Northern Illinois University (NIU) vs University of Southern Mississippi (USM)

Northern Illinois University (NIU) and the University of Southern Mississippi (USM) are two distinct universities with unique offerings. NIU, located in DeKalb, Illinois, boasts a higher acceptance rate (79%) compared to USM's 73%. Both universities offer a diverse range of undergraduate programs, with NIU excelling in fields like business, engineering, and education, while USM shines in nursing, psychology, and marine science. NIU's student body is predominantly White (62%) and female (56%), while USM's student population is more diverse, with a higher percentage of African American (38%) and male (52%) students. In terms of graduation rates, NIU has a slightly higher four-year graduation rate (33%) compared to USM's 29%. To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison table that delves into these aspects and more, allowing you to assess which university aligns
Northern Illinois University logo

Northern Illinois University

University of Southern Mississippi logo

University of Southern Mississippi

Overview

Location Dekalb, Illinois Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Campus setting Suburb: Small City: 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 67.0% 70.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 70.4% 95.8%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $40

Graduate: $60
Undergraduate: $40

Graduate: $60
SAT range N/A N/A
ACT range N/A 19 - 26
Students submitting SAT score
Students submitting ACT score 99.0%
Total number of applicants 22,602 9,314
Total number of admissions given out 15,922 8,922
Admitted students who chose to enroll 2,285 1,587
Yield rate 14.4% 17.8%
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: $25,100

Out of state: $27,100
Average net price $13,265 $13,651
Tuition $9,606
In state: $9,094

Out of state: $11,094
Room & board $11,098 $10,950
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
91.0%
Average amount $9,072
Students receiving federal student loan 58.0%
Average amount $5,313
54.0%
Average amount $5,327
Students taking out private loans 5.0%
Average amount $11,726
4.0%
Average amount $12,298

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 11,834
Men 47.1% Women 52.9%
10,693
Men 35.3% Women 64.7%
Graduate students 4,400
Men 40.8% Women 59.2%
3,453
Men 33.7% Women 66.3%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Low
Out-of-state students N/A 25.7%
International students 4.6% 2.8%
Campus local/setting Suburb: Small City: Small
Dormitory capacity 4,500 3,592
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A Mississippi Louisiana Alabama Florida Tennessee

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Education
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Engineering
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Health Professions
  • Education
  • Business
  • Psychology
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
Students to faculty ratio 15:1 16:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome

Graduation rate 50.8% 51.8%
Dropout rate 46.9% 46.0%
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
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $157,573
  • Year 2: $156,846
  • Year 3: $164,002
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $95,073
  • Year 3: $99,130
Education, General (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $67,660
  • Year 3: $71,295
Public Health (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $61,516
  • Year 3: $67,024
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $55,957
  • Year 2: $56,254
  • Year 3: $57,464
Architectural Engineering Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $53,555
  • Year 2: $52,107
  • Year 3: $56,239
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $52,332
  • Year 2: $53,358
  • Year 3: $52,453
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $39,129
  • Year 2: $38,829
  • Year 3: $50,674
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $51,726
  • Year 2: $48,432
  • Year 3: $49,610
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $46,917
  • Year 2: $45,696
  • Year 3: $48,921

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