Northern Illinois vs. Penn State Greater Allegheny

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

Northern Illinois Penn State Greater Allegheny
Location Dekalb, IL McKeesport, PA
Setting Small Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 15,649 363
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #454
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website niu.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northern Illinois Penn State Greater Allegheny
Tuition (In State) $9,790 $13,824
Tuition (Out of State) $9,790 $23,086
Room & Board $11,420 $12,254
Avg Net Price $13,884 $19,505
Avg Grant Aid $12,552 $10,269
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 85%

Admission

Northern Illinois Penn State Greater Allegheny
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,961 672
Admitted 18,348 589
Acceptance Rate 70.7% 87.6%
Enrolled % 13.3% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Easy Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/25
SAT Range 940/1170 1040/1300
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 Penn State Greater Allegheny
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Business (38%)
  • Psychology (35%)
  • Communication (15%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (2%)

Outcomes

Northern Illinois Penn State Greater Allegheny
Graduation Rate 56% 47%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,600 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,859 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $246 $277

Diversity

Northern Illinois Penn State Greater Allegheny
% Men 46% 61%
% Women 54% 39%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 57% 61%
% Black 16% 19%
% Hispanic 15% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 4%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

Northern Illinois Penn State Greater Allegheny
% In-State 93% 68%
% Out-of-State 5% 30%

Campus

Northern Illinois Penn State Greater Allegheny
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 Penn State Greater Allegheny based on total student enrollment (15,649 students vs. 363 students)

Northern Illinois vs. Penn State Greater Allegheny Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northern Illinois or Penn State Greater Allegheny?

  • Penn State Greater Allegheny is 41.2% more expensive to attend than Northern Illinois for in-state tuition ($13,824.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 135.8% higher at Penn State Greater Allegheny than Northern Illinois University ($23,086.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Illinois University than Penn State Greater Allegheny ($13,884 vs. $19,505)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Illinois University are 7.3% lower than costs at Penn State Greater Allegheny ($11,420 vs. $12,254)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Illinois University than Penn State Greater Allegheny (99% vs. 85%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Illinois University students is 22.2% larger than aid received Penn State Greater Allegheny ($12,552 vs. $10,269)

Northern Illinois vs. Penn State Greater Allegheny Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northern Illinois University (1029) is 86 points higher than at Penn State Greater Allegheny (943)
  • Incoming Penn State Greater Allegheny students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Northern Illinois (22)
  • Penn State Greater Allegheny has a higher acceptance rate (87.6%) than Northern Illinois (70.7%)

Northern Illinois vs. Penn State Greater Allegheny Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Northern Illinois or Penn State Greater Allegheny? 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 Penn State Greater Allegheny and Northern Illinois.

  • The graduation rate at Northern Illinois is higher than Penn State Greater Allegheny (56% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Greater Allegheny earn on average $7,700 more per year than Northern Illinois graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $47,600)
  • Northern Illinois University students graduate with a $2,959 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Greater Allegheny graduates. ($23,859 vs. $26,818)
  • Northern Illinois graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Greater Allegheny graduates. ($246 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Greater Allegheny graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northern Illinois students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 61%)

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