Northern Illinois University (NIU) vs Northern Michigan University (NMU)

Northern Illinois University (NIU) and Northern Michigan University (NMU) are two public universities located in the Midwestern United States, each offering a unique educational experience. NIU, situated in DeKalb, Illinois, boasts a larger student body and a higher acceptance rate compared to NMU, which is nestled in Marquette, Michigan. While both universities offer a diverse range of academic programs, NIU excels in fields like business, engineering, and education, while NMU is renowned for its strengths in forestry, nursing, and environmental science. Additionally, the student demographics at each university vary, with NIU having a more diverse student body and NMU having a higher percentage of undergraduate students. To help you make an informed decision about your higher education journey, we have compiled a comprehensive comparison table that delves into these differences and more, providing valuable insights to guide your choice between these two esteemed institutions.
Northern Illinois University logo

Northern Illinois University

Northern Michigan University logo

Northern Michigan University

Overview

Location Dekalb, Illinois Marquette, Michigan
Campus setting Suburb: Small Town: Remote
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 67.0% 72.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 70.4% 71.3%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $40

Graduate: $60
Undergraduate: $35

Graduate: $50
SAT range N/A N/A
ACT range N/A N/A
Students submitting SAT score
Students submitting ACT score
Total number of applicants 22,602 6,553
Total number of admissions given out 15,922 4,670
Admitted students who chose to enroll 2,285 1,496
Yield rate 14.4% 32.0%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $27,218
In state: $26,076

Out of state: $31,572
Average net price $13,265 $17,686
Tuition $9,606
In state: $12,098

Out of state: $17,594
Room & board $11,098
Room/dormitory: $6,212

Meal plan: $5,700
Available payment plans
  • Prepaid tuition plan
  • Guaranteed tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

98.0%
Average amount $13,008
100.0%
Average amount $8,291
Students receiving federal student loan 58.0%
Average amount $5,313
60.0%
Average amount $4,882
Students taking out private loans 5.0%
Average amount $11,726
13.0%
Average amount $12,023

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 11,834
Men 47.1% Women 52.9%
6,611
Men 41.4% Women 58.6%
Graduate students 4,400
Men 40.8% Women 59.2%
603
Men 31.8% Women 68.2%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Very Low
Out-of-state students N/A 27.5%
International students 4.6% 1.2%
Campus local/setting Suburb: Small Town: Remote
Dormitory capacity 4,500 2,956
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A Michigan Wisconsin Illinois Minnesota California

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Education
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Engineering
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Education
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Liberal Arts
Students to faculty ratio 15:1 19:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 50.8% 49.4%
Dropout rate 46.9% 48.5%
Transferred out N/A N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
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
Construction Engineering Technologies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $64,628
  • Year 2: $72,796
  • Year 3: $79,136
Electrical and Power Transmission Installers (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas)
  • Year 1: $46,384
  • Year 2: $47,846
  • Year 3: $59,593
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $56,415
  • Year 3: $58,726
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $57,371
  • Year 2: $56,776
  • Year 3: $57,709
Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $47,668
  • Year 2: $53,358
  • Year 3: $55,574
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $44,975
  • Year 2: $46,087
  • Year 3: $51,392
Marketing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $38,045
  • Year 2: $34,793
  • Year 3: $47,951
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $48,424
  • Year 2: $44,635
  • Year 3: $46,290
Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $35,823
  • Year 2: $38,649
  • Year 3: $45,786
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $43,293
  • Year 2: $38,529
  • Year 3: $44,324

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