Loyola vs. Northern Illinois

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

Loyola Northern Illinois
Location Chicago, IL Dekalb, IL
Setting Large City Small Suburban
Enrollment 16,899 15,649
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #223 #454
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website luc.edu niu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Loyola Northern Illinois
Tuition (In State) $48,100 $9,790
Tuition (Out of State) $48,100 $9,790
Room & Board $15,520 $11,420
Avg Net Price $37,511 $13,884
Avg Grant Aid $26,796 $12,552
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 99%

Admission

Loyola Northern Illinois
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 40,909 25,961
Admitted 32,379 18,348
Acceptance Rate 79.1% 70.7%
Enrolled % 8.8% 13.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.71 3.3
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very High Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 27/31 19/25
SAT Range 1180/1370 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

Loyola Northern Illinois
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (9%)

Outcomes

Loyola Northern Illinois
Graduation Rate 70% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,800 $47,600
Making Student Loan Payments 76% 61%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $23,859
Median Loan Payment $258 $246

Diversity

Loyola Northern Illinois
% Men 31% 46%
% Women 69% 54%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 58% 57%
% Black 4% 16%
% Hispanic 14% 15%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 5% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

Loyola Northern Illinois
% In-State 45% 93%
% Out-of-State 42% 5%

Campus

Loyola 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

  • Loyola University Chicago is larger than than Northern Illinois based on total student enrollment (16,899 students vs. 15,649 students)

Loyola vs. Northern Illinois Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Loyola or Northern Illinois?

  • Loyola University Chicago is 391.3% more expensive to attend than Northern Illinois for in-state tuition ($48,100.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 391.3% higher at Loyola than Northern Illinois University ($48,100.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Illinois University than Loyola ($13,884 vs. $37,511)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Illinois University are 35.9% lower than costs at Loyola University Chicago ($11,420 vs. $15,520)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Loyola University Chicago as Northern Illinois University (99% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Loyola University Chicago students is 113.5% larger than aid received Northern Illinois University ($26,796 vs. $12,552)

Loyola vs. Northern Illinois Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Loyola University Chicago (1195) is 166 points higher than at Northern Illinois (1029)
  • Incoming Loyola students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Northern Illinois (22)
  • Accepted freshman Loyola students have a 0.41 point higher average high school GPA (3.71) than students at Northern Illinois (3.3)
  • Loyola has a higher acceptance rate (79.1%) than Northern Illinois (70.7%)

Loyola vs. Northern Illinois Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Loyola 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 Loyola.

  • The graduation rate at Loyola is higher than Northern Illinois University (70% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from Loyola University Chicago earn on average $12,200 more per year than Northern Illinois graduates after ten years. ($59,800 vs. $47,600)
  • Northern Illinois University students graduate with a $1,141 lower median federal student loan debt than Loyola graduates. ($23,859 vs. $25,000)
  • Northern Illinois graduates are paying $12 less per month on federal student loans than Loyola graduates. ($246 vs. $258)
  • More Loyola graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northern Illinois students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 61%)

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