Northern Illinois vs. Northwestern College

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

 Northern Illinois Northwestern College
Location Dekalb, IL Saint Paul, MN
Setting Small Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 15,649 3,253
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #454 #554
Religious Affiliation - Other Protestant - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website niu.edu nwc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Northern Illinois Northwestern College
Tuition (In State) $9,790 $34,490
Tuition (Out of State) $9,790 $34,490
Room & Board $11,420 $10,644
Avg Net Price $13,884 $25,704
Avg Grant Aid $12,552 $20,487
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

 Northern Illinois Northwestern College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,961 1,349
Admitted 18,348 1,248
Acceptance Rate 70.7% 92.5%
Enrolled % 13.3% 31.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.58
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/25 21/28
SAT Range 940/1170 1015/1311
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 1, 2024

Academics

 Northern Illinois Northwestern College
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (22%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (10%)

Outcomes

 Northern Illinois Northwestern College
Graduation Rate 56% 64%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,600 $41,100
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,859 $22,070
Median Loan Payment $246 $228

Diversity

 Northern Illinois Northwestern College
% Men 46% 39%
% Women 54% 61%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 57% 84%
% Black 16% 3%
% Hispanic 15% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 Northern Illinois Northwestern College
% In-State 93% 77%
% Out-of-State 5% 22%

Campus

 Northern Illinois Northwestern College
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

  • Northern Illinois University is larger than than Northwestern College based on total student enrollment (15,649 students vs. 3,253 students)

Northern Illinois vs. Northwestern College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northern Illinois or Northwestern College?

  • Northwestern College is 252.3% more expensive to attend than Northern Illinois for in-state tuition ($34,490.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 252.3% higher at Northwestern College than Northern Illinois University ($34,490.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Illinois University than Northwestern College ($13,884 vs. $25,704)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northwestern College are 7.3% lower than costs at Northern Illinois University ($10,644 vs. $11,420)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northwestern College than Northern Illinois University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern College students is 63.2% larger than aid received Northern Illinois University ($20,487 vs. $12,552)

Northern Illinois vs. Northwestern College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northwestern College (1102) is 73 points higher than at Northern Illinois (1029)
  • Incoming Northwestern College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Northern Illinois (22)
  • Accepted freshman Northwestern College students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.58) than students at Northern Illinois (3.3)
  • Northwestern College has a higher acceptance rate (92.5%) than Northern Illinois (70.7%)

Northern Illinois vs. Northwestern College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Northern Illinois or Northwestern College? 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 Northwestern College and Northern Illinois.

  • The graduation rate at Northwestern College is higher than Northern Illinois University (64% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from Northern Illinois University earn on average $6,500 more per year than Northwestern College graduates after ten years. ($47,600 vs. $41,100)
  • Northwestern College students graduate with a $1,789 lower median federal student loan debt than Northern Illinois graduates. ($22,070 vs. $23,859)
  • Northwestern College graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than Northern Illinois graduates. ($228 vs. $246)
  • More Northwestern College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northern Illinois students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 61%)

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