Northern Illinois vs. CUW

Should I go to Northern Illinois University or Concordia University Wisconsin? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Northern Illinois or CUW 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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ISU Southern Illinois University UIC Western Illinois University DePaul Illinois WMU EIU Bradley University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Loyola Northwest
Northern Illinois University vs. Concordia University Wisconsin comparison
Northern Illinois University Concordia University Wisconsin College 3 College 4
Northern Illinois University Concordia University Wisconsin
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Overview

 Northern Illinois CUW
Location Dekalb, IL Mequon, WI
Setting Small Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 15,649 4,988
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #454 #395
Religious Affiliation - Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website niu.edu cuw.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Northern Illinois CUW
Tuition (In State) $9,790 $32,770
Tuition (Out of State) $9,790 $32,770
Room & Board $11,420 $12,160
Avg Net Price $13,884 $24,485
Avg Grant Aid $12,552 $23,477
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 99%

Admission

 Northern Illinois CUW
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,961 3,544
Admitted 18,348 2,494
Acceptance Rate 70.7% 70.4%
Enrolled % 13.3% 16.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.52
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 19/25 20/26
SAT Range 940/1170
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

Academics

 Northern Illinois CUW
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Business (40%)
  • Health Professions (20%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (4%)

Outcomes

 Northern Illinois CUW
Graduation Rate 56% 58%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,600 $46,100
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 52%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,859 $23,925
Median Loan Payment $246 $247

Diversity

 Northern Illinois CUW
% Men 46% 33%
% Women 54% 67%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 57% 72%
% Black 16% 15%
% Hispanic 15% 2%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 Northern Illinois CUW
% In-State 93% 63%
% Out-of-State 5% 37%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Northern Illinois University is larger than than CUW based on total student enrollment (15,649 students vs. 4,988 students)

Northern Illinois vs. CUW Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northern Illinois or CUW?

  • Concordia University Wisconsin is 234.7% more expensive to attend than Northern Illinois for in-state tuition ($32,770.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 234.7% higher at CUW than Northern Illinois University ($32,770.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Illinois University than CUW ($13,884 vs. $24,485)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Illinois University are 6.5% lower than costs at Concordia University Wisconsin ($11,420 vs. $12,160)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Northern Illinois University as Concordia University Wisconsin (99% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Concordia University Wisconsin students is 87% larger than aid received Northern Illinois University ($23,477 vs. $12,552)

Northern Illinois vs. CUW Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Concordia University Wisconsin (1066) is 37 points higher than at Northern Illinois (1029)
  • Incoming CUW students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Northern Illinois (22)
  • Accepted freshman CUW students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.52) than students at Northern Illinois (3.3)
  • Northern Illinois has a higher acceptance rate (70.7%) than CUW (70.4%)

Northern Illinois vs. CUW Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Northern Illinois or CUW? 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 CUW and Northern Illinois.

  • The graduation rate at CUW is higher than Northern Illinois University (58% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from Northern Illinois University earn on average $1,500 more per year than CUW graduates after ten years. ($47,600 vs. $46,100)
  • Northern Illinois University students graduate with a $66 lower median federal student loan debt than CUW graduates. ($23,859 vs. $23,925)
  • Northern Illinois graduates are paying $1 less per month on federal student loans than CUW graduates. ($246 vs. $247)
  • More Northern Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CUW students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 52%)

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