Northeastern Illinois University vs. Penn State Harrisburg

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

 Northeastern Illinois University Penn State Harrisburg
Location Chicago, IL Middletown, PA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 5,756 4,572
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #629 #613
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website neiu.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Northeastern Illinois University Penn State Harrisburg
Tuition (In State) $10,091 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $20,182 $25,854
Room & Board $10,742 $14,978
Avg Net Price $14,262 $22,096
Avg Grant Aid $15,143 $8,882
% Receiving Grant Aid 85% 63%

Admission

 Northeastern Illinois University Penn State Harrisburg
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,603 9,925
Admitted 2,886 9,483
Acceptance Rate 62.7% 95.5%
Enrolled % 17.9% 12.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.1 3.48
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 15/21 24/28
SAT Range 810/1010 1100/1310
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 Jul 15, 2024

Academics

 Northeastern Illinois University Penn State Harrisburg
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (23%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • English and Literature (5%)

Outcomes

 Northeastern Illinois University Penn State Harrisburg
Graduation Rate 23% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,000 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 56% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,500 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $149 $277

Diversity

 Northeastern Illinois University Penn State Harrisburg
% Men 39% 60%
% Women 61% 40%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 33% 59%
% Black 10% 11%
% Hispanic 37% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 4% 10%
% Unknown Race 3% 2%

Students

 Northeastern Illinois University Penn State Harrisburg
% In-State 97% 46%
% Out-of-State 2% 27%

Campus

 Northeastern Illinois University Penn State Harrisburg
Campus Housing No Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Northeastern Illinois University is larger than than Penn State Harrisburg based on total student enrollment (5,756 students vs. 4,572 students)

Northeastern Illinois University vs. Penn State Harrisburg Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northeastern Illinois University or Penn State Harrisburg?

  • Penn State Harrisburg is 52.5% more expensive to attend than Northeastern Illinois University for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $10,091.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 28.1% higher at Penn State Harrisburg than Northeastern Illinois University ($25,854.00 vs. $20,182.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northeastern Illinois University than Penn State Harrisburg ($14,262 vs. $22,096)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northeastern Illinois University are 39.4% lower than costs at Penn State Harrisburg ($10,742 vs. $14,978)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northeastern Illinois University than Penn State Harrisburg (85% vs. 63%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northeastern Illinois University students is 70.5% larger than aid received Penn State Harrisburg ($15,143 vs. $8,882)

Northeastern Illinois University vs. Penn State Harrisburg Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Harrisburg (1043) is 173 points higher than at Northeastern Illinois University (870)
  • Incoming Penn State Harrisburg students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Northeastern Illinois University (18)
  • Accepted freshman Penn State Harrisburg students have a 0.38 point higher average high school GPA (3.48) than students at Northeastern Illinois University (3.1)
  • Penn State Harrisburg has a higher acceptance rate (95.5%) than Northeastern Illinois University (62.7%)

Northeastern Illinois University vs. Penn State Harrisburg Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Northeastern Illinois University or Penn State Harrisburg? 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 Penn State Harrisburg and Northeastern Illinois University.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Harrisburg is higher than Northeastern Illinois University (63% vs. 23%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Harrisburg earn on average $15,300 more per year than Northeastern Illinois University graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $40,000)
  • Northeastern Illinois University students graduate with a $12,318 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($14,500 vs. $26,818)
  • Northeastern Illinois University graduates are paying $128 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($149 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Harrisburg graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northeastern Illinois University students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 56%)

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