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Northeastern Illinois University

NEIU

Chicago, Illinois 60625-4699

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Data last updated: May 29, 2026

Campus Vibe

Urban

Known for business — excellent value

Northeastern Illinois University is a public institution in Chicago with particular strength in business and computer science.

A mid-sized campus of 3.9K undergraduates with a 12:1 student-faculty ratio. The urban location puts students at the center of city life.

17% of students graduate within four years, and graduates earn a median of $52,234 a decade after enrollment. Net price after aid averages $13,550.

Established
1867
Motto
Break Barriers
Mascot
Goldie the Golden Eagle
Type
Public university
Division
Division II

Campus Visits

46 upcoming visits · Next: Fri, May 29 · Campus Tour

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70%Acceptance
SAT Avg
3,869Students
12:1Student:Faculty
17%Grad Rate
$52,234Earnings 10yr
$13,550Net Price

Admissions

Acceptance Rate70.4%

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard / IPEDS.

Cost & Financial Aid

Sticker Price

Tuition (in-state)$12,383
Tuition (out-of-state)$22,726
Room & Board$10,742
Books & Supplies$2,400
Total Cost of Attendance$27,208
Average Net Price$13,550
Median Debt at Graduation$14,600
Monthly Payment (10yr)$155

Net Price by Family Income

$0–30K$10,691
$30–48K$12,769
$48–75K$15,777
$75–110K$19,805
$110K+$21,771

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Net price reflects most recent cohort of federally-aided undergraduates.

Debt & Aid Detail

Net Price Trend

Tuition Trend

Graduate w/ Zero Debt

78.0%

Avg Tuition Increase

2.3%/yr

Median Debt at Grad

$11,969

Campus Safety

Total Incidents (2024)

31

Peer Average

37

3-Year Trend

Emergency System

Campus police, emergency alert system, blue-light phones

Incident Breakdown (2024)

8

Burglary

2

Aggravated Assault

1

Robbery

3

Motor Vehicle Theft

3

Sex Offenses

0

Arson

8

Drug Arrests

6

Liquor Arrests

Source: U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety & Security data (Clery Act, 2024 reporting year).

Programs (69)

Student Life

Student Satisfaction

Retention Rate

61%

Below Average

Student Body

Undergrads
3,869
Gender Split
57% / 43%
Women / Men
First Generation
51%
Pell Grant Recipients
54%

Race & Ethnicity

White 17%
Black 10%
Hispanic 52%
Asian 8%
Two+ 2%
Int'l 1%

Outcomes

4-Year Graduation Rate16.8%
Freshman Retention61.0%

Median Earnings After Graduation

6 Years$43,801
10 Years$52,234

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings reflect federally-aided students 6 and 10 years after entry.

More About This School

Varsity Sports — Summit League

BasketballBasketball playerBasketball coachClub soccerVolleyballSoccerSoftball

History & Fun Facts

  • It was founded in 1867 in Blue Island, Illinois as Cook County’s first teacher training school.
  • In 1967, the Illinois Legislature acted to remove the title of “teachers college” from all state colleges and universities and the college became Northeastern Illinois State College.
  • " In January 1996, Northeastern Illinois University established its own board of trustees.
  • In 2014, NEIU was censured by the American Association of University Professors for violating a professor's academic freedom in a tenure denial case.
  • In September 2016, Northeastern first began to offer on-campus housing for its students.

Source: Wikipedia

Location & Lifestyle

Cost of Living

112High

Estimated from IL state average + large city premium

Climate (School Year)

Snowfall: 30"Sunny days: 200Rainy days: 125

Nearest Cities

Chicagopop. 2.7M
8 mi(14 min)
Milwaukeepop. 570K
74 mi(128 min)
Indianapolispop. 880K
173 mi(300 min)

Getting There

Nearest Airports

ORD Chicago O'Hare10 mi
MKE Milwaukee67 mi
IND Indianapolis173 mi

Distance to Cities

Boston, MA852 mi · ~24h 37m drive
New York, NY716 mi · ~20h 41m drive
Hartford, CT773 mi · ~22h 20m drive
Providence, RI837 mi · ~24h 11m drive
Albany, NY714 mi · ~20h 38m drive
Syracuse, NY593 mi · ~17h 8m drive
Rochester, NY521 mi · ~15h 3m drive
Buffalo, NY455 mi · ~13h 9m drive
Philadelphia, PA669 mi · ~19h 20m drive
Pittsburgh, PA415 mi · ~11h 59m drive
Harrisburg, PA576 mi · ~16h 38m drive
Newark, NJ707 mi · ~20h 25m drive
Washington, DC600 mi · ~17h 20m drive
Baltimore, MD611 mi · ~17h 39m drive
Atlanta, GA597 mi · ~17h 15m drive
Charlotte, NC596 mi · ~17h 13m drive
Raleigh, NC649 mi · ~18h 45m drive
Miami, FL1200 mi · ~34h 40m drive
Orlando, FL995 mi · ~28h 45m drive
Tampa, FL1014 mi · ~29h 18m drive
Nashville, TN405 mi · ~11h 42m drive
New Orleans, LA841 mi · ~24h 18m drive
Richmond, VA626 mi · ~18h 5m drive
Chicago, IL8 mi · ~14 min drive
Detroit, MI241 mi · ~6h 58m drive
Minneapolis, MN347 mi · ~10h 1m drive
St. Louis, MO266 mi · ~7h 41m drive
Kansas City, MO411 mi · ~11h 52m drive
Indianapolis, IN173 mi · ~5h drive
Columbus, OH283 mi · ~8h 11m drive
Cleveland, OH312 mi · ~9h 1m drive
Milwaukee, WI74 mi · ~2h 8m drive
Dallas, TX807 mi · ~23h 19m drive
Houston, TX946 mi · ~27h 20m drive
Austin, TX982 mi · ~28h 22m drive
San Antonio, TX1055 mi · ~30h 29m drive
Los Angeles, CA1739 mi · ~50h 14m drive
San Francisco, CA1850 mi · ~53h 27m drive
San Diego, CA1729 mi · ~49h 57m drive
Seattle, WA1726 mi · ~49h 52m drive
Portland, OR1748 mi · ~50h 30m drive
Denver, CO914 mi · ~26h 24m drive
Phoenix, AZ1449 mi · ~41h 52m drive
Salt Lake City, UT1252 mi · ~36h 10m drive
Honolulu, HI4244 mi · ~122h 36m drive
Mid-Atlantic / Central (moderate winters, warm summers)

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