 14,183 | 15,649 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #659 | #454 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | csuchico.edu | niu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
CSU | Northern Illinois | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,742 | $9,790 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $9,790 | ||
| Room & Board | $15,212 | $11,420 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $15,517 | $13,884 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $9,162 | $12,552 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 62% | 99% |
Admission |
CSU | Northern Illinois | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 21,417 | 25,961 | ||
| Admitted | 20,347 | 18,348 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 95% | 70.7% | ||
| Enrolled % | 9.9% | 13.3% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.37 | 3.3 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very Easy | Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 18/24 | 19/25 | ||
| SAT Range | 970/1170 | 940/1170 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | ||
| Application Deadline | Dec 15, 2023 | Aug 1, 2024 |
Academics |
CSU | Northern Illinois | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 20:1 | 14:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
|
|
||
Outcomes |
CSU | Northern Illinois | ||
| Graduation Rate | 59% | 56% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $52,400 | $47,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 70% | 61% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $17,000 | $23,859 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $175 | $246 |
Diversity |
CSU | Northern Illinois | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 45% | 46% | ||
| % Women | 55% | 54% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 46% | 57% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 16% | ||
| % Hispanic | 29% | 15% | ||
| % Native American | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 3% | ||
| % International | 3% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 7% | 1% |
Students |
CSU | Northern Illinois | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 97% | 93% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 2% | 5% | ||
Campus |
CSU | 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
- Northern Illinois University is larger than than CSU based on total student enrollment (15,649 students vs. 14,183 students)
CSU vs. Northern Illinois Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, CSU or Northern Illinois?
- Northern Illinois University is 70.5% more expensive to attend than CSU for in-state tuition ($9,790.00 vs. $5,742.00)
- Out of state tuition is 80% higher at CSU than Northern Illinois University ($17,622.00 vs. $9,790.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Illinois University than CSU ($13,884 vs. $15,517)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Illinois University are 33.2% lower than costs at California State University Chico ($11,420 vs. $15,212)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Illinois University than California State University Chico (99% vs. 62%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Illinois University students is 37% larger than aid received California State University Chico ($12,552 vs. $9,162)
CSU vs. Northern Illinois Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, CSU or Northern Illinois? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Northern Illinois or CSU .
- The average SAT score at Northern Illinois University (1029) is 26 points higher than at CSU (1003)
- Incoming CSU students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at Northern Illinois (22)
- Accepted freshman CSU students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.37) than students at Northern Illinois (3.3)
- CSU has a higher acceptance rate (95%) than Northern Illinois (70.7%)
CSU vs. Northern Illinois Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, CSU 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 CSU.
- The graduation rate at CSU is higher than Northern Illinois University (59% vs. 56%)
- Graduates from California State University Chico earn on average $4,800 more per year than Northern Illinois graduates after ten years. ($52,400 vs. $47,600)
- California State University Chico students graduate with a $6,859 lower median federal student loan debt than Northern Illinois graduates. ($17,000 vs. $23,859)
- CSU graduates are paying $71 less per month on federal student loans than Northern Illinois graduates. ($175 vs. $246)
- More CSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northern Illinois students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 61%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/