Northern Illinois University

www.niu.edu

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    2024 Undergraduate Tuition
    $10,232
    4.49% growth from 2023
    2024 Average Net Price
    $14,243
    After Financial Aid
    2022 Default Rate
    0.0258%
    on Student Loans
    2024 Acceptance Rate
    69.8%
    23,651 Applicants
    2024 Enrolled Students
    15,414
    77.4% Full-Time
    2024 Graduation Rate
    48.7%
    891 Graduates

    About

    Northern Illinois University is a higher education institution located in DeKalb County, IL. In 2024, the most popular Bachelors Degree concentrations at Northern Illinois University were General Psychology (214 degrees awarded), Registered Nursing (124 degrees), and Computer Science (122 degrees).

    In 2024, 4,054 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Northern Illinois University. 52.5% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 47.5% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (2,078 degrees), 2.98 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (697 degrees).

    The median undergraduate tuition at Northern Illinois University is $10,232, which is $−21,688 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,920).

    In 2022 the default rate for borrower's at Northern Illinois University was 0.0258%, corresponding to 1 out of the 3,877 total borrowers.

    Photo by EarlRShumaker
    Doctoral Universities: Higher Research ActivityDoctoral Universities

    Costs

    In 2024, the median undergraduate tuition at Northern Illinois University is $10,232, which is $21,688 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,920).

    After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $14,243.

    In 2024, 86% of undergraduate students attending Northern Illinois University received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 47% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

    Tuition Costs

    $10,232
    2024 Undergraduate Tuition

    In 2024, the cost of tuition at Northern Illinois University was $10,232. The cost of tuition at Northern Illinois University is $−21,688 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,920).

    This chart compares the tuition costs of Northern Illinois University (in red) with those of other similar universities.

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    Average Net Price

    $14,243
    2024 Value
    5.25%
    1 Year Growth

    In 2024 Northern Illinois University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $14,243. Between 2023 and 2024, the average net price of Northern Illinois University grew by 5.25%.

    This chart compares the average net price of Northern Illinois University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

    Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

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    Other Student Expenses

    $12,800
    Room and Board
    $1,300
    Books and Supplies

    The average yearly cost of room and board at Northern Illinois University was of $12,800 in 2024. The cost of room and board increased by 12.1% between 2023 and 2024.

    During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,300. The cost of books and supplies did not change during the same period.

    This chart compares the average student costs at Northern Illinois University (in red) with that of similar universities.

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    Financial Aid by Income Level

    86%
    Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants
    47%
    Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

    86% of undergraduate students at Northern Illinois University received financial aid through grants or loans in 2024. This represents a decline of 2.27% with respect to 2023, when 88% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

    This chart compares the average award discount at Northern Illinois University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

    The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

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    Student Loan Default Rate

    Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.
    0.0258%
    2022 Default Rate
    1
    Number of Defaults

    In 2022 the default rate for borrower's at Northern Illinois University was 0.0258%, which represents 1 out of the 3877 total borrowers.

    A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

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    Admissions

    Northern Illinois University received 23,651 undergraduate applications in 2024, which represents a 2.18% annual growth. Out of those 23,651 applicants, 16,505 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 69.8% acceptance rate.

    There were 15,414 students enrolled at Northern Illinois University in 2024. 84% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

    Northern Illinois University has an overall enrollment yield of 12.1%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

    Acceptance Rate

    69.8%
    Acceptance Rate in 2024
    16,505
    Accepted Out of 23,651

    In 2024, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Northern Illinois University was 69.8% (16,505 admissions from 23,651 applications). This is lower than the acceptance rate of 2023, which was 70.5%. Between 2023 and 2024, the number of applicants declined by 2.18%, while admissions declined by 3.1%.

    This chart compares the acceptance rate of Northern Illinois University (in red) with that of other similar universities, and the chart below shows the acceptance rate by gender.

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    SAT Scores

    84%
    Submission Percentage (2019)
    1,594
    Scores Submitted (2019)

    84% of enrolled first-time students at Northern Illinois University in 2019 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

    The following chart shows the average SAT scores for the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile of applicants for each section of the test that they are evaluated on.

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    Enrollment

    Northern Illinois University had a total enrollment of 15,414 students in 2024. The full-time enrollment at Northern Illinois University is 11,927 students and the part-time enrollment is 3,487. This means that 77.4% of students enrolled at Northern Illinois University are enrolled full-time.

    The enrolled student population at Northern Illinois University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 44.3% White, 22.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.8% Black or African American, 5.98% Asian, 1.74% Two or More Races, 0.415% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0843% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

    Students enrolled at Northern Illinois University in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (20.7%), followed by White Male (20.2%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (13.9%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (23%), followed by White Male (15.8%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (6.43%).

    Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

    77.4%
    Full-Time Enrollment

    The total enrollment at Northern Illinois University in 2024, both undergraduate and graduate, is 15,414 students. The full-time enrollment at Northern Illinois University is 11,927 and the part-time enrollment is 3,487. This means that 77.4% of students enrolled at Northern Illinois University are enrolled full-time compared with 77.3% at similar Doctoral Universities.

    This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at Northern Illinois University (in red) compares to similar universities.

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    Retention Rate over Time

    70%
    2024 Retention Rate

    Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at Northern Illinois University was 70%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Doctoral Universities (82%), Northern Illinois University had a retention rate lower than its peers.

    This chart shows the retention rate over time at Northern Illinois University (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

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    Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

    Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2024)
    1. White
      6,831 enrolled students
    2. Hispanic or Latino
      3,407 enrolled students
    3. Black or African American
      2,741 enrolled students

    The enrolled student population at Northern Illinois University is 44.3% White, 22.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.8% Black or African American, 5.98% Asian, 1.74% Two or More Races, 0.415% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0843% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Doctoral Universities is 46.2% White, 16.3% Hispanic or Latino, and 10.4% Black or African American.

    Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 197 students (1.28%) did not report their race.

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    Graduates

    In 2024, 204 more women than men received degrees from Northern Illinois University. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Northern Illinois University is white (2,078 degrees awarded). There were 2.98 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (697 degrees).

    The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at Northern Illinois University is General Psychology (214 degrees awarded), followed by Registered Nursing (124 degrees) and Computer Science (122 degrees).

    In 2024,  the most specialized majors across all degree types at Northern Illinois University, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Physical Sciences (86 degrees awarded), Education (575 degrees), and Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (121 degrees).

    Common Jobs by Major

    Elementary & middle school teachers
    Most Common Job

    The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Northern Illinois University are Elementary & middle school teachers (1,566,199 people), Secondary school teachers (564,635 people), Software developers (548,159 people), Other managers (493,470 people), and Miscellaneous engineers, including nuclear engineers (394,126 people).

    The most specialized majors at Northern Illinois University in 2024 are Physical Sciences (86 degrees awarded), Education (575 degrees), Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (121 degrees), History (51 degrees), and Engineering (303 degrees) (as of 2024).

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    Highest Paying Jobs by Major

    Surgeons
    Highest Paying Job

    The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Northern Illinois University are Surgeons, Diagnostic medical sonographers, Magnetic resonance imaging technologists, Podiatrists, and Physicians

    The most specialized majors at Northern Illinois University are Physical Sciences (86 degrees awarded), Education (575 degrees), Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (121 degrees), History (51 degrees), and Engineering (303 degrees) (as of 2024).

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    Common Industries by Major

    Elementary & secondary schools
    Most Common Industry

    The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Northern Illinois University are Elementary & secondary schools (2,941,052 people), Computer Systems Design (608,238 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (589,338 people), Architectural, engineering & related services (510,775 people), and Construction (403,843 people).

    The most specialized majors at Northern Illinois University are Physical Sciences (86 degrees awarded), Education (575 degrees), Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (121 degrees), History (51 degrees), and Engineering (303 degrees) (as of 2024).

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    Majors Awarded

    IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by Northern Illinois University.
    Most Common (2024)
    1. General Psychology
      214 degrees awarded
    2. Registered Nursing
      124 degrees awarded
    3. Computer Science
      122 degrees awarded

    In 2024, the most common bachelors degree concentration at Northern Illinois University was General Psychology with 214 degrees awarded.

    This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at Northern Illinois University according to their major.

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    Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

    1,925
    Degrees Awarded to Men
    in 2024
    2,129
    Degrees Awarded to Women
    in 2024

    In 2024, 1,925 degrees were awarded to men at Northern Illinois University, which is 0.904 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (2,129).

    This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at Northern Illinois University by degrees awarded.

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    Most Common Male Majors

    In 2024, 164 degrees were awarded to men at Northern Illinois University in Computer Science, which is 2.38 times more than the 69 female recipients with that same degree.

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    Most Common Female Majors

    In 2024, 186 degrees were awarded to men at Northern Illinois University in General Psychology, which is 3.1 times more than the 60 male recipients with that same degree.

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    Time to Complete

    33%
    100% Completion Time
    53%
    150% Completion Time

    In 2024, 33% of students graduating from Northern Illinois University completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 53% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 55% within 200%.

    The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Doctoral Universities Carnegie Classification group.

    Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

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    Race & Ethnicity by Share

    Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2024)
    1. White
      2,078 degrees awarded
    2. Hispanic or Latino
      697 degrees awarded
    3. Black or African American
      405 degrees awarded

    The most common race/ethnicity at Northern Illinois University is white (2,078 degrees awarded). There were 2.98 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (697 degrees).

    0.247% of degree recipients (10 students) did not report their race.

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    Race & Ethnicity by Sex

    Most Common Sex Demographic (2024)
    1. White Female
      2,126 degrees awarded
    2. White Female
      2,080 degrees awarded
    3. White Male
      1,950 degrees awarded

    The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Northern Illinois University is white female (2,126 degrees awarded). There were 1.02 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white female (2,080 degrees).

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    Operations

    Northern Illinois University has an endowment valued at nearly $115M, as of the end of the 2024 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 6.55M (5.7%) compared to the 9.4% average return (23.7M on 252M) across all Doctoral Universities.

    In 2024, Northern Illinois University had a total salary expenditure of 526M. Northern Illinois University employs 234 Professors, 221 Associate professors and 173 Instructors. Most academics at Northern Illinois University are Male Professor (143), Female Associate professor (117), and Female Instructor (109).

    The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Northern Illinois University are: Service, with 390 employees, Office and Administrative Support, with 381 employees, and Business and Financial Operations with 305 employees.

    Endowment

    $115M
    2024 Endowment
    13.9%
    growth from 2023

    Northern Illinois University has an endowment valued at about $115M, as of the end of the 2024 fiscal year. The endowment of Northern Illinois University grew 13.9% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $137M lower than than the median endowment of Doctoral Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

    This line chart shows how the endowment at Northern Illinois University (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

    The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Doctoral Universities: Higher Research Activity Carnegie Classification grouping.

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    Salary Expenditure

    $267M
    2024 Salaries
    9.05%
    growth from 2023

    In 2024, Northern Illinois University paid a median of $267M in salaries, which represents 50.9% of their overall expenditure ($526M) and a 9.05% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 24.3% growth between 2022 and 2023, and a 9.67% decline between 2021 and 2022.

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    Instructional Salaries

    $81.5M
    Instructional Salaries
    783
    Number of Employees

    In 2024, Northern Illinois University paid a total of $81.5M to 783 employees working as instructors, which represents 30.5% of all salaries paid.

    This is compared to a median of $4.1M (2.29%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

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    Occupations by Share

    In 2024, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Northern Illinois University were Service with 390 employees, Office and Administrative Support with 381 employees, and Business and Financial Operations with 305 employees.

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