IIT vs. Northern Illinois

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

 IIT Northern Illinois
Location Chicago, IL Dekalb, IL
Setting Large City Small Suburban
Enrollment 6,943 15,649
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #186 #454
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iit.edu niu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 IIT Northern Illinois
Tuition (In State) $48,670 $9,790
Tuition (Out of State) $48,670 $9,790
Room & Board $15,570 $11,420
Avg Net Price $28,702 $13,884
Avg Grant Aid $40,243 $12,552
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 99%

Admission

 IIT Northern Illinois
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,243 25,961
Admitted 4,450 18,348
Acceptance Rate 61.4% 70.7%
Enrolled % 13.9% 13.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.84 3.3
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very High Easy
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 28/32 19/25
SAT Range 1220/1410 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 Mar 1, 2024 Aug 1, 2024

Academics

 IIT Northern Illinois
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (50%)
  • Architecture (20%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (8%)
  • Business (7%)
  • Biology (4%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (9%)

Outcomes

 IIT Northern Illinois
Graduation Rate 64% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $79,300 $47,600
Making Student Loan Payments 81% 61%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $23,859
Median Loan Payment $279 $246

Diversity

 IIT Northern Illinois
% Men 63% 46%
% Women 37% 54%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 33% 57%
% Black 6% 16%
% Hispanic 16% 15%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 26% 2%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

 IIT Northern Illinois
% In-State 60% 93%
% Out-of-State 29% 5%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Northern Illinois University is larger than than IIT based on total student enrollment (15,649 students vs. 6,943 students)

IIT vs. Northern Illinois Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, IIT or Northern Illinois?

  • Illinois Institute of Technology is 397.1% more expensive to attend than Northern Illinois for in-state tuition ($48,670.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 397.1% higher at IIT than Northern Illinois University ($48,670.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Illinois University than IIT ($13,884 vs. $28,702)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Illinois University are 36.3% lower than costs at Illinois Institute of Technology ($11,420 vs. $15,570)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Illinois Institute of Technology as Northern Illinois University (99% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois Institute of Technology students is 220.6% larger than aid received Northern Illinois University ($40,243 vs. $12,552)

IIT vs. Northern Illinois Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Illinois Institute of Technology (1251) is 222 points higher than at Northern Illinois (1029)
  • Incoming IIT students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Northern Illinois (22)
  • Accepted freshman IIT students have a 0.54 point higher average high school GPA (3.84) than students at Northern Illinois (3.3)
  • Northern Illinois has a higher acceptance rate (70.7%) than IIT (61.4%)

IIT vs. Northern Illinois Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, IIT 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 IIT.

  • The graduation rate at IIT is higher than Northern Illinois University (64% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from Illinois Institute of Technology earn on average $31,700 more per year than Northern Illinois graduates after ten years. ($79,300 vs. $47,600)
  • Northern Illinois University students graduate with a $3,141 lower median federal student loan debt than IIT graduates. ($23,859 vs. $27,000)
  • Northern Illinois graduates are paying $33 less per month on federal student loans than IIT graduates. ($246 vs. $279)
  • More IIT graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northern Illinois students, three years after graduation. (81% vs. 61%)

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