University of Illinois Springfield (UIS) vs NorthWestern

Envision yourself pursuing higher education in Illinois, where two distinct universities await: the University of Illinois Springfield (UIS) and Northwestern University (NU). UIS, a public university, offers a welcoming environment with an acceptance rate of 90%, making it accessible to a wide range of students. NU, a private research university, boasts a highly selective admissions process with an acceptance rate of 9%. UIS caters to a diverse student body, with 38% of undergraduates identifying as minorities, while NU's student body is predominantly white, with only 17% minority representation. Both universities excel in different areas of study; UIS is known for its strong programs in public affairs and social work, while NU is renowned for its prestigious programs in business, engineering, and law. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to delve into further details and discover which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	Northwestern University	University of Illinois Springfield
Overview
Location	Evanston, Illinois	Springfield, Illinois
Campus setting	City: Small	City: Midsize
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (Non Profit)	Public
Calendar system	Quarter	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	99.0%	67.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	7.0%	79.5%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $75 Graduate: $95
SAT range	1470 - 1570	990 - 1250
ACT range	34 - 35	21 - 27
Students submitting SAT score	43.0%	50.0%
Students submitting ACT score	39.0%	20.0%
Total number of applicants	47,636	2,496
Total number of admissions given out	3,321	1,984
Admitted students who chose to enroll	2,086	264
Yield rate	62.8%	13.3%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Not required	Required
Recommendation letters	Required	Not required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$83,838	In state: $16,411 Out of state: $26,026
Average net price	$29,999	$11,965
Tuition	$60,276	In state: $9,503 Out of state: $19,118
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $11,271 Meal plan: $6,993	Room/dormitory: $7,610 Meal plan: $4,200
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Guaranteed tuition plan Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	57.0% Average amount $51,087	94.0% Average amount $12,335
Students receiving federal student loan	23.0% Average amount $4,625	49.0% Average amount $5,016
Students taking out private loans	2.0% Average amount $38,595	4.0% Average amount $8,320

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	8,847 Men 46.1% Women 53.9%	2,503 Men 46.8% Women 53.2%
Graduate students	14,562 Men 47.3% Women 52.7%	1,441 Men 48.9% Women 51.1%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Moderate	Low
Out-of-state students	N/A	8.8%
International students	17.8%	6.9%
Campus local/setting	City: Small	City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity	4,409	1,123
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	N/A	Illinois Wisconsin Indiana Michigan Minnesota

Academics
Popular study areas	Business Communication and Journalism Engineering Health Professions Legal Profession	Computer and Information Science Business Public Administration and Social Service Psychology Social Sciences
Students to faculty ratio	6:1	12:1
Institutional accreditation	Higher Learning Commission	Higher Learning Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	95.2%	53.4%
Dropout rate	4.2%	45.1%
Transferred out	N/A	N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Medical Clinical Sciences/Graduate Medical Studies (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $150,242 Year 2: $188,472 Year 3: $221,242 Business/Commerce, General (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $188,472 Year 3: $216,176 Law (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: $187,194 Year 2: $170,971 Year 3: $206,288 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $120,709 Year 2: $189,565 Year 3: $194,961 Business/Commerce, General (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $162,478 Year 2: $163,561 Year 3: $177,652 Engineering-Related Fields (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $111,200 Year 2: $157,779 Year 3: $159,304 Engineering, Other (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $140,321 Year 2: $141,586 Year 3: $154,556 Medical Illustration and Informatics (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $88,288 Year 2: $118,465 Year 3: $132,325 Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $118,780 Year 2: $111,323 Year 3: $130,124 Community Organization and Advocacy (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $115,760 Year 2: $113,668 Year 3: $128,046	Computer Science (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $75,512 Year 2: $78,343 Year 3: $90,183 Computer Systems Analysis (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $76,296 Year 2: $75,989 Year 3: $80,475 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $71,137 Year 2: $64,493 Year 3: $73,396 Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $64,516 Year 2: $60,399 Year 3: $69,637 Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $53,304 Year 2: $56,579 Year 3: $56,325 Public Health (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $48,819 Year 2: $50,231 Year 3: $56,077 Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $46,603 Year 2: $50,856 Year 3: $54,419 Public Administration (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $48,642 Year 2: $50,161 Year 3: $53,394 Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $53,054 Year 2: $51,392 Year 3: $49,957 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $41,513 Year 2: $40,209 Year 3: $48,226

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