Northern Illinois vs. Fort Hays State University

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

Northern Illinois Fort Hays State University
Location Dekalb, IL Hays, KS
Setting Small Suburban Remote Town
Enrollment 15,649 12,949
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #454 #862
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website niu.edu fhsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northern Illinois Fort Hays State University
Tuition (In State) $9,790 $4,140
Tuition (Out of State) $9,790 $14,580
Room & Board $11,420 $8,481
Avg Net Price $13,884 $13,322
Avg Grant Aid $12,552 $5,387
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 86%

Admission

Northern Illinois Fort Hays State University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,961 1,828
Admitted 18,348 1,609
Acceptance Rate 70.7% 88%
Enrolled % 13.3% 51.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.45
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/25 18/24
SAT Range 940/1170 940/1190
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 Fort Hays State University
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Business (37%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (24%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (4%)

Outcomes

Northern Illinois Fort Hays State University
Graduation Rate 56% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,600 $41,400
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 60%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,859 $20,718
Median Loan Payment $246 $214

Diversity

Northern Illinois Fort Hays State University
% Men 46% 38%
% Women 54% 62%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 57% 57%
% Black 16% 4%
% Hispanic 15% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 2% 29%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

Northern Illinois Fort Hays State University
% In-State 93% 80%
% Out-of-State 5% 17%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Northern Illinois University is larger than than Fort Hays State University based on total student enrollment (15,649 students vs. 12,949 students)

Northern Illinois vs. Fort Hays State University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northern Illinois or Fort Hays State University?

  • Northern Illinois University is 136.5% more expensive to attend than Fort Hays State University for in-state tuition ($9,790.00 vs. $4,140.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 48.9% higher at Fort Hays State University than Northern Illinois University ($14,580.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Fort Hays State University than Northern Illinois ($13,322 vs. $13,884)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Fort Hays State University are 34.7% lower than costs at Northern Illinois University ($8,481 vs. $11,420)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Illinois University than Fort Hays State University (99% vs. 86%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Illinois University students is 133% larger than aid received Fort Hays State University ($12,552 vs. $5,387)

Northern Illinois vs. Fort Hays State University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Fort Hays State University students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.45) than students at Northern Illinois (3.3)
  • Fort Hays State University has a higher acceptance rate (88%) than Northern Illinois (70.7%)

Northern Illinois vs. Fort Hays State University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Northern Illinois or Fort Hays State University? 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 Fort Hays State University and Northern Illinois.

  • The graduation rate at Northern Illinois is higher than Fort Hays State University (56% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from Northern Illinois University earn on average $6,200 more per year than Fort Hays State University graduates after ten years. ($47,600 vs. $41,400)
  • Fort Hays State University students graduate with a $3,141 lower median federal student loan debt than Northern Illinois graduates. ($20,718 vs. $23,859)
  • Fort Hays State University graduates are paying $32 less per month on federal student loans than Northern Illinois graduates. ($214 vs. $246)
  • More Northern Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Fort Hays State University students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 60%)

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