Northern Illinois University (NIU) vs East Carolina University
Northern Illinois University (NIU) and East Carolina University (ECU) are two public universities with distinct characteristics. NIU, located in DeKalb, Illinois, has an acceptance rate of 84%, while ECU, situated in Greenville, North Carolina, has an acceptance rate of 73%. Both universities offer a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs, with popular majors including Business, Education, and Health Sciences at NIU, and Business, Nursing, and Education at ECU. NIU's student body is predominantly White (62%) and female (56%), while ECU's student body is more diverse, with a larger proportion of Black (22%) and Hispanic (13%) students, and a slightly higher percentage of male students (51%). In terms of graduation rates, NIU's four-year graduation rate is 28%, while ECU's is slightly higher at 31%. To help you make an informed decision about which university better suits
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![]() East Carolina University |
![]() Northern Illinois University |
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Overview |
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Location | Greenville, North Carolina | Dekalb, Illinois |
Campus setting | City: Small | 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 | 81.0% | 67.0% |
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Yes | Yes |
Religious affiliation | ||
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Admission |
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Acceptance rate | 93.9% | 70.4% |
Application fees |
Undergraduate:
$75
Graduate:
$75
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Undergraduate:
$40
Graduate:
$60
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SAT range | N/A | N/A |
ACT range | N/A | N/A |
Students submitting SAT score | ||
Students submitting ACT score | ||
Total number of applicants | 21,898 | 22,602 |
Total number of admissions given out | 20,560 | 15,922 |
Admitted students who chose to enroll | 4,100 | 2,285 |
Yield rate | 19.9% | 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) | Required | Required |
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Tuition and Fees |
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Sticker price |
In state:
$23,215
Out of state:
$39,492
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$27,218 |
Average net price | $14,762 | $13,265 |
Tuition |
In state:
$4,452
Out of state:
$20,729
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$9,606 |
Room & board |
Room/dormitory:
$5,630
Meal plan:
$4,060
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$11,098 |
Available payment plans |
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Financial Aid |
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Students receiving financial aid
(Grants & scholarships) |
63.0%
Average amount $7,761 |
98.0%
Average amount $13,008 |
Students receiving federal student loan |
51.0%
Average amount $5,180 |
58.0%
Average amount $5,313 |
Students taking out private loans |
8.0%
Average amount $14,093 |
5.0%
Average amount $11,726 |
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Students and Campus |
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Undergraduate students |
22,463
Men 41.2% Women 58.8% |
11,834
Men 47.1% Women 52.9% |
Graduate students |
5,558
Men 32.6% Women 67.4% |
4,400
Men 40.8% Women 59.2% |
Racial/ethnic diversity |
Low
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Moderate
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Out-of-state students | 13.6% | N/A |
International students | 0.8% | 4.6% |
Campus local/setting | City: Small | Suburb: Small |
Dormitory capacity | 5,203 | 4,500 |
First year students are required to live on campus? | No | No |
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from | North Carolina Virginia Maryland Pennsylvania New York | N/A |
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Academics |
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Popular study areas |
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Students to faculty ratio | 18:1 | 15:1 |
Institutional accreditation | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges | Higher Learning Commission |
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Outcome |
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Graduation rate | 65.8% | 50.8% |
Dropout rate | 8.3% | 46.9% |
Transferred out | 24.1% | N/A |
Alumni salary by major (Top 10) |
Dentistry (First Professional Degrees)
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's Degrees)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral Degrees)
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Finance and Financial Management Services (Graduate/Professional Certificates)
Engineering Technologies/Technicians, Other (Bachelor's Degrees)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
Engineering, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Medicine (First Professional Degrees)
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Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral Degrees)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
Management Information Systems and Services (Master's Degrees)
Computer Science (Master's Degrees)
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
Psychology, General (Doctoral Degrees)
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Doctoral Degrees)
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
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