IWU vs. Northern Illinois

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

IWU Northern Illinois
Location Bloomington, IL Dekalb, IL
Setting Small City Small Suburban
Enrollment 1,527 15,649
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #144 #454
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iwu.edu niu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

IWU Northern Illinois
Tuition (In State) $53,610 $9,790
Tuition (Out of State) $53,610 $9,790
Room & Board $12,418 $11,420
Avg Net Price $30,096 $13,884
Avg Grant Aid $36,614 $12,552
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 99%

Admission

IWU Northern Illinois
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,408 25,961
Admitted 1,861 18,348
Acceptance Rate 42.2% 70.7%
Enrolled % 20.5% 13.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.86 3.3
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Easy
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 25/30 19/25
SAT Range 1120/1330 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 Aug 1, 2024

Academics

IWU Northern Illinois
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (9%)

Outcomes

IWU Northern Illinois
Graduation Rate 82% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $60,500 $47,600
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 61%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $23,859
Median Loan Payment $279 $246

Diversity

IWU Northern Illinois
% Men 51% 46%
% Women 49% 54%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 71% 57%
% Black 4% 16%
% Hispanic 7% 15%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 9% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

IWU Northern Illinois
% In-State 77% 93%
% Out-of-State 14% 5%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Northern Illinois University is larger than than IWU based on total student enrollment (15,649 students vs. 1,527 students)

IWU vs. Northern Illinois Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, IWU or Northern Illinois?

  • Illinois Wesleyan University is 447.6% more expensive to attend than Northern Illinois for in-state tuition ($53,610.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 447.6% higher at IWU than Northern Illinois University ($53,610.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Illinois University than IWU ($13,884 vs. $30,096)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Illinois University are 8.7% lower than costs at Illinois Wesleyan University ($11,420 vs. $12,418)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois Wesleyan University than Northern Illinois University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois Wesleyan University students is 191.7% larger than aid received Northern Illinois University ($36,614 vs. $12,552)

IWU vs. Northern Illinois Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Illinois Wesleyan University (1249) is 220 points higher than at Northern Illinois (1029)
  • Incoming IWU students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Northern Illinois (22)
  • Accepted freshman IWU students have a 0.56 point higher average high school GPA (3.86) than students at Northern Illinois (3.3)
  • Northern Illinois has a higher acceptance rate (70.7%) than IWU (42.2%)

IWU vs. Northern Illinois Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, IWU 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 IWU.

  • The graduation rate at IWU is higher than Northern Illinois University (82% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from Illinois Wesleyan University earn on average $12,900 more per year than Northern Illinois graduates after ten years. ($60,500 vs. $47,600)
  • Northern Illinois University students graduate with a $3,141 lower median federal student loan debt than IWU graduates. ($23,859 vs. $27,000)
  • Northern Illinois graduates are paying $33 less per month on federal student loans than IWU graduates. ($246 vs. $279)
  • More IWU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northern Illinois students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 61%)

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