- The Inkwell
- Illinois
- Northern Illinois University
Dekalb, ILSuburb: smallZIP 60115Founded 1895
- Sector
- Public
- Founded
- 1895
- Carnegie class
- Doctoral: high research activity (R2)
- Highest degree
- Graduate degree
- Federal aid since
- 1965
- Website
- www.niu.edu
- Member of
- APLU
IllinoisPublic
Northern Illinois University
Northern Illinois University is a public university in Dekalb, Illinois, with 11,301 undergraduates. It admits 70% of applicants, graduates 48% within six years and costs $14,505 a year after aid.
48%graduate
Admission rate70%
Retention70%
4-year graduation29%
Pell Grant share52%
Federal loans46%
$14,505net price / year
70%admission rate
—average SAT
48%graduate in 6 years
$61,351median earnings, 10 yrs
$19,555median debt
#718 of 1,704 for earnings#463 of 1,739 for lowest net price#1,105 of 1,738 for graduation rate#563 of 1,552 for selectivity
what it costs
Cost and net price
Net price is the average annual cost after grants and scholarships for full-time students who receive federal aid; it varies with family income.
Published cost
- Cost of attendance
- $29,642tuition, fees, housing, books, per year
- Tuition & fees, in-state
- $13,792
- Tuition & fees, out-of-state
- $13,792
- Average net price
- $14,505national median $19,980
Net price by family income
$0–30,000$12,319
$30,001–48,000$11,502
$48,001–75,000$13,387
$75,001–110,000$20,105
$110,001+$24,295
getting in
Admissions and test scores
Admission
- Admission rate
- 70%national median 77%
- Average SAT
- —
- SAT reading, middle 50%
- —
- SAT math, middle 50%
- —
- ACT composite, middle 50%
- —
Against the national median
Admission rate · this college70%
Admission rate · U.S. median77%
Retention · this college70%
Retention · U.S. median76%
Graduation · this college48%
Graduation · U.S. median55%
Pell share · this college52%
Pell share · U.S. median39%
after enrolling
Graduation, earnings and debt
Completion
- Graduation rate, 6 years
- 48%within 150% of normal time
- Graduation rate, 4 years
- 29%
- First-year retention
- 70%
- Award within 8 years, all students
- 63%
Earnings and debt
- Median earnings, 6 years after entry
- $52,885
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry
- $61,351middle 50%: $41,088–$87,652
- Median debt at graduation
- $19,555
- 3-year loan default rate
- 0%
Earnings ten years after entry
Upper quarter$87,652
Median, Northern Illinois University$61,351
Lower quarter$41,088
U.S. median, all colleges$58,886
Former students working and not enrolled · College Scorecard
who studies here
Students and faculty
Undergraduates
- Degree-seeking undergraduates
- 11,301
- Part-time
- 11%
- Women / men
- 53% / 47%
- Average age at entry
- 21.9
- First-generation students
- 38%
- Pell Grant recipients
- 52%
Faculty and resources
- Student-to-faculty ratio
- 15 : 1
- Full-time faculty
- 75%
- Average faculty salary
- $11,060 / month
- Instructional spending per student
- $14,474
- Endowment, end of year
- $114,772,816
Race and ethnicity, undergraduates
White42%
Hispanic26%
Black21%
Asian6.4%
Two or more races1.6%
U.S. nonresident1.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.1%
Unknown0.9%
23 fields of study
Most popular fields
Share of bachelor’s degrees awarded, by broad field (CIP family).
Business & management16%
Health professions14%
Education9.6%
Psychology9.3%
Engineering6.9%
Social sciences6.3%
Visual & performing arts5.6%
Computer & information sciences5.4%
keep comparing
Similar colleges
Public colleges in Illinois
| College | Net price | Grad. | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Edwardsville, IL | $13,111 | 56% | $59,436 |
| Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Carbondale, IL | $12,554 | 59% | $57,388 |
| Western Illinois University Macomb, IL | $10,018 | 49% | $57,175 |
| Eastern Illinois University Charleston, IL | $12,717 | 50% | $55,885 |
| Northeastern Illinois University Chicago, IL | $9,377 | 25% | $56,278 |
| Illinois State University Normal, IL | $17,829 | 67% | $67,557 |
Same Carnegie class, similar price
| College | Net price | Grad. | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Colorado Colorado Springs Colorado Springs, CO | $14,954 | 46% | $61,386 |
| The University of Texas at Tyler Tyler, TX | $13,476 | 47% | $58,622 |
| Prairie View A & M University Prairie View, TX | $13,638 | 46% | $49,183 |
| Cleveland State University Cleveland, OH | $13,754 | 51% | $56,979 |
| Morgan State University Baltimore, MD | $14,653 | 42% | $56,585 |
| Kennesaw State University Kennesaw, GA | $16,325 | 50% | $62,766 |
Source: College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education — institution file, most recent cohorts. UNITID 147703. Founding year, motto and memberships: Wikidata Q1191344.