Youngstown State University (YSU) vs Northern Illinois University (NIU)

Youngstown State University (YSU) and Northern Illinois University (NIU) are two public universities located in Ohio and Illinois, respectively. Both institutions offer a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs, but there are some key differences between the two. YSU has a higher acceptance rate (78%) compared to NIU (68%), making it a more accessible option for students. In terms of student body demographics, YSU has a larger undergraduate population (11,686) than NIU (9,858), and a higher percentage of female students (56% vs. 52%). NIU, on the other hand, has a higher graduation rate (62%) compared to YSU (58%). To help you make an informed decision about which university is the right fit for you, we have compiled a comprehensive comparison table that delves into more details, including popular majors, tuition fees, and campus life.
Northern Illinois University logo

Northern Illinois University

Youngstown State University logo

Youngstown State University

Overview

Location Dekalb, Illinois Youngstown, Ohio
Campus setting Suburb: Small 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 67.0% 75.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 70.4% 78.1%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $40

Graduate: $60
Undergraduate: $45

Graduate: $45
SAT range N/A 930 - 1180
ACT range N/A 18 - 24
Students submitting SAT score 15.0%
Students submitting ACT score 79.0%
Total number of applicants 22,602 6,718
Total number of admissions given out 15,922 5,250
Admitted students who chose to enroll 2,285 1,627
Yield rate 14.4% 31.0%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $27,218
In state: $24,312

Out of state: $24,672
Average net price $13,265 $12,290
Tuition $9,606
In state: $9,953

Out of state: $10,313
Room & board $11,098 $9,775
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
79.0%
Average amount $8,912
Students receiving federal student loan 58.0%
Average amount $5,313
49.0%
Average amount $5,110
Students taking out private loans 5.0%
Average amount $11,726
4.0%
Average amount $10,348

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 11,834
Men 47.1% Women 52.9%
9,377
Men 44.1% Women 55.9%
Graduate students 4,400
Men 40.8% Women 59.2%
1,921
Men 34.1% Women 65.9%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Very Low
Out-of-state students N/A 16.7%
International students 4.6% 3.0%
Campus local/setting Suburb: Small City: Small
Dormitory capacity 4,500 1,154
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A Ohio Pennsylvania New York Illinois West Virginia

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Education
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Engineering
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Business
  • Health Professions
  • Engineering
  • Education
  • Public Administration and Social Service
Students to faculty ratio 15:1 17:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 50.8% 47.0%
Dropout rate 46.9% 29.4%
Transferred out N/A 19.0%
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: N/A
  • Year 2: $110,241
  • Year 3: $120,066
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $63,147
  • Year 2: $70,596
  • Year 3: $77,343
Chemical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $60,173
  • Year 2: $75,204
  • Year 3: $76,207
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $60,894
  • Year 2: $66,222
  • Year 3: $72,391
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $68,240
  • Year 2: $71,734
  • Year 3: $72,178
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $75,756
  • Year 2: $64,706
  • Year 3: $70,952
Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $62,012
  • Year 3: $65,743
Civil Engineering Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $51,058
  • Year 2: $55,512
  • Year 3: $63,180
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $62,179
  • Year 2: $70,176
  • Year 3: $60,669
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $54,758
  • Year 2: $56,373
  • Year 3: $58,392

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