Northern Illinois vs. Central

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

Northern Illinois Central
Location Dekalb, IL Warrensburg, MO
Setting Small Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 15,649 11,637
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #454 #708
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website niu.edu ucmo.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northern Illinois Central
Tuition (In State) $9,790 $8,040
Tuition (Out of State) $9,790 $16,080
Room & Board $11,420 $9,699
Avg Net Price $13,884 $15,117
Avg Grant Aid $12,552 $6,517
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 98%

Admission

Northern Illinois Central
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,961 4,993
Admitted 18,348 3,562
Acceptance Rate 70.7% 71.3%
Enrolled % 13.3% 28.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.68
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 19/25 19/25
SAT Range 940/1170
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 Central
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Education (21%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)

Outcomes

Northern Illinois Central
Graduation Rate 56% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,600 $41,500
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,859 $22,441
Median Loan Payment $246 $232

Diversity

Northern Illinois Central
% Men 46% 46%
% Women 54% 54%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 57% 77%
% Black 16% 11%
% Hispanic 15% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

Northern Illinois Central
% In-State 93% 88%
% Out-of-State 5% 11%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Northern Illinois University is larger than than Central based on total student enrollment (15,649 students vs. 11,637 students)

Northern Illinois vs. Central Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northern Illinois or Central?

  • Northern Illinois University is 21.8% more expensive to attend than Central for in-state tuition ($9,790.00 vs. $8,040.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 64.2% higher at Central than Northern Illinois University ($16,080.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Illinois University than Central ($13,884 vs. $15,117)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Central Missouri are 17.7% lower than costs at Northern Illinois University ($9,699 vs. $11,420)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Illinois University than University of Central Missouri (99% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Illinois University students is 92.6% larger than aid received University of Central Missouri ($12,552 vs. $6,517)

Northern Illinois vs. Central Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northern Illinois University (1029) is 19 points higher than at Central (1010)
  • Incoming Northern Illinois students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at Central (22)
  • Accepted freshman Central students have a 0.38 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at Northern Illinois (3.3)
  • Central has a higher acceptance rate (71.3%) than Northern Illinois (70.7%)

Northern Illinois vs. Central Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Northern Illinois is higher than University of Central Missouri (56% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from Northern Illinois University earn on average $6,100 more per year than Central graduates after ten years. ($47,600 vs. $41,500)
  • University of Central Missouri students graduate with a $1,418 lower median federal student loan debt than Northern Illinois graduates. ($22,441 vs. $23,859)
  • Central graduates are paying $14 less per month on federal student loans than Northern Illinois graduates. ($232 vs. $246)
  • More Northern Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Central students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 59%)

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