The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) vs Northern Illinois University (NIU)

Envision yourself as a student, standing at the crossroads of two distinct academic landscapes: The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) and Northern Illinois University (NIU). While both institutions offer a wealth of opportunities, they each possess unique characteristics that may resonate with different aspirations. UTRGV, rooted in the vibrant Rio Grande Valley, boasts a diverse student body and a strong focus on Hispanic-serving initiatives. NIU, nestled in the charming city of DeKalb, Illinois, prides itself on its comprehensive academic programs and a rich history of research and innovation. As you embark on this side-by-side comparison, delve into the intricacies of each university's acceptance rates, popular majors, student demographics, and graduation outcomes. Discover which institution aligns best with your academic pursuits, personal preferences, and long-term goals.

	Northern Illinois University	The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Overview
Location	Dekalb, Illinois	Edinburg, Texas
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%	72.0%
Common app member	Yes	No
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	70.4%	93.9%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $40 Graduate: $60	$50
SAT range	N/A	N/A
ACT range	N/A	N/A
Students submitting SAT score
Students submitting ACT score
Total number of applicants	22,602	14,386
Total number of admissions given out	15,922	13,508
Admitted students who chose to enroll	2,285	5,439
Yield rate	14.4%	40.3%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Not required	Not required
High school transcript	Required	Required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$27,218	In state: $23,563 Out of state: $33,355
Average net price	$13,265	$6,244
Tuition	$9,606	In state: $7,857 Out of state: $17,649
Room & board	$11,098	Room/dormitory: $4,240 Meal plan: $3,368
Available payment plans	Prepaid tuition plan Guaranteed tuition plan Tuition payment plan	Guaranteed tuition plan Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	98.0% Average amount $13,008	98.0% Average amount $8,702
Students receiving federal student loan	58.0% Average amount $5,313	19.0% Average amount $3,752
Students taking out private loans	5.0% Average amount $11,726	0.0% Average amount $0

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	11,834 Men 47.1% Women 52.9%	26,405 Men 40.7% Women 59.3%
Graduate students	4,400 Men 40.8% Women 59.2%	5,535 Men 35.4% Women 64.6%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Moderate	Very Low
Out-of-state students	N/A	N/A
International students	4.6%	2.5%
Campus local/setting	Suburb: Small	City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity	4,500	1,049
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	N/A	N/A

Academics
Popular study areas	Education Health Professions Business Engineering Computer and Information Science	Health Professions Multidisciplinary Studies Business Biological and Biomedical Sciences Education
Students to faculty ratio	15:1	20:1
Institutional accreditation	Higher Learning Commission	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome
Graduation rate	50.8%	51.1%
Dropout rate	46.9%	23.2%
Transferred out	N/A	17.1%
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: $92,380 Year 2: $106,421 Year 3: $116,099 Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $108,041 Year 2: $109,235 Year 3: $108,882 Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $65,185 Year 2: $55,693 Year 3: $70,393 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $60,833 Year 2: $61,334 Year 3: $66,863 Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $57,430 Year 2: $52,107 Year 3: $63,962 Communication Disorders Sciences and Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $55,464 Year 2: $61,516 Year 3: $62,120 Business/Commerce, General (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $56,567 Year 2: $52,464 Year 3: $60,844 Civil Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $48,240 Year 2: $50,439 Year 3: $60,219 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $61,516 Year 3: $60,013 Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $57,391 Year 2: $55,151 Year 3: $59,030

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The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) vs Northern Illinois University (NIU)

Northern Illinois University

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

Overview

Admission

Tuition and Fees

Financial Aid

Students and Campus

Academics

Outcome

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