Northern Illinois vs. ECU

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

Northern Illinois ECU
Location Dekalb, IL Greenville, NC
Setting Small Suburban Small City
Enrollment 15,649 27,151
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #454 #673
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website niu.edu ecu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northern Illinois ECU
Tuition (In State) $9,790 $4,452
Tuition (Out of State) $9,790 $20,729
Room & Board $11,420 $10,816
Avg Net Price $13,884 $14,410
Avg Grant Aid $12,552 $9,020
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 59%

Admission

Northern Illinois ECU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,961 21,383
Admitted 18,348 19,744
Acceptance Rate 70.7% 92.3%
Enrolled % 13.3% 19.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.33
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/25 19/24
SAT Range 940/1170 1020/1170
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2024

Academics

Northern Illinois ECU
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Business (19%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

Northern Illinois ECU
Graduation Rate 56% 59%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,600 $43,900
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,859 $24,788
Median Loan Payment $246 $256

Diversity

Northern Illinois ECU
% Men 46% 40%
% Women 54% 60%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 57% 69%
% Black 16% 16%
% Hispanic 15% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

Northern Illinois ECU
% In-State 93% 83%
% Out-of-State 5% 15%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • East Carolina University is larger than than Northern Illinois based on total student enrollment (27,151 students vs. 15,649 students)

Northern Illinois vs. ECU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northern Illinois or ECU?

  • Northern Illinois University is 119.9% more expensive to attend than ECU for in-state tuition ($9,790.00 vs. $4,452.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 111.7% higher at ECU than Northern Illinois University ($20,729.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Illinois University than ECU ($13,884 vs. $14,410)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at East Carolina University are 5.6% lower than costs at Northern Illinois University ($10,816 vs. $11,420)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Illinois University than East Carolina University (99% vs. 59%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Illinois University students is 39.2% larger than aid received East Carolina University ($12,552 vs. $9,020)

Northern Illinois vs. ECU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at East Carolina University (1053) is 24 points higher than at Northern Illinois (1029)
  • Incoming ECU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Northern Illinois (22)
  • Accepted freshman ECU students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.33) than students at Northern Illinois (3.3)
  • ECU has a higher acceptance rate (92.3%) than Northern Illinois (70.7%)

Northern Illinois vs. ECU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at ECU is higher than Northern Illinois University (59% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from Northern Illinois University earn on average $3,700 more per year than ECU graduates after ten years. ($47,600 vs. $43,900)
  • Northern Illinois University students graduate with a $929 lower median federal student loan debt than ECU graduates. ($23,859 vs. $24,788)
  • Northern Illinois graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than ECU graduates. ($246 vs. $256)
  • More ECU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northern Illinois students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 61%)

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