CSU vs. IU Northwest

Should I go to Chicago State University or Indiana University Northwest? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if CSU or IU 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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Chicago State University vs. Indiana University Northwest comparison
Chicago State University Indiana University Northwest College 3 College 4
Chicago State University Indiana University Northwest
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Overview

CSU IU Northwest
Location Chicago, IL Gary, IN
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 2,317 3,198
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #870 #882
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website csu.edu iun.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CSU IU Northwest
Tuition (In State) $7,656 $7,274
Tuition (Out of State) $7,656 $20,634
Room & Board $13,800 $9,412
Avg Net Price $6,446 $6,553
Avg Grant Aid $15,891 $8,754
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 80%

Admission

CSU IU Northwest
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,404 1,915
Admitted 3,592 1,538
Acceptance Rate 48.5% 80.3%
Enrolled % 4.8% 27.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.18 3.14
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 15/19 20/25
SAT Range 750/963 950/1170
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline

Academics

CSU IU Northwest
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (31%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Health Professions (33%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (13%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

CSU IU Northwest
Graduation Rate 21% 23%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,300 $39,500
Making Student Loan Payments 25% 33%
Median Student Loan Debt $31,250 $25,030
Median Loan Payment $323 $258

Diversity

CSU IU Northwest
% Men 33% 25%
% Women 67% 75%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 3% 55%
% Black 75% 18%
% Hispanic 8% 20%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 3%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 12% 1%

Students

CSU IU Northwest
% In-State 77% 97%
% Out-of-State 20% 2%

Campus

CSU IU Northwest
Campus Housing Yes No
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Indiana University Northwest is larger than than CSU based on total student enrollment (3,198 students vs. 2,317 students)

CSU vs. IU Northwest Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CSU or IU Northwest?

  • Chicago State University is 5.3% more expensive to attend than IU Northwest for in-state tuition ($7,656.00 vs. $7,274.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 169.5% higher at IU Northwest than Chicago State University ($20,634.00 vs. $7,656.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Chicago State University than IU Northwest ($6,446 vs. $6,553)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Indiana University Northwest are 46.6% lower than costs at Chicago State University ($9,412 vs. $13,800)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Chicago State University than Indiana University Northwest (93% vs. 80%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Chicago State University students is 81.5% larger than aid received Indiana University Northwest ($15,891 vs. $8,754)

CSU vs. IU Northwest Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Indiana University Northwest (928) is 53 points higher than at CSU (875)
  • Incoming IU Northwest students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (20) than students at CSU (18)
  • Accepted freshman CSU students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.18) than students at IU Northwest (3.14)
  • IU Northwest has a higher acceptance rate (80.3%) than CSU (48.5%)

CSU vs. IU Northwest Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CSU or IU 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 IU Northwest and CSU.

  • The graduation rate at IU Northwest is higher than Chicago State University (23% vs. 21%)
  • Graduates from Indiana University Northwest earn on average $1,200 more per year than CSU graduates after ten years. ($39,500 vs. $38,300)
  • Indiana University Northwest students graduate with a $6,220 lower median federal student loan debt than CSU graduates. ($25,030 vs. $31,250)
  • IU Northwest graduates are paying $65 less per month on federal student loans than CSU graduates. ($258 vs. $323)
  • More IU Northwest graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CSU students, three years after graduation. (33% vs. 25%)

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