Northern Illinois vs. SAU

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

Northern Illinois SAU
Location Dekalb, IL Spring Arbor, MI
Setting Small Suburban Small Suburban
Enrollment 15,649 2,396
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #454 #501
Religious Affiliation - Free Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website niu.edu arbor.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northern Illinois SAU
Tuition (In State) $9,790 $31,020
Tuition (Out of State) $9,790 $31,020
Room & Board $11,420 $10,652
Avg Net Price $13,884 $22,375
Avg Grant Aid $12,552 $20,677
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 99%

Admission

Northern Illinois SAU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,961 2,312
Admitted 18,348 1,094
Acceptance Rate 70.7% 47.3%
Enrolled % 13.3% 20.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.61
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Easy
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 19/25 20/26
SAT Range 940/1170 970/1135
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 SAU
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Business (31%)
  • Work and Family Studies (14%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Human Services (9%)

Outcomes

Northern Illinois SAU
Graduation Rate 56% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,600 $42,600
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 58%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,859 $24,043
Median Loan Payment $246 $248

Diversity

Northern Illinois SAU
% Men 46% 23%
% Women 54% 77%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 57% 77%
% Black 16% 10%
% Hispanic 15% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 5%

Students

Northern Illinois SAU
% In-State 93% 83%
% Out-of-State 5% 13%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Northern Illinois University is larger than than SAU based on total student enrollment (15,649 students vs. 2,396 students)

Northern Illinois vs. SAU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northern Illinois or SAU?

  • Spring Arbor University is 216.9% more expensive to attend than Northern Illinois for in-state tuition ($31,020.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 216.9% higher at SAU than Northern Illinois University ($31,020.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Illinois University than SAU ($13,884 vs. $22,375)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Spring Arbor University are 7.2% lower than costs at Northern Illinois University ($10,652 vs. $11,420)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Northern Illinois University as Spring Arbor University (99% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Spring Arbor University students is 64.7% larger than aid received Northern Illinois University ($20,677 vs. $12,552)

Northern Illinois vs. SAU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Spring Arbor University (1073) is 44 points higher than at Northern Illinois (1029)
  • Incoming SAU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Northern Illinois (22)
  • Accepted freshman SAU students have a 0.31 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at Northern Illinois (3.3)
  • Northern Illinois has a higher acceptance rate (70.7%) than SAU (47.3%)

Northern Illinois vs. SAU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Northern Illinois or SAU? 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 SAU and Northern Illinois.

  • The graduation rate at Northern Illinois is the same as at Spring Arbor University (56% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from Northern Illinois University earn on average $5,000 more per year than SAU graduates after ten years. ($47,600 vs. $42,600)
  • Northern Illinois University students graduate with a $184 lower median federal student loan debt than SAU graduates. ($23,859 vs. $24,043)
  • Northern Illinois graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than SAU graduates. ($246 vs. $248)
  • More Northern Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SAU students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 58%)

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