Side-by-side
Northern Illinois University vs Ohio State University-Main Campus
The numbers that actually decide it — net price after aid, how hard each is to get into, and how many students finish — compared straight across. Net price beats sticker price every time.
Similar selectivity (70% vs 61%) but out-of-state cost runs $13k — meaningfully less than $40k.
| Northern Illinois University | Ohio State University-Main Campus | |
|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 70% | 61% |
| Net price (in-state) what the average family actually pays after aid | $13,248 | $13,244 |
| Net price (out-of-state) | $13,248 | $40,022 |
| Sticker tuition (in-state) | $13,248 | $13,244 |
| Sticker tuition (out-of-state) | $13,248 | $40,022 |
| Graduation rate | 49% | 88% |
| Total enrollment | 11,301 | 45,638 |
Net price = sticker price minus the average grant aid for that school (IPEDS / Dept. of Education data). Real numbers vary by family income and student stats — verify each school's own Net Price Calculator before committing. Canonical: /compare/northern-illinois-university-vs-ohio-state-university-main-campus.