Southern Illinois University-Carbondale (SIU) vs Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU)

Southern Illinois University-Carbondale (SIU-C) and Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU) are two distinct public universities in Illinois, each offering unique educational experiences. SIU-C, located in the southern part of the state, boasts a sprawling campus and a larger student body, while NEIU, situated in the bustling city of Chicago, offers a more urban setting and a more diverse student population. With different acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates, these universities cater to different student needs and aspirations. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to discover which institution aligns best with your academic goals and personal preferences.
Northeastern Illinois University logo

Northeastern Illinois University

Southern Illinois University-Carbondale logo

Southern Illinois University-Carbondale

Overview

Location Chicago, Illinois Carbondale, Illinois
Campus setting City: Large 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 61.0% 75.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 62.1% 95.1%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $30

Graduate: $30
Undergraduate: $40

Graduate: $65
SAT range N/A 930 - 1160
ACT range N/A 20 - 28
Students submitting SAT score 43.0%
Students submitting ACT score 18.0%
Total number of applicants 3,399 6,987
Total number of admissions given out 2,111 6,648
Admitted students who chose to enroll 330 1,422
Yield rate 15.6% 21.4%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Not required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $24,985

Out of state: $35,076
$29,903
Average net price $14,133 $15,976
Tuition
In state: $10,091

Out of state: $20,182
$9,638
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $6,292

Meal plan: $4,330
Available payment plans
  • Guaranteed tuition plan
  • Guaranteed tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Other alternative tuition plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

78.0%
Average amount $10,529
91.0%
Average amount $13,301
Students receiving federal student loan 15.0%
Average amount $6,215
55.0%
Average amount $5,362
Students taking out private loans 1.0%
Average amount $5,866
8.0%
Average amount $12,619

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 4,608
Men 41.6% Women 58.4%
8,147
Men 51.4% Women 48.6%
Graduate students 1,832
Men 32.0% Women 68.0%
3,119
Men 46.3% Women 53.7%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Low
Out-of-state students 2.4% 17.5%
International students 2.1% 7.7%
Campus local/setting City: Large City: Small
Dormitory capacity 426 4,492
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from Illinois Missouri Wisconsin California Georgia Illinois Missouri Indiana Tennessee Wisconsin

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Education
  • Business
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Liberal Arts
  • Health Professions
  • Education
  • Engineering Technologies
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Transportation and Logistics
Students to faculty ratio 11:1 10:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 21.4% 45.3%
Dropout rate 75.4% 53.2%
Transferred out N/A N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $72,937
  • Year 2: $77,401
  • Year 3: $85,599
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $52,326
  • Year 2: $56,544
  • Year 3: $67,702
Business/Commerce, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $39,232
  • Year 2: $47,260
  • Year 3: $62,229
Special Education and Teaching (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $55,083
  • Year 2: $56,415
  • Year 3: $57,180
Public Administration and Social Service Professions, Other (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $39,637
  • Year 2: $45,383
  • Year 3: $55,124
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $43,581
  • Year 2: $46,407
  • Year 3: $51,995
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $44,263
  • Year 2: $43,240
  • Year 3: $49,244
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $39,577
  • Year 2: $45,500
  • Year 3: $47,512
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $42,527
  • Year 2: $41,565
  • Year 3: $45,767
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $38,519
  • Year 2: $47,260
  • Year 3: $45,740
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $101,053
  • Year 2: $104,597
  • Year 3: $108,594
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $65,138
  • Year 2: $65,905
  • Year 3: $75,851
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $63,097
  • Year 2: $64,068
  • Year 3: $70,959
Medicine (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $55,319
  • Year 2: $57,318
  • Year 3: $66,942
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $54,274
  • Year 2: $58,673
  • Year 3: $66,280
Civil Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $59,465
  • Year 2: $58,221
  • Year 3: $62,788
Architecture (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $52,426
  • Year 2: $53,219
  • Year 3: $62,608
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $57,372
  • Year 2: $55,211
  • Year 3: $62,306
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $52,213
  • Year 2: $55,061
  • Year 3: $62,169
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $49,024
  • Year 2: $49,840
  • Year 3: $62,089

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