Northern Illinois vs. OC Comets

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

Northern Illinois OC Comets
Location Dekalb, IL Olivet, MI
Setting Small Suburban Distant Rural
Enrollment 15,649 919
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #454
Religious Affiliation - United Church of Christ - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website niu.edu olivetcollege.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northern Illinois OC Comets
Tuition (In State) $9,790 $31,664
Tuition (Out of State) $9,790 $31,664
Room & Board $11,420 $11,242
Avg Net Price $13,884 $21,394
Avg Grant Aid $12,552 $23,361
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

Northern Illinois OC Comets
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,961 1,439
Admitted 18,348 1,218
Acceptance Rate 70.7% 84.6%
Enrolled % 13.3% 22.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/25 18/23
SAT Range 940/1170 910/1120
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 OC Comets
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Biology (15%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (15%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)

Outcomes

Northern Illinois OC Comets
Graduation Rate 56% 46%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,600 $39,300
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 53%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,859 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $246 $279

Diversity

Northern Illinois OC Comets
% Men 46% 62%
% Women 54% 38%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 57% 75%
% Black 16% 13%
% Hispanic 15% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

Northern Illinois OC Comets
% In-State 93% 85%
% Out-of-State 5% 8%

Campus

Northern Illinois OC Comets
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 OC Comets based on total student enrollment (15,649 students vs. 919 students)

Northern Illinois vs. OC Comets Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northern Illinois or OC Comets?

  • Olivet College is 223.4% more expensive to attend than Northern Illinois for in-state tuition ($31,664.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 223.4% higher at OC Comets than Northern Illinois University ($31,664.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Illinois University than OC Comets ($13,884 vs. $21,394)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Olivet College are 1.6% lower than costs at Northern Illinois University ($11,242 vs. $11,420)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Olivet College than Northern Illinois University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Olivet College students is 86.1% larger than aid received Northern Illinois University ($23,361 vs. $12,552)

Northern Illinois vs. OC Comets Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northern Illinois University (1029) is 98 points higher than at OC Comets (931)
  • Incoming Northern Illinois students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at OC Comets (20)
  • OC Comets has a higher acceptance rate (84.6%) than Northern Illinois (70.7%)

Northern Illinois vs. OC Comets Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Northern Illinois or OC Comets? 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 OC Comets and Northern Illinois.

  • The graduation rate at Northern Illinois is higher than Olivet College (56% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from Northern Illinois University earn on average $8,300 more per year than OC Comets graduates after ten years. ($47,600 vs. $39,300)
  • Northern Illinois University students graduate with a $3,141 lower median federal student loan debt than OC Comets graduates. ($23,859 vs. $27,000)
  • Northern Illinois graduates are paying $33 less per month on federal student loans than OC Comets graduates. ($246 vs. $279)
  • More Northern Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former OC Comets students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 53%)

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