Northern Illinois University (NIU) vs Michigan Tech

Northern Illinois University (NIU) and Michigan Technological University (MTU) are two distinct institutions with unique offerings. NIU, located in DeKalb, Illinois, boasts an acceptance rate of 84%, while MTU, situated in Houghton, Michigan, has a more selective admissions process with an acceptance rate of 74%. NIU's student body is predominantly undergraduate, with a diverse population representing various backgrounds. In contrast, MTU has a higher proportion of graduate students and is known for its strong engineering and technology programs. Both universities offer a wide range of academic programs, but NIU excels in fields like business, education, and nursing, while MTU specializes in engineering, computer science, and forestry. With different graduation rates, costs, and campus environments, NIU and MTU cater to different student preferences. Explore the detailed comparison table below to discover which university aligns better with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Michigan Technological University logo

Michigan Technological University

Northern Illinois University logo

Northern Illinois University

Overview

Location Houghton, Michigan Dekalb, Illinois
Campus setting Town: Remote 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 85.0% 67.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 85.7% 70.4%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $40

Graduate: $60
SAT range 1130 - 1335 N/A
ACT range 25 - 31 N/A
Students submitting SAT score 70.0%
Students submitting ACT score 28.0%
Total number of applicants 8,041 22,602
Total number of admissions given out 6,895 15,922
Admitted students who chose to enroll 1,479 2,285
Yield rate 21.5% 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

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $32,210

Out of state: $53,356
$27,218
Average net price $17,826 $13,265
Tuition
In state: $16,654

Out of state: $37,800
$9,606
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $6,509

Meal plan: $5,146
$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)

99.0%
Average amount $14,609
98.0%
Average amount $13,008
Students receiving federal student loan 51.0%
Average amount $5,073
58.0%
Average amount $5,313
Students taking out private loans 14.0%
Average amount $14,311
5.0%
Average amount $11,726

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 5,777
Men 70.7% Women 29.3%
11,834
Men 47.1% Women 52.9%
Graduate students 1,231
Men 69.8% Women 30.2%
4,400
Men 40.8% Women 59.2%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Very Low
Moderate
Out-of-state students N/A N/A
International students 8.8% 4.6%
Campus local/setting Town: Remote Suburb: Small
Dormitory capacity 3,062 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
  • Engineering
  • Engineering Technologies
  • Mathematics and Statistics
  • Business
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • 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 69.1% 50.8%
Dropout rate 8.0% 46.9%
Transferred out 20.2% N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Mechanical Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $84,096
  • Year 2: $86,550
  • Year 3: $88,162
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $70,211
  • Year 2: $78,172
  • Year 3: $85,110
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $72,168
  • Year 2: $75,989
  • Year 3: $82,365
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $72,103
  • Year 2: $75,047
  • Year 3: $81,251
Chemical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $68,391
  • Year 2: $70,536
  • Year 3: $79,370
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $69,541
  • Year 2: $71,637
  • Year 3: $77,183
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $66,140
  • Year 2: $65,486
  • Year 3: $76,360
Materials Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,484
  • Year 2: $73,635
  • Year 3: $74,767
Biomedical/Medical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $62,667
  • Year 2: $66,461
  • Year 3: $72,870
Civil Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $62,556
  • Year 2: $63,217
  • Year 3: $69,234
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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