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Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, IL · Public · Small suburb · Carnegie R1/R2 · NIU

Public institution in Dekalb, IL · 11,277 undergraduates · 70% acceptance rate · $57,808 median earnings 10 years after entry.

Stats

College Scorecard figures, each with where this school sits nationally among institutions that report the same measure. A dash means the school does not report it.

Cost

Average net price
$12,909509th cheapest of 1,969 reporting
In-state tuition & fees
$12,700811th cheapest of 2,024 reporting
Out-of-state tuition & fees
$12,700423rd cheapest of 2,024 reporting
Cost of attendance
$27,214821st cheapest of 1,969 reporting
Median graduate debt
$22,162906th lowest of 1,865 reporting

Outcomes

Median earnings, 10 years after entry
$57,808649th highest of 1,954 reporting
Median earnings, 6 years after entry
$46,113790th highest of 1,950 reporting
Graduation rate (4-year)
49.6%1,166th highest of 2,014 reporting
Full-time retention
70.4%1,217th highest of 1,837 reporting

Admissions

Acceptance rate
70.5%610th most selective of 1,596 reporting
Average SAT
—
Median ACT
—

Campus

Undergraduates
11,277224th largest of 2,144 reporting
Student-faculty ratio
14.0:11,158th smallest of 2,141 reporting
Pell Grant share
45.6%503rd highest of 2,122 reporting

Nearest large-hub airport: 44 mi (ORD)

On 1 of our 111 lists

Every published ranking this school appears on, with its rank there.

Applying

Common App member
Yes
Application fee
Free
Personal essay
Optional / not required
Writing supplement
No

Deadlines and essay flags come from the Common App Requirements Grid, joined by school name. Always confirm against the school’s own admissions page before applying.

Best-paying fields of study

Median earnings one and two years after graduating, by field. Showing 12 of 54 reported programs.

FieldLevel1 yr2 yr
Electrical, Electronics and Communications EngineeringEngineeringbachelors$67,965$66,989
Mechanical EngineeringEngineeringbachelors$65,180$64,150
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingHealth Professionsbachelors$65,131$65,924
Industrial EngineeringEngineeringbachelors$61,516$62,409
Computer Sciencebachelors$60,848$59,519
Engineering Technology, GeneralEngineering Technologybachelors$57,017$57,888
Accounting and Related ServicesBusinessbachelors$56,544$57,318
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied ProfessionsHealth Professionsbachelors$56,505$56,415
Finance and Financial Management ServicesBusinessbachelors$55,859$51,145
Business Administration, Management and OperationsBusinessbachelors$50,149$51,511
MarketingBusinessbachelors$47,260$45,127
Management Sciences and Quantitative MethodsBusinessbachelors$45,940$46,869

Campus facts

Athletics — 13 sports

NCAA Division I-FBS · NCAA Division I

Athletic scholarships allowed · Athletic aid $7,923,716 (M $4,742,119 · W $3,181,597)

Self-reported EADA participants (2024-2025). Athletic aid is institution-level, not per sport.

Nearest undergraduate enrollment to Northern Illinois University’s 11,277 (College Scorecard UGDS, compiled 2026-10-24). Size only — not a judgment of similarity or quality.

In IL

Elsewhere