ECC vs. Northern Illinois

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

ECC Northern Illinois
Location Elgin, IL Dekalb, IL
Setting Midsize City Small Suburban
Enrollment 8,910 15,649
Type Public 2 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #454
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website elgin.edu niu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ECC Northern Illinois
Tuition (In State) $3,168 $9,790
Tuition (Out of State) $9,504 $9,790
Room & Board $7,650 $11,420
Avg Net Price $3,968 $13,884
Avg Grant Aid $5,148 $12,552
% Receiving Grant Aid 65% 99%

Admission

ECC Northern Illinois
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 25,961
Admitted - 18,348
Acceptance Rate Open 70.7%
Enrolled % Open 13.3%
Avg High School GPA - 3.3
Typical High School Grades - B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/25
SAT Range 940/1170
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2024

Academics

ECC Northern Illinois
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (26%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (20%)
  • Mechanic and Repair Technologies (14%)
  • Personal and Culinary Services (8%)
  • Business (6%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (9%)

Outcomes

ECC Northern Illinois
Graduation Rate - 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $35,500 $47,600
Making Student Loan Payments 44% 61%
Median Student Loan Debt $5,393 $23,859
Median Loan Payment $55 $246

Diversity

ECC Northern Illinois
% Men 44% 46%
% Women 56% 54%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 49% 57%
% Black 5% 16%
% Hispanic 34% 15%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

ECC Northern Illinois
% In-State 99% 93%
% Out-of-State 0% 5%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Northern Illinois University is larger than than ECC based on total student enrollment (15,649 students vs. 8,910 students)

ECC vs. Northern Illinois Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ECC or Northern Illinois?

  • Northern Illinois University is 37.3% more expensive to attend than ECC for in-state tuition ($9,790.00 vs. $7,128.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 3% higher at Northern Illinois than Elgin Community College ($9,790.00 vs. $9,504.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Elgin Community College than Northern Illinois ($3,968 vs. $13,884)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Elgin Community College are 49.3% lower than costs at Northern Illinois University ($7,650 vs. $11,420)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Illinois University than Elgin Community College (99% vs. 65%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Illinois University students is 143.8% larger than aid received Elgin Community College ($12,552 vs. $5,148)

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

ECC vs. Northern Illinois Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ECC 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 ECC.

  • Graduates from Northern Illinois University earn on average $12,100 more per year than ECC graduates after ten years. ($47,600 vs. $35,500)
  • Elgin Community College students graduate with a $18,466 lower median federal student loan debt than Northern Illinois graduates. ($5,393 vs. $23,859)
  • ECC graduates are paying $191 less per month on federal student loans than Northern Illinois graduates. ($55 vs. $246)
  • More Northern Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ECC students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 44%)

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