Northern Illinois University

www.niu.edu

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2023 Undergraduate Tuition

$9,792

2023 Average Net Price

$13,533

After Financial Aid

2020 Default Rate

on Student Loans

2023 Acceptance Rate

70.5%

24,177 Applicants

2023 Enrolled Students

15,504

76.6% Full-Time

2023 Graduation Rate

49.6%

909 Graduates

About

Northern Illinois University is a higher education institution located in DeKalb County, IL. In 2023, the most popular Bachelors Degree concentrations at Northern Illinois University were General Psychology (211 degrees awarded), Registered Nursing (153 degrees), and Other Health Preparatory Programs (139 degrees).

In 2023, 4,082 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Northern Illinois University. 55.3% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 44.7% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (2,224 degrees), 3.02 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (737 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Northern Illinois University is $9,792, which is $−21,211 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,004).

In 2020 the default rate for borrower's at Northern Illinois University was 0%, corresponding to 0 out of the 4,215 total borrowers.

Photo by EarlRShumaker

Doctoral Universities: Higher Research Activity Doctoral Universities

Costs

In 2023, the median undergraduate tuition at Northern Illinois University is $9,792, which is $21,212 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,004).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $13,533.

In 2023, 88% of undergraduate students attending Northern Illinois University received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 49% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$9,792

2023 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2023, the cost of tuition at Northern Illinois University was $9,792. The cost of tuition at Northern Illinois University is $−21,212 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,004).

This chart compares the tuition costs of Northern Illinois University (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$13,533

2023 Value

2.53%

1 Year Growth

In 2023 Northern Illinois University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $13,533. Between 2022 and 2023, the average net price of Northern Illinois University grew by 2.53%.

This chart compares the average net price of Northern Illinois University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$11,420

Room and Board

$1,300

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Northern Illinois University was of $11,420 in 2023. The cost of room and board increased by 3.82% between 2022 and 2023.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,300. The cost of books and supplies did not change during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at Northern Illinois University (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

88%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

49%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

88% of undergraduate students at Northern Illinois University received financial aid through grants or loans in 2023. This represents a decline of 7.37% with respect to 2022, when 95% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at Northern Illinois University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

2020 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2020 the default rate for borrower's at Northern Illinois University was 0%, which represents 0 out of the 4215 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Admissions

Northern Illinois University received 24,177 undergraduate applications in 2023, which represents a 6.87% annual growth. Out of those 24,177 applicants, 17,033 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 70.5% acceptance rate.

There were 15,504 students enrolled at Northern Illinois University in 2023. 84% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

Northern Illinois University has an overall enrollment yield of 12.9%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

70.5%

Acceptance Rate in 2023

17,033

Accepted Out of 24,177

In 2023, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Northern Illinois University was 70.5% (17,033 admissions from 24,177 applications). This is lower than the acceptance rate of 2022, which was 70.7%. Between 2022 and 2023, the number of applicants declined by 6.87%, while admissions declined by 7.17%.

This chart compares the acceptance rate of Northern Illinois University (in red) with that of other similar universities, and the chart below shows the acceptance rate by gender.

SAT Scores

84%

Submission Percentage (2019)

1,594

Scores Submitted (2019)

84% of enrolled first-time students at Northern Illinois University in 2019 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

The following chart shows the average SAT scores for the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile of applicants for each section of the test that they are evaluated on.

Enrollment

Northern Illinois University had a total enrollment of 15,504 students in 2023. The full-time enrollment at Northern Illinois University is 11,878 students and the part-time enrollment is 3,626. This means that 76.6% of students enrolled at Northern Illinois University are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Northern Illinois University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 44.4% White, 21.3% Hispanic or Latino, 17.5% Black or African American, 6.3% Asian, 2.13% Two or More Races, 0.387% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0838% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Northern Illinois University in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (20.9%), followed by White Male (20.8%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (13.5%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (23.3%), followed by White Male (17%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (5.86%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

76.6%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Northern Illinois University in 2023, both undergraduate and graduate, is 15,504 students. The full-time enrollment at Northern Illinois University is 11,878 and the part-time enrollment is 3,626. This means that 76.6% of students enrolled at Northern Illinois University are enrolled full-time compared with 77.9% at similar Doctoral Universities.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at Northern Illinois University (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

70%

2023 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at Northern Illinois University was 70%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Doctoral Universities (84%), Northern Illinois University had a retention rate lower than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at Northern Illinois University (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2023)

White
6,888 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
3,306 enrolled students
Black or African American
2,720 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at Northern Illinois University is 44.4% White, 21.3% Hispanic or Latino, 17.5% Black or African American, 6.3% Asian, 2.13% Two or More Races, 0.387% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0838% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Doctoral Universities is 46.5% White, 15.9% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.78% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 170 students (1.1%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2023, 436 more women than men received degrees from Northern Illinois University. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Northern Illinois University is white (2,224 degrees awarded). There were 3.02 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (737 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at Northern Illinois University is General Psychology (211 degrees awarded), followed by Registered Nursing (153 degrees) and Other Health Preparatory Programs (139 degrees).

In 2023, the most specialized majors across all degree types at Northern Illinois University, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Education (608 degrees awarded), Human Sciences (97 degrees), and Physical Sciences (76 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Elementary & middle school teachers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Northern Illinois University are Elementary & middle school teachers (1,511,332 people), Secondary school teachers (506,472 people), Education administrators (266,699 people), Special education teachers (204,208 people), and Preschool & kindergarten teachers (199,661 people).

The most specialized majors at Northern Illinois University in 2023 are Education (608 degrees awarded), Human Sciences (97 degrees), Physical Sciences (76 degrees), Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (102 degrees), and Legal (90 degrees) (as of 2023).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Diagnostic medical sonographers

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Northern Illinois University are Diagnostic medical sonographers, Surgeons, Magnetic resonance imaging technologists, Physicians, and Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents

The most specialized majors at Northern Illinois University are Education (608 degrees awarded), Human Sciences (97 degrees), Physical Sciences (76 degrees), Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (102 degrees), and Legal (90 degrees) (as of 2023).

Common Industries by Major

Elementary & secondary schools

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Northern Illinois University are Elementary & secondary schools (2,917,632 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (427,787 people), General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (249,765 people), Computer Systems Design (137,713 people), and Child day care services (122,470 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by Northern Illinois University.

Most Common (2023)

General Psychology
211 degrees awarded
Registered Nursing
153 degrees awarded
Other Health Preparatory Programs
139 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common bachelors degree concentration at Northern Illinois University was General Psychology with 211 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at Northern Illinois University according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

1,823

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2023

2,259

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2023

In 2023, 1,823 degrees were awarded to men at Northern Illinois University, which is 0.807 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (2,259).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at Northern Illinois University by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2023, 142 degrees were awarded to men at Northern Illinois University in Computer Science, which is 5.07 times more than the 28 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2023, 167 degrees were awarded to men at Northern Illinois University in General Psychology, which is 2.57 times more than the 65 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

31%

100% Completion Time

51%

150% Completion Time

In 2023, 31% of students graduating from Northern Illinois University completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 51% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 53% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Doctoral Universities Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

American Indian or Alaska Native Female

Highest Graduation Rate (100%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2023 at Northern Illinois University is Female and American Indian or Alaska Native (100% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Non-resident Alien Male students have the highest graduation rate (65.7%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 1.21% of graduates (11 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2023)

White
2,224 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
737 degrees awarded
Black or African American
430 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Northern Illinois University is white (2,224 degrees awarded). There were 3.02 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (737 degrees).

0.269% of degree recipients (11 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2023)

White Female
1,225 degrees awarded
White Male
999 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino Female
434 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Northern Illinois University is white female (1,225 degrees awarded). There were 1.23 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (999 degrees).

Operations

Northern Illinois University has an endowment valued at nearly $101M, as of the end of the 2023 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 5.81M (5.77%) compared to the 4.37% average return (19M on 434M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2023, Northern Illinois University had a total salary expenditure of 473M. Northern Illinois University employs 236 Associate professors, 233 Professors and 185 Instructors. Most academics at Northern Illinois University are Male Professor (144), Female Associate professor (120), and Female Instructor (117).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Northern Illinois University are: Service, with 374 employees, Office and Administrative Support, with 368 employees, and Business and Financial Operations with 274 employees.

Endowment

$101M

2023 Endowment

7.36%

growth from 2022

Northern Illinois University has an endowment valued at about $101M, as of the end of the 2023 fiscal year. The endowment of Northern Illinois University grew 7.36% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $333M lower than than the median endowment of Doctoral Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at Northern Illinois University (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Doctoral Universities: Higher Research Activity Carnegie Classification grouping.

Salary Expenditure

$245M

2023 Salaries

24.3%

growth from 2022

In 2023, Northern Illinois University paid a median of $245M in salaries, which represents 51.9% of their overall expenditure ($473M) and a 24.3% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 9.67% decline between 2021 and 2022, and a 7.27% decline between 2020 and 2021.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 246M (41.5% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$81.4M

Instructional Salaries

820

Number of Employees

In 2023, Northern Illinois University paid a total of $81.4M to 820 employees working as instructors, which represents 33.2% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $6.13M (2.35%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Occupations by Share

Associate professor

Most Common Instructor

236 Employees

Service

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

374 Employees

In 2023, the most common positions for instructional staff at Northern Illinois University were Associate professor with 236 employees, Professor with 233 employees, and Instructor with 185 employees.

In 2023, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Northern Illinois University were Service with 374 employees, Office and Administrative Support with 368 employees, and Business and Financial Operations with 274 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic (2023)

Male Professor
Female Associate professor
Female Instructor

In 2023, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Northern Illinois University was Male Professor with 144 employees, Female Associate professor with 120 employees, and Female Instructor with 117 employees.

This chart shows the sex split between each academic rank present at Northern Illinois University.

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