The average acceptance rate at Northern Illinois over the past 10 years is 59.84%, and the most recent acceptance rate is 69.79%.
The average yield (enrollment rate) over the period is 19.53%, and the 2025 yield is 12.06%. Overall, the yield has decreased by 54.02% from 2015 to 2025.
The number of Northern Illinois applicants decreased by 2.18% (526 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 38.32% overall.
The current acceptance rate for the 2025 admission cycle is 69.79%, showing a decreasing selectivity trend. This suggests that Northern Illinois is admitting a higher proportion of applicants, which may indicate either an increase in application quality or a strategic enrollment decision by the institution.
The admission yield (the percentage of admitted students who enroll) for the 2025 academic year is 12.06%. The declining yield trend suggests that a lower percentage of admitted students are choosing to enroll at Northern Illinois. This pattern may reflect increased competition from peer institutions, changing student demographics, or shifts in institutional enrollment strategy.
For the 2025 admission cycle, Northern Illinois received approximately 23,651 applications, admitted 16,505 students, and enrolled 1,991 students. The rising application volume trend indicates that Northern Illinois is attracting an increasing number of prospective students over time. This growth in applications typically reflects enhanced institutional visibility, improved marketing initiatives, or increasing perceived value in the higher education market.
Northern Illinois 10-Year Admission Rate Summary: The acceptance rate trends at Northern Illinois over the past decade show a relatively stable trend, with fluctuations in both directions. The average acceptance rate over this period is 59.84%, while the most recent rate stands at 69.79%. This data reflects the institution's evolving competitiveness in the higher education admissions landscape.
For the most recent admission cycle (2025), the acceptance rate is 69.79%. By gender, the average acceptance rate for men is 58.92% and for women is 60.56%.
The following table and chart show how acceptance rates at Northern Illinois have changed over the past 10 years (2015-2025).
| Year | Total | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-16 | 50.35% | 61.31% | 41.59% |
| 2016-17 | 51.84% 1.49% |
51.17% -10.14% |
52.40% 10.81% |
| 2017-18 | 53.32% 1.47% |
51.77% 0.60% |
54.53% 2.13% |
| 2018-19 | 54.38% 1.06% |
51.94% 0.17% |
56.30% 1.77% |
| 2019-20 | 48.35% -6.02% |
47.40% -4.54% |
49.08% -7.23% |
| 2020-21 | 59.25% 10.89% |
58.04% 10.64% |
60.07% 11.00% |
| 2021-22 | 70.00% 10.75% |
67.00% 8.97% |
73.00% 12.92% |
| 2022-23 | 70.68% 0.68% |
67.55% 0.55% |
72.95% -0.05% |
| 2023-24 | 70.45% -0.22% |
66.67% -0.88% |
73.23% 0.28% |
| 2024-25 | 69.79% -0.67% |
66.35% -0.32% |
72.43% -0.80% |
| Average | 59.84% | 58.92% | 60.56% |
Northern Illinois has demonstrated a decline in admission yield over the past 10 years. The institution's yield rate has decreased from 26.24% in 2015 to 12.06% in 2025, representing a 54.02% decrease. The 10-year average yield stands at 19.53%, reflecting weakening enrollment performance.
The following table and chart illustrate the changes in yield at Northern Illinois from 2015 to 2025. The admission yield has decreased by 54.02% over this period.
| Year | Total | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-16 | 26.24% | 23.87% | 29.13% |
| 2016-17 | 23.20% -3.03% |
25.47% 1.60% |
21.38% -7.75% |
| 2017-18 | 23.73% 0.52% |
25.64% 0.17% |
22.30% 0.92% |
| 2018-19 | 24.11% 0.38% |
26.80% 1.16% |
22.17% -0.13% |
| 2019-20 | 25.00% 0.89% |
27.94% 1.14% |
22.91% 0.74% |
| 2020-21 | 20.70% -4.30% |
23.42% -4.52% |
18.91% -4.00% |
| 2021-22 | 14.00% -6.70% |
16.00% -7.42% |
13.00% -5.91% |
| 2022-23 | 13.30% -0.70% |
15.54% -0.46% |
11.80% -1.20% |
| 2023-24 | 12.93% -0.37% |
14.77% -0.78% |
11.71% -0.09% |
| 2024-25 | 12.06% -0.86% |
13.59% -1.18% |
10.97% -0.74% |
| Average | 19.53% | 21.30% | 18.43% |
Over the past 10 years, The average number of applicants is 18,965, the average number of admitted is 11,706, and the average number of first-year enrolled students is 2,056.
The number of Northern Illinois applicants decreased by 2.18% (526 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 38.32% overall.
The following table and chart show the changes of applicants, admitted, and enrolled headcount at Northern Illinois University from 2015 to 2025.
| Year | Applicants | Admitted | Enrolled |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-16 | 17,099 | 8,610 | 2,259 |
| 2016-17 | 14,980 -12.39% |
7,766 -9.80% |
1,802 -20.23% |
| 2017-18 | 14,641 -2.26% |
7,806 0.52% |
1,852 2.77% |
| 2018-19 | 14,157 -3.31% |
7,698 -1.38% |
1,856 0.22% |
| 2019-20 | 15,693 10.85% |
7,588 -1.43% |
1,897 2.21% |
| 2020-21 | 16,690 6.35% |
9,888 30.31% |
2,047 7.91% |
| 2021-22 | 22,602 35.42% |
15,821 60.00% |
2,215 8.21% |
| 2022-23 | 25,961 14.86% |
18,348 15.97% |
2,440 10.16% |
| 2023-24 | 24,177 -6.87% |
17,033 -7.17% |
2,202 -9.75% |
| 2024-25 | 23,651 -2.18% |
16,505 -3.10% |
1,991 -9.58% |
| Average | 18,965 | 11,706 | 2,056 |
The following table compares Northern Illinois University' acceptance rate to similar schools.
| 2024 | 2025 | Change % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Illinois University | 70.45% | 69.79% | -0.94% |
| Ohio University-Main Campus | 84.99% | 84.76% | 0.27% |
| Miami University-Oxford | 75.40% | 82.09% | -8.15% |
| University of Toledo | 92.02% | 94.83% | -2.96% |
| University at Buffalo | 74.18% | 69.30% | 7.04% |
| Kent State University at Kent | 86.34% | 86.65% | -0.36% |
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