Northern Illinois University

www.niu.edu/

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2021 Undergraduate Tuition

$9,608

1.5% growth from 2020

2021 Average Net Price

$13,265

After Financial Aid

2019 Student Loan

2.18%

Default Rate

2021 Acceptance Rate

70.4%

22,602 Applicants

2021 Enrolled Students

16,234

73.2% Full-Time

2021 Graduation Rate

50.8%

1,135 Graduates

About

Northern Illinois University is a higher education institution located in DeKalb County, IL. In 2021, the most popular Bachelors Degree concentrations at Northern Illinois University were General Psychology (189 degrees awarded), Registered Nursing (185 degrees), and Other Health Preparatory Programs (164 degrees).

In 2021, 4,499 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Northern Illinois University. 54% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 46% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (2,572 degrees), 3.62 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (710 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Northern Illinois University is $9,608, which is $−19,384 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,992).

Photo by EarlRShumaker

Doctoral Universities: Higher Research Activity Doctoral Universities

Costs

In 2021, the median undergraduate tuition at Northern Illinois University is $9,608, which is $−19,384 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,992).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $13,265.

In 2021, 90% of undergraduate students attending Northern Illinois University received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 50% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$9,608

2021 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2021, the cost of tuition at Northern Illinois University was $9,608. The cost of tuition at Northern Illinois University is $−19,384 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,992).

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

Average Net Price

$13,265

2021 Value

7.86%

1 Year Growth

In 2021 Northern Illinois University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $13,265. Between 2020 and 2021, the average net price of Northern Illinois University grew by 7.86%.

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

$10,880

Room and Board

$1,300

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Northern Illinois University was of $10,880 in 2021. The cost of room and board did not change between 2020 and 2021.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,300. The cost of books and supplies increased by 18.2% 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

90%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

50%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

90% of undergraduate students at Northern Illinois University received financial aid through grants or loans in 2021. This represents a growth of 9.76% with respect to 2020, when 82% 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.

2.18%

2019 Default Rate

102

Number of Defaults

In 2019 the default rate for borrower's at Northern Illinois University was 2.18%, which represents 102 out of the 4673 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 22,602 undergraduate applications in 2021, which represents a 35.4% annual growth. Out of those 22,602 applicants, 15,922 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 70.4% acceptance rate.

There were 16,234 students enrolled at Northern Illinois University in 2021.

Northern Illinois University has an overall enrollment yield of 14.4%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

70.4%

Acceptance Rate in 2021

15,922

Accepted Out of 22,602

In 2021, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Northern Illinois University was 70.4% (15,922 admissions from 22,602 applications). This is higher than the acceptance rate of 2020, which was 59.2%. Between 2020 and 2021, the number of applicants grew by 35.4%, while admissions grew by 61%..

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.

Enrollment

Northern Illinois University had a total enrollment of 16,234 students in 2021. The full-time enrollment at Northern Illinois University is 11,889 students and the part-time enrollment is 4,345. This means that 73.2% of students enrolled at Northern Illinois University are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Northern Illinois University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 49.2% White, 19.2% Hispanic or Latino, 17% Black or African American, 5.8% Asian, 3.55% Two or More Races, 0.148% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0616% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Northern Illinois University in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (22.4%), followed by White Male (22.3%) and Black or African American Female (12.9%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (28.2%), followed by White Male (22.9%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (6.39%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

73.2%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Northern Illinois University in 2021, both undergraduate and graduate, is 16,234 students. The full-time enrollment at Northern Illinois University is 11,889 and the part-time enrollment is 4,345. This means that 73.2% of students enrolled at Northern Illinois University are enrolled full-time compared with 76.6% 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

67%

2021 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 67%. 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 (2021)

White
7,993 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
3,118 enrolled students
Black or African American
2,764 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at Northern Illinois University is 49.2% White, 19.2% Hispanic or Latino, 17% Black or African American, 5.8% Asian, 3.55% Two or More Races, 0.148% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0616% 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 48.9% White, 15.1% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.56% 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, 64 students (0.394%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2021, 361 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 (2,572 degrees awarded). There were 3.62 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (710 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at Northern Illinois University is General Psychology (189 degrees awarded), followed by Registered Nursing (185 degrees) and Other Health Preparatory Programs (164 degrees).

In 2021, 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. (630 degrees awarded), Human Sciences (104 degrees), and Communications (191 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 (1,749,408 people), Other managers (500,957 people), Secondary school teachers (472,713 people), Software developers (420,815 people), and Miscellaneous engineers, including nuclear engineers (339,585 people).

The most specialized majors at Northern Illinois University in 2021 are EDUCATION. (630 degrees awarded), Human Sciences (104 degrees), Communications (191 degrees), History (51 degrees), and Engineering (298 degrees) (as of 2021).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Podiatrists

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 Podiatrists, Surgeons, Nuclear medicine technologists and medical dosimetrists, Diagnostic medical sonographers, and Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

The most specialized majors at Northern Illinois University are EDUCATION. (630 degrees awarded), Human Sciences (104 degrees), Communications (191 degrees), History (51 degrees), and Engineering (298 degrees) (as of 2021).

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 (2,999,122 people), Computer Systems Design (553,417 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (527,315 people), Architectural, engineering & related services (435,969 people), and Construction (357,638 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 (2021)

General Psychology
189 degree-majors awarded
Registered Nursing
185 degree-majors awarded
Other Health Preparatory Programs
164 degree-majors awarded

In 2021, the most common bachelors degree concentration at Northern Illinois University was General Psychology with 189 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

2,069

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2021

2,430

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2021

In 2021, 2,069 degrees were awarded to men at Northern Illinois University, which is 0.851 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (2,430).

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

Most Common Male Majors

In 2021, 140 degrees were awarded to men at Northern Illinois University in Computer Science, which is 4.67 times more than the 30 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2021, 168 degrees were awarded to men at Northern Illinois University in General Psychology, which is 2.95 times more than the 57 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

25%

100% Completion Time

49%

150% Completion Time

In 2021, 25% of students graduating from Northern Illinois University completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 49% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 50% 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.

Asian Female

Highest Graduation Rate (76.1%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2021 at Northern Illinois University is Female and Asian (76.1% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (72.9%).

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, 1.06% of graduates (12 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2021)

White
2,572 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
710 degrees awarded
Black or African American
428 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Northern Illinois University is white (2,572 degrees awarded). There were 3.62 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (710 degrees).

0.667% of degree recipients (30 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2021)

White Female
1,395 degrees awarded
White Male
1,177 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino Female
397 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Northern Illinois University is white female (1,395 degrees awarded). There were 1.19 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (1177 degrees).

Operations

Northern Illinois University has an endowment valued at nearly $104M, as of the end of the 2021 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 1.85M (1.78%) compared to the 10.4% average return (40.5M on 388M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2021, Northern Illinois University had a total salary expenditure of 571M. Northern Illinois University employs 243 Professors, 232 Associate professors and 155 Instructors. Most academics at Northern Illinois University are Male Professor (150), Male Associate professor (118), and Female Associate professor (114).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Northern Illinois University are: Office and Administrative Support, with 486 employees, Service, with 315 employees, and Librarians, Curators, Archivists, and Academic Affairs and Other Education Services with 227 employees.

Endowment

$104M

2021 Endowment

36.2%

growth from 2020

Northern Illinois University has an endowment valued at about $104M, as of the end of the 2021 fiscal year. The endowment of Northern Illinois University grew 36.2% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $284M 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.

Government Grants and Contracts

Grants & Contracts

$26.8M - Federal
$3.84M - State
$289k - Local

As of 2021, Northern Illinois University received $26.8M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $3.84M from state grants and contracts, and $289k from local grants and contracts.

Salary Expenditure

$218M

2021 Salaries

7.27%

decline from 2020

In 2021, Northern Illinois University paid a median of $218M in salaries, which represents 38.2% of their overall expenditure ($571M) and a 7.27% decline from the previous year.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 234M (42.8% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$71.1M

Instructional Salaries

794

Number of Employees

In 2021, Northern Illinois University paid a total of $71.1M to 794 employees working as instructors, which represents 32.6% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $71M (30.3%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Occupations by Share

Professor

Most Common Instructor

243 Employees

Office and Administrative Support

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

486 Employees

In 2021, the most common positions for instructional staff at Northern Illinois University were Professor with 243 employees, Associate professor with 232 employees, and Instructor with 155 employees.

In 2021, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Northern Illinois University were Office and Administrative Support with 486 employees, Service with 315 employees, and Librarians, Curators, Archivists, and Academic Affairs and Other Education Services with 227 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic (2021)

Male Professor
Male Associate professor
Female Associate professor

In 2021, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Northern Illinois University was Male Professor with 150 employees, Male Associate professor with 118 employees, and Female Associate professor with 114 employees.

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