Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU) vs Principia College

Northeastern Illinois University and Principia College, two distinct institutions of higher learning, offer unique educational experiences to their students. Northeastern Illinois University, a public university located in Chicago, Illinois, boasts an acceptance rate of 99%, welcoming a diverse student body with a strong focus on undergraduate education. Principia College, a private liberal arts college in Elsah, Illinois, offers a more selective admissions process with an acceptance rate of 68%. Its student body is smaller and more residential, with a focus on both undergraduate and graduate programs. While both institutions offer a range of academic programs, Northeastern Illinois University is known for its strengths in fields such as business, education, and nursing, while Principia College excels in liberal arts, sciences, and pre-professional programs. Explore the detailed comparison table below to discover more about the differences in acceptance rates, popular majors, student demographics, and graduation rates, helping you make an informed decision about which institution aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Northeastern Illinois University logo

Northeastern Illinois University

Principia College logo

Principia College

Overview

Location Chicago, Illinois Elsah, Illinois
Campus setting City: Large Rural: Fringe
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Public Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate
Students retention rate 61.0% 81.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 62.1% 84.1%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $30

Graduate: $30
SAT range N/A 1028 - 1193
ACT range N/A 21 - 28
Students submitting SAT score 30.0%
Students submitting ACT score 13.0%
Total number of applicants 3,399 138
Total number of admissions given out 2,111 116
Admitted students who chose to enroll 330 79
Yield rate 15.6% 68.1%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Not required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $24,985

Out of state: $35,076
$42,820
Average net price $14,133 $19,816
Tuition
In state: $10,091

Out of state: $20,182
$29,970
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $5,810

Meal plan: $6,460
Available payment plans
  • Guaranteed tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

78.0%
Average amount $10,529
94.0%
Average amount $25,174
Students receiving federal student loan 15.0%
Average amount $6,215
0.0%
Average amount $0
Students taking out private loans 1.0%
Average amount $5,866
94.0%
Average amount $2,016

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 4,608
Men 41.6% Women 58.4%
321
Men 53.0% Women 47.0%
Graduate students 1,832
Men 32.0% Women 68.0%
N/A
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Low
Out-of-state students 2.4% 92.7%
International students 2.1% 24.3%
Campus local/setting City: Large Rural: Fringe
Dormitory capacity 426 585
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from Illinois Missouri Wisconsin California Georgia Missouri California Texas Illinois Ohio

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Education
  • Business
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Liberal Arts
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Communication and Journalism
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Social Sciences
  • Business
Students to faculty ratio 11:1 5:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 21.4% 85.9%
Dropout rate 75.4% 14.1%
Transferred out N/A N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $72,937
  • Year 2: $77,401
  • Year 3: $85,599
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $52,326
  • Year 2: $56,544
  • Year 3: $67,702
Business/Commerce, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $39,232
  • Year 2: $47,260
  • Year 3: $62,229
Special Education and Teaching (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $55,083
  • Year 2: $56,415
  • Year 3: $57,180
Public Administration and Social Service Professions, Other (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $39,637
  • Year 2: $45,383
  • Year 3: $55,124
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $43,581
  • Year 2: $46,407
  • Year 3: $51,995
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $44,263
  • Year 2: $43,240
  • Year 3: $49,244
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $39,577
  • Year 2: $45,500
  • Year 3: $47,512
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $42,527
  • Year 2: $41,565
  • Year 3: $45,767
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $38,519
  • Year 2: $47,260
  • Year 3: $45,740
N/A