Western Illinois University (WIU) vs Northern Michigan University (NMU)

Western Illinois University (WIU) and Northern Michigan University (NMU) are two public universities located in the Midwestern United States. Both institutions offer a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs, but there are some key differences between the two schools. WIU has a higher acceptance rate (84%) than NMU (79%), and its student body is more diverse, with a larger percentage of international students. NMU, on the other hand, has a higher graduation rate (62%) than WIU (58%), and its students tend to have higher average ACT scores. To help you make an informed decision about which school is the best fit for you, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison table that details the key differences between WIU and NMU. Explore the table to find out more about the acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates of these two universities.
Northern Michigan University logo

Northern Michigan University

Western Illinois University logo

Western Illinois University

Overview

Location Marquette, Michigan Macomb, Illinois
Campus setting Town: Remote Town: Remote
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 72.0% 72.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 71.3% 72.5%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $35

Graduate: $50
Undergraduate: $30

Graduate: $30
SAT range N/A N/A
ACT range N/A N/A
Students submitting SAT score
Students submitting ACT score
Total number of applicants 6,553 7,156
Total number of admissions given out 4,670 5,187
Admitted students who chose to enroll 1,496 920
Yield rate 32.0% 17.7%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $26,076

Out of state: $31,572
$29,140
Average net price $17,686 $11,666
Tuition
In state: $12,098

Out of state: $17,594
$9,238
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $6,212

Meal plan: $5,700
Room/dormitory: $6,240

Meal plan: $3,952
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Guaranteed tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

100.0%
Average amount $8,291
94.0%
Average amount $13,937
Students receiving federal student loan 60.0%
Average amount $4,882
50.0%
Average amount $5,417
Students taking out private loans 13.0%
Average amount $12,023
5.0%
Average amount $9,533

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 6,611
Men 41.4% Women 58.6%
5,394
Men 43.5% Women 56.5%
Graduate students 603
Men 31.8% Women 68.2%
2,061
Men 42.9% Women 57.1%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Very Low
Low
Out-of-state students 27.5% 9.7%
International students 1.2% 8.8%
Campus local/setting Town: Remote Town: Remote
Dormitory capacity 2,956 3,083
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from Michigan Wisconsin Illinois Minnesota California Illinois Iowa Missouri Wisconsin Indiana

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Education
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Liberal Arts
  • Education
  • Business
  • Liberal Arts
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Health Professions
Students to faculty ratio 19:1 13:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 49.4% 50.9%
Dropout rate 48.5% 16.5%
Transferred out N/A 31.2%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Construction Engineering Technologies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $64,628
  • Year 2: $72,796
  • Year 3: $79,136
Electrical and Power Transmission Installers (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas)
  • Year 1: $46,384
  • Year 2: $47,846
  • Year 3: $59,593
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $56,415
  • Year 3: $58,726
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $57,371
  • Year 2: $56,776
  • Year 3: $57,709
Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $47,668
  • Year 2: $53,358
  • Year 3: $55,574
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $44,975
  • Year 2: $46,087
  • Year 3: $51,392
Marketing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $38,045
  • Year 2: $34,793
  • Year 3: $47,951
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $48,424
  • Year 2: $44,635
  • Year 3: $46,290
Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $35,823
  • Year 2: $38,649
  • Year 3: $45,786
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $43,293
  • Year 2: $38,529
  • Year 3: $44,324
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $59,427
  • Year 2: $63,166
  • Year 3: $79,149
Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $68,346
  • Year 2: $81,702
  • Year 3: $72,457
Engineering Technology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $55,220
  • Year 2: $60,771
  • Year 3: $65,823
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $57,318
  • Year 3: $64,904
Construction Management (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $51,827
  • Year 2: $52,941
  • Year 3: $64,741
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $60,966
  • Year 2: $58,334
  • Year 3: $63,350
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $46,154
  • Year 2: $49,729
  • Year 3: $54,520
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $42,063
  • Year 2: $43,612
  • Year 3: $53,379
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,058
  • Year 2: $48,667
  • Year 3: $52,271
Educational/Instructional Media Design (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,853
  • Year 2: $52,107
  • Year 3: $51,827

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