Northern Illinois vs. WSU

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

Northern Illinois WSU
Location Dekalb, IL Detroit, MI
Setting Small Suburban Large City
Enrollment 15,649 23,630
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #454 #582
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website niu.edu wayne.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northern Illinois WSU
Tuition (In State) $9,790 $12,933
Tuition (Out of State) $9,790 $29,622
Room & Board $11,420 $11,321
Avg Net Price $13,884 $15,347
Avg Grant Aid $12,552 $10,605
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 96%

Admission

Northern Illinois WSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,961 14,002
Admitted 18,348 10,547
Acceptance Rate 70.7% 75.3%
Enrolled % 13.3% 24.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.42
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/25 21/28
SAT Range 940/1170 1040/1260
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 Aug 1, 2024

Academics

Northern Illinois WSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Biology (7%)

Outcomes

Northern Illinois WSU
Graduation Rate 56% 26%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,600 $51,000
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 38%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,859 $22,258
Median Loan Payment $246 $230

Diversity

Northern Illinois WSU
% Men 46% 40%
% Women 54% 60%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 57% 57%
% Black 16% 19%
% Hispanic 15% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 5%

Students

Northern Illinois WSU
% In-State 93% 93%
% Out-of-State 5% 3%

Campus

Northern Illinois WSU
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

  • Wayne State University is larger than than Northern Illinois based on total student enrollment (23,630 students vs. 15,649 students)

Northern Illinois vs. WSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northern Illinois or WSU?

  • Wayne State University is 32.1% more expensive to attend than Northern Illinois for in-state tuition ($12,933.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 202.6% higher at WSU than Northern Illinois University ($29,622.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Illinois University than WSU ($13,884 vs. $15,347)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wayne State University are 0.9% lower than costs at Northern Illinois University ($11,321 vs. $11,420)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Illinois University than Wayne State University (99% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Illinois University students is 18.4% larger than aid received Wayne State University ($12,552 vs. $10,605)

Northern Illinois vs. WSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Wayne State University (1070) is 41 points higher than at Northern Illinois (1029)
  • Incoming WSU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Northern Illinois (22)
  • Accepted freshman WSU students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at Northern Illinois (3.3)
  • WSU has a higher acceptance rate (75.3%) than Northern Illinois (70.7%)

Northern Illinois vs. WSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Northern Illinois is higher than Wayne State University (56% vs. 26%)
  • Graduates from Wayne State University earn on average $3,400 more per year than Northern Illinois graduates after ten years. ($51,000 vs. $47,600)
  • Wayne State University students graduate with a $1,601 lower median federal student loan debt than Northern Illinois graduates. ($22,258 vs. $23,859)
  • WSU graduates are paying $16 less per month on federal student loans than Northern Illinois graduates. ($230 vs. $246)
  • More Northern Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WSU students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 38%)

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