Indiana University-Northwest is a public institution offering graduate degrees based in Gary, Indiana. It enrolls 2,661 students (a mid-sized student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.
These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (4-Year Selective), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.
Strong
72/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes21
Value98
Affordability86
Selectivity40
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
Indiana University-Northwest admits 73.4% of applicants, which makes it moderately selective, and realistic if you meet the academic profile.
Acceptance Rate
73.4%
Moderate
SAT Range (25th–75th)
910 – 1180
Reading + Math combined
ACT Range (25th–75th)
18 – 26
Cumulative composite
Test PolicyNot ConsideredStandardized test scores are not used in admissions decisions.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Indiana University-Northwest is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Stable ↑
2.1 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $5,130 a year on average, it sits well below what public colleges charge nationally. At that level cost is rarely the reason to rule a college out. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$8,424
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$22,811
Room & Board (off-campus)
$10,972
Books & Supplies
$1,166
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$4,736
Total Cost of Attendance
$13,989
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$1,419
$30,001 – $48,000
$331
$48,001 – $75,000
$5,159
$75,001 – $110,000
$10,047
Over $110,000
$13,042
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$2,75010%percentile
$5,50025%percentile
$21,710Medianpercentile
$27,50275%percentile
$42,76290%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $13,775
↓ $7,935
No Pell $10,825
↓ $10,885
Dependent students $10,124
↓ $11,586
Independent students $17,470
↓ $4,240
Female students $13,000
↓ $8,710
Male students $10,500
↓ $11,210
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $7,562, less than completers ($21,710), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
31% of students who start here finish within six years, and 70% come back after first year. Fewer than half finish in six years. Ask what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.
6-Year Graduation Rate
31%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
70%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $43,361 a year, close to the national median. Typical for most colleges, so what you study will matter more than where. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$43,361
Earning > $25K
67%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$35,900
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$51,600
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$35,500
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$43,500
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$45,100
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $15,700, about 30% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
16.2 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Moderate. Only 67% of graduates are paying down principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Who you would actually be sitting next to: 2,661 students, a mid-sized community. Worth knowing: 45% are the first in their family to go to college.
Total Enrolled
2,661
Part-Time
24%
First-Generation
45%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 42.2%1,122
Hispanic 29.6%788
Black 19.8%526
Other 4.6%123
Asian 2.9%77
International 0.4%10
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Indiana University-Northwest. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Indiana University-Northwest offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
61 distinct programs across
19 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
There are 14 students for every instructor here: about average, so expect a mix of small seminars and big lectures.
Student : Faculty
14:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$9,784
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$17M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$66,400
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
119 instructional faculty across 4 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
24
20%
$83,264
Associate Professors
42
35%
$68,354
Assistant Professors
34
29%
$61,758
Lecturers
19
16%
$49,087
Pros & Cons of Indiana University-Northwest
No college is right for everyone. Here is where Indiana University-Northwest is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
Modest first-year retention
Best for:
Based on the data, Indiana University-Northwest is a fit for
families focused on keeping net cost low.
Frequently Asked Questions about Indiana University-Northwest
The questions families ask most about Indiana University-Northwest, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.
Is Indiana University-Northwest hard to get into?
Admissions at Indiana University-Northwest are moderately competitive. The acceptance rate is 73.4%, so most applicants who meet the academic minimums are admitted.
What is the acceptance rate at Indiana University-Northwest?
73.4% of applicants are admitted. Most applicants who meet the basic requirements are admitted. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What SAT score do you need for Indiana University-Northwest?
Aim for 1180 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 910 and 1180 (Reading plus Math), so anything above the top of that range makes you competitive and anything below the bottom means the rest of your application has to carry more weight. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What ACT score do you need for Indiana University-Northwest?
Aim for 26 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 18 and 26 on the composite, so the upper half of that band is where you want to land. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
How much does Indiana University-Northwest cost?
Budget around $5,130 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Indiana University-Northwest worth it?
On the numbers, yes: strong return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $43,361 a year against a net price of $5,130, about 8.5 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Indiana University-Northwest known for?
Mostly Nursing, Liberal Arts, Business. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do Indiana University-Northwest graduates earn?
About $43,361 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Indiana University-Northwest accredited?
Yes. Indiana University-Northwest is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
How many students attend Indiana University-Northwest?
2,661 students. Big enough for a wide course catalogue without feeling anonymous. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Indiana University-Northwest?
31% finish within six years. That means most students do not finish in six years. Ask the school directly what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Indiana University-Northwest a public or private college?
It is Public. Public, so in-state students usually pay materially less than everyone else.
Where is Indiana University-Northwest located?
Indiana University-Northwest is located in Gary, Indiana.
What programs does Indiana University-Northwest offer?
61 different programs, most commonly Nursing, Liberal Arts, Business. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Indiana University-Northwest?
14 students per instructor. About average, so a mix of seminars and larger lectures. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
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