A college's ethnic diversity is indicated by the student body's equal inclusion of students from different backgrounds . Students at Northern Illinois are mainly White with a smaller Black population. The school has high racial diversity. 43% percent of students are minorities or people of color (BIPOC). The ethnic breakdown is detailed in the following table.
| Race | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| White |
57%
|
| Black |
16%
|
| Hispanic |
15%
|
| Asian |
5%
|
| American Indian / Alaskan |
0%
|
| Hawaiian / Pacific Islander |
0%
|
| Two or more races |
3%
|
| International |
2%
|
| Race Unknown |
1%
|
There are 19% more female students than male students enrolled at Northern Illinois University with a gender ratio of 54% women to 46% men. Compared to the US average of 56% female students, Northern Illinois has a comparable gender diversity ratio to other US colleges and is inclusive of both genders.
| Gender | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| Men |
46%
|
| Women |
54%
|
| Gender | Number of Students |
|---|---|
| Men |
7,135
|
| Women |
8,514
|
Northern Illinois serves a very low number of students outside of Illinois, with 93 percent of the student body residing in-state.
| Origin | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| In State |
93%
|
| Out of State |
5%
|
| Foreign |
1%
|
| Unknown Location |
0%
|
57% of students can be considered low-income as indicated by their receipt of Federal Pell Grant Aid.
| Segment | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| Students Over 25 Years Old | 16.1% |
| Part time Undergrads | 12% |
Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=147703 IPEDS survey data for Northern Illinois University.