Northern Illinois vs. WMU

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

Northern Illinois WMU
Location Dekalb, IL Kalamazoo, MI
Setting Small Suburban Small City
Enrollment 15,649 17,000
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #454 #634
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website niu.edu wmich.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northern Illinois WMU
Tuition (In State) $9,790 $14,523
Tuition (Out of State) $9,790 $18,154
Room & Board $11,420 $11,102
Avg Net Price $13,884 $20,030
Avg Grant Aid $12,552 $6,813
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 93%

Admission

Northern Illinois WMU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,961 20,501
Admitted 18,348 17,334
Acceptance Rate 70.7% 84.6%
Enrolled % 13.3% 15.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.5
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/25 19/27
SAT Range 940/1170 990/1220
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 WMU
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Engineering (6%)

Outcomes

Northern Illinois WMU
Graduation Rate 56% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,600 $48,900
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 54%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,859 $26,633
Median Loan Payment $246 $275

Diversity

Northern Illinois WMU
% Men 46% 47%
% Women 54% 53%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 57% 72%
% Black 16% 12%
% Hispanic 15% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 4%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

Northern Illinois WMU
% In-State 93% 79%
% Out-of-State 5% 19%

Campus

Northern Illinois WMU
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

  • Western Michigan University is larger than than Northern Illinois based on total student enrollment (17,000 students vs. 15,649 students)

Northern Illinois vs. WMU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northern Illinois or WMU?

  • Western Michigan University is 48.3% more expensive to attend than Northern Illinois for in-state tuition ($14,523.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 85.4% higher at WMU than Northern Illinois University ($18,154.00 vs. $9,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Illinois University than WMU ($13,884 vs. $20,030)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Michigan University are 2.9% lower than costs at Northern Illinois University ($11,102 vs. $11,420)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Illinois University than Western Michigan University (99% vs. 93%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Illinois University students is 84.2% larger than aid received Western Michigan University ($12,552 vs. $6,813)

Northern Illinois vs. WMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Western Michigan University (1030) is 1 points higher than at Northern Illinois (1029)
  • Incoming Northern Illinois students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at WMU (22)
  • Accepted freshman WMU students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at Northern Illinois (3.3)
  • WMU has a higher acceptance rate (84.6%) than Northern Illinois (70.7%)

Northern Illinois vs. WMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Northern Illinois is the same as at Western Michigan University (56% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from Western Michigan University earn on average $1,300 more per year than Northern Illinois graduates after ten years. ($48,900 vs. $47,600)
  • Northern Illinois University students graduate with a $2,774 lower median federal student loan debt than WMU graduates. ($23,859 vs. $26,633)
  • Northern Illinois graduates are paying $29 less per month on federal student loans than WMU graduates. ($246 vs. $275)
  • More Northern Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WMU students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 54%)

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