Northern Illinois University (NIU) vs UNC-Greeley

Northern Illinois University (NIU) and University of Northern Colorado (UNC) are two public universities located in the Midwest and Western United States, respectively. Both institutions offer a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs, but there are some key differences between the two schools. NIU has a higher acceptance rate (79%) compared to UNC (73%), and its student body is more diverse, with a larger proportion of international students. UNC, on the other hand, has a slightly higher graduation rate (62%) than NIU (60%). In terms of popular majors, NIU is known for its programs in business, education, and engineering, while UNC is known for its programs in education, nursing, and health sciences. To help you make an informed decision about which university is the best fit for you, we have compiled a comprehensive comparison table that highlights the key differences between NIU and UNC.
Northern Illinois University logo

Northern Illinois University

University of Northern Colorado logo

University of Northern Colorado

Overview

Location Dekalb, Illinois Greeley, Colorado
Campus setting Suburb: Small City: Midsize
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% 69.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 70.4% 91.1%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $40

Graduate: $60
Undergraduate: $50

Graduate: $50
SAT range N/A 970 - 1210
ACT range N/A 19 - 27
Students submitting SAT score 29.0%
Students submitting ACT score 8.0%
Total number of applicants 22,602 10,152
Total number of admissions given out 15,922 9,252
Admitted students who chose to enroll 2,285 1,256
Yield rate 14.4% 13.6%
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: $27,308

Out of state: $40,427
Average net price $13,265 $17,128
Tuition $9,606
In state: $8,127

Out of state: $21,246
Room & board $11,098
Room/dormitory: $6,546

Meal plan: $5,606
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
98.0%
Average amount $8,308
Students receiving federal student loan 58.0%
Average amount $5,313
49.0%
Average amount $4,866
Students taking out private loans 5.0%
Average amount $11,726
5.0%
Average amount $12,652

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 11,834
Men 47.1% Women 52.9%
7,357
Men 32.9% Women 67.1%
Graduate students 4,400
Men 40.8% Women 59.2%
2,991
Men 24.5% Women 75.5%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Low
Out-of-state students N/A 15.4%
International students 4.6% 1.6%
Campus local/setting Suburb: Small City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity 4,500 3,542
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A Colorado California Texas Arizona New Mexico

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Education
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Engineering
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Education
  • Health Professions
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
Students to faculty ratio 15:1 14:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 50.8% 51.9%
Dropout rate 46.9% 12.7%
Transferred out N/A 33.5%
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
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $95,592
  • Year 2: $93,076
  • Year 3: $97,134
Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,550
  • Year 2: $64,493
  • Year 3: $71,265
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,692
  • Year 2: $59,688
  • Year 3: $64,765
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $50,641
  • Year 2: $57,318
  • Year 3: $62,395
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $60,682
  • Year 2: $57,995
  • Year 3: $60,883
Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $49,199
  • Year 2: $50,231
  • Year 3: $52,879
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $44,408
  • Year 2: $45,665
  • Year 3: $52,808
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,601
  • Year 2: $48,198
  • Year 3: $49,964
Special Education and Teaching (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $48,018
  • Year 2: $46,738
  • Year 3: $48,853
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $42,825
  • Year 2: $42,979
  • Year 3: $46,903

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