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ISU UMBC Southern Illinois University Maryland Salisbury UIC Western Illinois University WCU DePaul Frostburg State University WVU Illinois| Northern Illinois University | Towson University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Northern Illinois | TU | ||
| Location | Dekalb, IL | Towson, MD | ||
| Setting | Small Suburban | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 15,649 | 19,793 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #454 | #445 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | niu.edu | towson.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Northern Illinois | TU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $9,790 | $7,238 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $9,790 | $23,240 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,420 | $13,642 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $13,884 | $14,443 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $12,552 | $11,415 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 99% | 74% |
Admission |
Northern Illinois | TU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 25,961 | 17,770 | ||
| Admitted | 18,348 | 13,967 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 70.7% | 78.6% | ||
| Enrolled % | 13.3% | 19.1% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.3 | 3.69 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Easy | Moderate | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 19/25 | 19/25 | ||
| SAT Range | 940/1170 | 1010/1230 | ||
| 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 | Apr 1, 2024 |
Academics |
Northern Illinois | TU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 14:1 | 15:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Northern Illinois | TU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 56% | 64% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $47,600 | $53,500 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 61% | 69% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $23,859 | $17,750 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $246 | $183 |
Diversity |
Northern Illinois | TU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 46% | 39% | ||
| % Women | 54% | 61% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 57% | 61% | ||
| % Black | 16% | 18% | ||
| % Hispanic | 15% | 6% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 4% | ||
| % International | 2% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 3% |
Students |
Northern Illinois | TU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 93% | 89% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 5% | 8% | ||
Campus |
Northern Illinois | TU | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Towson University is larger than than Northern Illinois based on total student enrollment (19,793 students vs. 15,649 students)
Northern Illinois vs. TU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Northern Illinois or TU?
- Northern Illinois University is 35.3% more expensive to attend than TU for in-state tuition ($9,790.00 vs. $7,238.00)
- Out of state tuition is 137.4% higher at TU than Northern Illinois University ($23,240.00 vs. $9,790.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Illinois University than TU ($13,884 vs. $14,443)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Illinois University are 19.5% lower than costs at Towson University ($11,420 vs. $13,642)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Illinois University than Towson University (99% vs. 74%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Illinois University students is 10% larger than aid received Towson University ($12,552 vs. $11,415)
Northern Illinois vs. TU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Northern Illinois or TU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between TU or Northern Illinois .
- The average SAT score at Towson University (1081) is 52 points higher than at Northern Illinois (1029)
- Incoming TU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Northern Illinois (22)
- Accepted freshman TU students have a 0.39 point higher average high school GPA (3.69) than students at Northern Illinois (3.3)
- TU has a higher acceptance rate (78.6%) than Northern Illinois (70.7%)
Northern Illinois vs. TU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Northern Illinois or TU? 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 TU and Northern Illinois.
- The graduation rate at TU is higher than Northern Illinois University (64% vs. 56%)
- Graduates from Towson University earn on average $5,900 more per year than Northern Illinois graduates after ten years. ($53,500 vs. $47,600)
- Towson University students graduate with a $6,109 lower median federal student loan debt than Northern Illinois graduates. ($17,750 vs. $23,859)
- TU graduates are paying $63 less per month on federal student loans than Northern Illinois graduates. ($183 vs. $246)
- More TU 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/