Northern Illinois vs. Cleveland State

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

 Northern Illinois Cleveland State
Location Dekalb, IL Cleveland, OH
Setting Small Suburban Large City
Enrollment 15,649 14,385
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #454 #769
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website niu.edu csuohio.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Northern Illinois Cleveland State
Tuition (In State) $9,790 $12,144
Tuition (Out of State) $9,790 $17,359
Room & Board $11,420 $14,197
Avg Net Price $13,884 $15,719
Avg Grant Aid $12,552 $9,436
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 91%

Admission

 Northern Illinois Cleveland State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,961 11,570
Admitted 18,348 9,872
Acceptance Rate 70.7% 85.3%
Enrolled % 13.3% 16.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.31
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/25 18/25
SAT Range 940/1170 880/1130
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2024 Aug 15, 2024

Academics

 Northern Illinois Cleveland State
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

 Northern Illinois Cleveland State
Graduation Rate 56% 30%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,600 $44,200
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 47%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,859 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $246 $222

Diversity

 Northern Illinois Cleveland State
% Men 46% 46%
% Women 54% 54%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 57% 64%
% Black 16% 17%
% Hispanic 15% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 Northern Illinois Cleveland State
% In-State 93% 85%
% Out-of-State 5% 7%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Northern Illinois University is larger than than Cleveland State based on total student enrollment (15,649 students vs. 14,385 students)

Northern Illinois vs. Cleveland State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northern Illinois or Cleveland State?

  • Cleveland State University is 24% more expensive to attend than Northern Illinois for in-state tuition ($12,144.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 77.3% higher at Cleveland State than Northern Illinois University ($17,359.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Illinois University than Cleveland State ($13,884 vs. $15,719)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Illinois University are 24.3% lower than costs at Cleveland State University ($11,420 vs. $14,197)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Illinois University than Cleveland State University (99% vs. 91%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Illinois University students is 33% larger than aid received Cleveland State University ($12,552 vs. $9,436)

Northern Illinois vs. Cleveland State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northern Illinois University (1029) is 1 points higher than at Cleveland State (1028)
  • Incoming Northern Illinois students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at Cleveland State (22)
  • Accepted freshman Cleveland State students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.31) than students at Northern Illinois (3.3)
  • Cleveland State has a higher acceptance rate (85.3%) than Northern Illinois (70.7%)

Northern Illinois vs. Cleveland State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Northern Illinois or Cleveland State? 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 Cleveland State and Northern Illinois.

  • The graduation rate at Northern Illinois is higher than Cleveland State University (56% vs. 30%)
  • Graduates from Northern Illinois University earn on average $3,400 more per year than Cleveland State graduates after ten years. ($47,600 vs. $44,200)
  • Cleveland State University students graduate with a $2,359 lower median federal student loan debt than Northern Illinois graduates. ($21,500 vs. $23,859)
  • Cleveland State graduates are paying $24 less per month on federal student loans than Northern Illinois graduates. ($222 vs. $246)
  • More Northern Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cleveland State students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 47%)

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