Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW) vs Northern Illinois University (NIU)

Purdue University Fort Wayne and Northern Illinois University, both esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. Purdue Fort Wayne boasts a higher acceptance rate, making it a more accessible option for aspiring students. In contrast, Northern Illinois University attracts a larger student body, providing a more diverse and vibrant campus community. While Purdue Fort Wayne excels in engineering and technology programs, Northern Illinois University shines in the fields of business, education, and nursing. Explore the comprehensive comparison table to delve into further details, such as graduation rates, student demographics, and popular majors, to determine which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Purdue University Fort Wayne logo

Purdue University Fort Wayne

Northern Illinois University logo

Northern Illinois University

Overview

Location Fort Wayne, Indiana Dekalb, Illinois
Campus setting City: Large Suburb: Small
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Public Public
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 57.0% 67.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 83.2% 70.4%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $30

Graduate: $60
Undergraduate: $40

Graduate: $60
SAT range 1000 - 1210 N/A
ACT range 20 - 26 N/A
Students submitting SAT score 63.0%
Students submitting ACT score 16.0%
Total number of applicants 6,007 22,602
Total number of admissions given out 4,998 15,922
Admitted students who chose to enroll 1,293 2,285
Yield rate 25.9% 14.4%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Not required Required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Not required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $23,441

Out of state: $35,849
$27,218
Average net price $11,820 $13,265
Tuition
In state: $7,703

Out of state: $20,111
$9,606
Room & board $11,098
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Prepaid tuition plan
  • Guaranteed tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

96.0%
Average amount $7,108
98.0%
Average amount $13,008
Students receiving federal student loan 41.0%
Average amount $4,577
58.0%
Average amount $5,313
Students taking out private loans 4.0%
Average amount $7,294
5.0%
Average amount $11,726

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 7,768
Men 48.5% Women 51.5%
11,834
Men 47.1% Women 52.9%
Graduate students 530
Men 46.6% Women 53.4%
4,400
Men 40.8% Women 59.2%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Moderate
Out-of-state students N/A N/A
International students 3.5% 4.6%
Campus local/setting City: Large Suburb: Small
Dormitory capacity 1,328 4,500
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Education
  • Business
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Health Professions
  • Education
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Engineering
  • Computer and Information Science
Students to faculty ratio 13:1 15:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 38.3% 50.8%
Dropout rate 57.7% 46.9%
Transferred out N/A N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Business/Commerce, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $76,891
  • Year 2: $81,333
  • Year 3: $88,532
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $58,127
  • Year 2: $62,508
  • Year 3: $71,227
Construction Engineering Technologies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $49,864
  • Year 2: $51,106
  • Year 3: $59,608
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $53,059
  • Year 2: $51,813
  • Year 3: $55,597
Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $62,529
  • Year 2: $46,087
  • Year 3: $51,831
Business/Commerce, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $41,756
  • Year 2: $42,309
  • Year 3: $50,227
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $44,157
  • Year 2: $45,305
  • Year 3: $46,663
Student Counseling and Personnel Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $40,423
  • Year 2: $38,289
  • Year 3: $43,573
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $38,451
  • Year 2: $36,668
  • Year 3: $42,453
Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $35,308
  • Year 2: $36,344
  • Year 3: $42,039
Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $118,716
  • Year 2: $98,186
  • Year 3: $125,726
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $95,047
  • Year 2: $88,920
  • Year 3: $96,563
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $91,161
  • Year 2: $91,587
  • Year 3: $94,214
Management Information Systems and Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $66,013
  • Year 2: $70,009
  • Year 3: $76,350
Computer Science (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $74,606
  • Year 2: $75,204
  • Year 3: $75,980
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $64,752
  • Year 2: $64,150
  • Year 3: $74,168
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $70,234
  • Year 2: $66,989
  • Year 3: $74,151
Psychology, General (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $57,535
  • Year 2: $68,499
  • Year 3: $73,940
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $70,453
  • Year 2: $69,151
  • Year 3: $72,792
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $63,291
  • Year 2: $63,685
  • Year 3: $72,760

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