Northern Illinois vs. UWM

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

Northern Illinois UWM
Location Dekalb, IL Milwaukee, WI
Setting Small Suburban Large City
Enrollment 15,649 22,676
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #454 #840
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website niu.edu uwm.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northern Illinois UWM
Tuition (In State) $9,790 $8,091
Tuition (Out of State) $9,790 $19,956
Room & Board $11,420 $10,896
Avg Net Price $13,884 $16,551
Avg Grant Aid $12,552 $5,963
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 78%

Admission

Northern Illinois UWM
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,961 16,852
Admitted 18,348 14,546
Acceptance Rate 70.7% 86.3%
Enrolled % 13.3% 23%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.16
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Easy Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/25 19/24
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 Sep 1, 2023

Academics

Northern Illinois UWM
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)

Outcomes

Northern Illinois UWM
Graduation Rate 56% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,600 $46,100
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 62%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,859 $24,958
Median Loan Payment $246 $258

Diversity

Northern Illinois UWM
% Men 46% 44%
% Women 54% 56%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 57% 68%
% Black 16% 8%
% Hispanic 15% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 2% 4%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

Northern Illinois UWM
% In-State 93% 87%
% Out-of-State 5% 12%

Campus

Northern Illinois UWM
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

  • University of Wisconsin Milwaukee is larger than than Northern Illinois based on total student enrollment (22,676 students vs. 15,649 students)

Northern Illinois vs. UWM Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northern Illinois or UWM?

  • Northern Illinois University is 21% more expensive to attend than UWM for in-state tuition ($9,790.00 vs. $8,091.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 103.8% higher at UWM than Northern Illinois University ($19,956.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Illinois University than UWM ($13,884 vs. $16,551)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Wisconsin Milwaukee are 4.8% lower than costs at Northern Illinois University ($10,896 vs. $11,420)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Illinois University than University of Wisconsin Milwaukee (99% vs. 78%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Illinois University students is 110.5% larger than aid received University of Wisconsin Milwaukee ($12,552 vs. $5,963)

Northern Illinois vs. UWM Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Wisconsin Milwaukee (1050) is 21 points higher than at Northern Illinois (1029)
  • Incoming UWM students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Northern Illinois (22)
  • Accepted freshman Northern Illinois students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.3) than students at UWM (3.16)
  • UWM has a higher acceptance rate (86.3%) than Northern Illinois (70.7%)

Northern Illinois vs. UWM Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Northern Illinois is higher than University of Wisconsin Milwaukee (56% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from Northern Illinois University earn on average $1,500 more per year than UWM graduates after ten years. ($47,600 vs. $46,100)
  • Northern Illinois University students graduate with a $1,099 lower median federal student loan debt than UWM graduates. ($23,859 vs. $24,958)
  • Northern Illinois graduates are paying $12 less per month on federal student loans than UWM graduates. ($246 vs. $258)
  • More UWM graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northern Illinois students, three years after graduation. (62% vs. 61%)

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