Northern Illinois vs. IU Northwest

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

Northern Illinois IU Northwest
Location Dekalb, IL Gary, IN
Setting Small Suburban Small City
Enrollment 15,649 3,198
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #454 #882
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website niu.edu iun.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northern Illinois IU Northwest
Tuition (In State) $9,790 $7,274
Tuition (Out of State) $9,790 $20,634
Room & Board $11,420 $9,412
Avg Net Price $13,884 $6,553
Avg Grant Aid $12,552 $8,754
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 80%

Admission

Northern Illinois IU Northwest
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,961 1,915
Admitted 18,348 1,538
Acceptance Rate 70.7% 80.3%
Enrolled % 13.3% 27.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.14
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Easy Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/25 20/25
SAT Range 940/1170 950/1170
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 IU Northwest
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (33%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (13%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

Northern Illinois IU Northwest
Graduation Rate 56% 23%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,600 $39,500
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 33%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,859 $25,030
Median Loan Payment $246 $258

Diversity

Northern Illinois IU Northwest
% Men 46% 25%
% Women 54% 75%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 57% 55%
% Black 16% 18%
% Hispanic 15% 20%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

Northern Illinois IU Northwest
% In-State 93% 97%
% Out-of-State 5% 2%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Northern Illinois University is larger than than IU Northwest based on total student enrollment (15,649 students vs. 3,198 students)

Northern Illinois vs. IU Northwest Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northern Illinois or IU Northwest?

  • Northern Illinois University is 34.6% more expensive to attend than IU Northwest for in-state tuition ($9,790.00 vs. $7,274.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 110.8% higher at IU Northwest than Northern Illinois University ($20,634.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Indiana University Northwest than Northern Illinois ($6,553 vs. $13,884)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Indiana University Northwest are 21.3% lower than costs at Northern Illinois University ($9,412 vs. $11,420)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Illinois University than Indiana University Northwest (99% vs. 80%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Illinois University students is 43.4% larger than aid received Indiana University Northwest ($12,552 vs. $8,754)

Northern Illinois vs. IU Northwest Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northern Illinois University (1029) is 101 points higher than at IU Northwest (928)
  • Incoming Northern Illinois students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at IU Northwest (20)
  • Accepted freshman Northern Illinois students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.3) than students at IU Northwest (3.14)
  • IU Northwest has a higher acceptance rate (80.3%) than Northern Illinois (70.7%)

Northern Illinois vs. IU Northwest Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Northern Illinois or IU Northwest? 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 IU Northwest and Northern Illinois.

  • The graduation rate at Northern Illinois is higher than Indiana University Northwest (56% vs. 23%)
  • Graduates from Northern Illinois University earn on average $8,100 more per year than IU Northwest graduates after ten years. ($47,600 vs. $39,500)
  • Northern Illinois University students graduate with a $1,171 lower median federal student loan debt than IU Northwest graduates. ($23,859 vs. $25,030)
  • Northern Illinois graduates are paying $12 less per month on federal student loans than IU Northwest graduates. ($246 vs. $258)
  • More Northern Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former IU Northwest students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 33%)

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