Northern Illinois vs. UNI

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

Northern Illinois UNI
Location Dekalb, IL Cedar Falls, IA
Setting Small Suburban Small City
Enrollment 15,649 8,945
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #454 #414
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website niu.edu uni.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northern Illinois UNI
Tuition (In State) $9,790 $8,111
Tuition (Out of State) $9,790 $19,265
Room & Board $11,420 $9,343
Avg Net Price $13,884 $15,782
Avg Grant Aid $12,552 $6,412
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 83%

Admission

Northern Illinois UNI
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,961 4,594
Admitted 18,348 4,362
Acceptance Rate 70.7% 94.9%
Enrolled % 13.3% 32.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.61
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/25 20/26
SAT Range 940/1170 1020/1330
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 UNI
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Biology (5%)

Outcomes

Northern Illinois UNI
Graduation Rate 56% 67%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,600 $47,700
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 72%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,859 $20,625
Median Loan Payment $246 $213

Diversity

Northern Illinois UNI
% Men 46% 36%
% Women 54% 64%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 57% 83%
% Black 16% 3%
% Hispanic 15% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 2% 4%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

Northern Illinois UNI
% In-State 93% 91%
% Out-of-State 5% 8%

Campus

Northern Illinois UNI
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

  • Northern Illinois University is larger than than UNI based on total student enrollment (15,649 students vs. 8,945 students)

Northern Illinois vs. UNI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northern Illinois or UNI?

  • Northern Illinois University is 20.7% more expensive to attend than UNI for in-state tuition ($9,790.00 vs. $8,111.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 96.8% higher at UNI than Northern Illinois University ($19,265.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Illinois University than UNI ($13,884 vs. $15,782)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Northern Iowa are 22.2% lower than costs at Northern Illinois University ($9,343 vs. $11,420)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Illinois University than University of Northern Iowa (99% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Illinois University students is 95.8% larger than aid received University of Northern Iowa ($12,552 vs. $6,412)

Northern Illinois vs. UNI Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Northern Iowa (1050) is 21 points higher than at Northern Illinois (1029)
  • Incoming UNI students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Northern Illinois (22)
  • Accepted freshman UNI students have a 0.31 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at Northern Illinois (3.3)
  • UNI has a higher acceptance rate (94.9%) than Northern Illinois (70.7%)

Northern Illinois vs. UNI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at UNI is higher than Northern Illinois University (67% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from University of Northern Iowa earn on average $100 more per year than Northern Illinois graduates after ten years. ($47,700 vs. $47,600)
  • University of Northern Iowa students graduate with a $3,234 lower median federal student loan debt than Northern Illinois graduates. ($20,625 vs. $23,859)
  • UNI graduates are paying $33 less per month on federal student loans than Northern Illinois graduates. ($213 vs. $246)
  • More UNI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northern Illinois students, three years after graduation. (72% vs. 61%)

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