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ISU Southern Illinois University UIC Temple Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Western Illinois University Millersville University of Pennsylvania Kutztown University of Pennsylvania Penn State TU Drexel DePaul| Northern Illinois University | West Chester University of Pennsylvania | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Northern Illinois | WCU | ||
| Location | Dekalb, IL | West Chester, PA | ||
| Setting | Small Suburban | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 15,649 | 17,275 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #454 | #496 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | niu.edu | wcupa.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Northern Illinois | WCU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $9,790 | $7,716 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $9,790 | $19,290 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,420 | $14,228 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $13,884 | $22,973 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $12,552 | $5,443 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 99% | 64% |
Admission |
Northern Illinois | WCU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 25,961 | 14,778 | ||
| Admitted | 18,348 | 12,982 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 70.7% | 87.8% | ||
| Enrolled % | 13.3% | 23.2% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.3 | 3.43 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Easy | Challenging | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 19/25 | 23/30 | ||
| SAT Range | 940/1170 | 1080/1260 | ||
| 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 |
Academics |
Northern Illinois | WCU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 14:1 | 20:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Northern Illinois | WCU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 56% | 68% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $47,600 | $49,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 61% | 75% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $23,859 | $23,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $246 | $242 |
Diversity |
Northern Illinois | WCU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 46% | 39% | ||
| % Women | 54% | 61% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 57% | 78% | ||
| % Black | 16% | 11% | ||
| % Hispanic | 15% | 5% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 3% | ||
| % International | 2% | 0% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 0% |
Students |
Northern Illinois | WCU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 93% | 87% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 5% | 12% | ||
Campus |
Northern Illinois | WCU | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- West Chester University of Pennsylvania is larger than than Northern Illinois based on total student enrollment (17,275 students vs. 15,649 students)
Northern Illinois vs. WCU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Northern Illinois or WCU?
- Northern Illinois University is 26.9% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($9,790.00 vs. $7,716.00)
- Out of state tuition is 97% higher at WCU than Northern Illinois University ($19,290.00 vs. $9,790.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Illinois University than WCU ($13,884 vs. $22,973)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Illinois University are 24.6% lower than costs at West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($11,420 vs. $14,228)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Illinois University than West Chester University of Pennsylvania (99% vs. 64%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Illinois University students is 130.6% larger than aid received West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($12,552 vs. $5,443)
Northern Illinois vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Northern Illinois or WCU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between WCU or Northern Illinois .
- The average SAT score at West Chester University of Pennsylvania (1072) is 43 points higher than at Northern Illinois (1029)
- Incoming WCU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Northern Illinois (22)
- Accepted freshman WCU students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.43) than students at Northern Illinois (3.3)
- WCU has a higher acceptance rate (87.8%) than Northern Illinois (70.7%)
Northern Illinois vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Northern Illinois or WCU? 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 WCU and Northern Illinois.
- The graduation rate at WCU is higher than Northern Illinois University (68% vs. 56%)
- Graduates from West Chester University of Pennsylvania earn on average $1,400 more per year than Northern Illinois graduates after ten years. ($49,000 vs. $47,600)
- West Chester University of Pennsylvania students graduate with a $359 lower median federal student loan debt than Northern Illinois graduates. ($23,500 vs. $23,859)
- WCU graduates are paying $4 less per month on federal student loans than Northern Illinois graduates. ($242 vs. $246)
- More WCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northern Illinois students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 61%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/