About

About Northeastern Illinois University

masters level programsbusiness and education focussmall class sizestest optional admissions

Northeastern Illinois University is a public university in Chicago, IL, known for its masters level programs, business and education focus, and small class sizes. With an acceptance rate of 63%, NIU is accessible for most qualified applicants, typically enrolling around 516 students each year. NIU is test optional; submitting a strong score can strengthen an application, though it is not required for consideration. NIU offers merit scholarships regardless of financial need, with awards averaging $11,308 per year; the sticker price of $41,606 may look very different from what your family actually pays.

Admissions

Northeastern Illinois University acceptance rate and admitted student profile

accessible for most qualified applicants

63%
Overall Accept Rate

Application Strategy

Strategy tips for applying to Northeastern Illinois University

The first 2 tips apply to all applicants. Your personalized strategy requires your profile — build your free list to unlock it.

Essay Strategy
NEIU is deeply rooted in Chicago's northwest side and serves a highly diverse urban community, so if you have ties to Chicago neighborhoods, immigrant communities, or urban public schools, weave that into your personal statement to show genuine fit with the student body NEIU actively cultivates.
Test Score Strategy
Since NEIU is test optional and your scores are below the 75th percentile, leave them off your application and let your GPA, coursework, and personal background carry your file instead.

Get a tailored strategy for Northeastern Illinois University. Build your free list to unlock personalized advice on submitting test scores and discover your actual admission odds based on your student profile.

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Financial Aid & Cost

What Northeastern Illinois University actually costs your family

Average net prices by income bracket from College Scorecard data.

Family IncomeSticker PriceEst. Net Cost / yr
0-30k~$42k/yr$13.7k
30k-48k~$42k/yr$12.8k
48k-75k~$42k/yr$15.1k
75k-110k~$42k/yr$20.5k
110k+~$42k/yr$25.0k

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Outcomes & Campus

Student outcomes and campus profile

17%
6-Year Graduation Rate
$44k
Median Earnings (6 yrs)
12:1
Student-Faculty Ratio
3,465
Undergrad Enrollment
Northeastern Illinois University Acceptance Rate & Admissions | SpearMatch