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 San Diego State Cal State Long Beach San Jose State UIC Western Illinois University CSU UC Merced California State University-San Marcos California State University-San Bernardino San Francisco State| California State University Fullerton | Northern Illinois University | College 3 | College 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|||
| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Cal State Fullerton | Northern Illinois | ||
| Location | Fullerton, CA | Dekalb, IL | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Small Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 40,386 | 15,649 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #699 | #454 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | fullerton.edu | niu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Cal State Fullerton | Northern Illinois | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,742 | $9,790 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $9,790 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,702 | $11,420 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $7,925 | $13,884 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $9,194 | $12,552 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 74% | 99% |
Admission |
Cal State Fullerton | Northern Illinois | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 48,748 | 25,961 | ||
| Admitted | 32,527 | 18,348 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 66.7% | 70.7% | ||
| Enrolled % | 16.2% | 13.3% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.77 | 3.3 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very Easy | Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 18/23 | 19/25 | ||
| SAT Range | 1000/1180 | 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 | Nov 30, 2023 | Aug 1, 2024 |
Academics |
Cal State Fullerton | Northern Illinois | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 24:1 | 14:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
|
|
||
Outcomes |
Cal State Fullerton | Northern Illinois | ||
| Graduation Rate | 50% | 56% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $49,000 | $47,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 69% | 61% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $15,000 | $23,859 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $155 | $246 |
Diversity |
Cal State Fullerton | Northern Illinois | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 42% | 46% | ||
| % Women | 58% | 54% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 22% | 57% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 16% | ||
| % Hispanic | 40% | 15% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 3% | ||
| % International | 6% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 4% | 1% |
Students |
Cal State Fullerton | Northern Illinois | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 99% | 93% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 1% | 5% | ||
Campus |
Cal State Fullerton | 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
- California State University Fullerton is larger than than Northern Illinois based on total student enrollment (40,386 students vs. 15,649 students)
Cal State Fullerton vs. Northern Illinois Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Cal State Fullerton or Northern Illinois?
- Northern Illinois University is 70.5% more expensive to attend than Cal State Fullerton for in-state tuition ($9,790.00 vs. $5,742.00)
- Out of state tuition is 80% higher at Cal State Fullerton 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 California State University Fullerton than Northern Illinois ($7,925 vs. $13,884)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Illinois University are 46.3% lower than costs at California State University Fullerton ($11,420 vs. $16,702)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Illinois University than California State University Fullerton (99% vs. 74%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Illinois University students is 36.5% larger than aid received California State University Fullerton ($12,552 vs. $9,194)
Cal State Fullerton vs. Northern Illinois Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Cal State Fullerton or Northern Illinois? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Northern Illinois or Cal State Fullerton .
- The average SAT score at Northern Illinois University (1029) is 5 points higher than at Cal State Fullerton (1024)
- Incoming Cal State Fullerton students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at Northern Illinois (22)
- Accepted freshman Cal State Fullerton students have a 0.47 point higher average high school GPA (3.77) than students at Northern Illinois (3.3)
- Northern Illinois has a higher acceptance rate (70.7%) than Cal State Fullerton (66.7%)
Cal State Fullerton vs. Northern Illinois Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Cal State Fullerton 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 Cal State Fullerton.
- The graduation rate at Northern Illinois is higher than California State University Fullerton (56% vs. 50%)
- Graduates from California State University Fullerton earn on average $1,400 more per year than Northern Illinois graduates after ten years. ($49,000 vs. $47,600)
- California State University Fullerton students graduate with a $8,859 lower median federal student loan debt than Northern Illinois graduates. ($15,000 vs. $23,859)
- Cal State Fullerton graduates are paying $91 less per month on federal student loans than Northern Illinois graduates. ($155 vs. $246)
- More Cal State Fullerton graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northern Illinois students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 61%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/