Northeastern Illinois University

What Northeastern Illinois University does

Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU) is a public, four-year Hispanic-Serving Institution and Minority-Serving Institution founded in 1867 and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The university operates through four academic colleges — Arts & Sciences, Business & Technology, Daniel L. Goodwin College of Education, and Graduate Studies & Research — delivering 70+ undergraduate and graduate programs to a Fall 2025 enrollment of 5,834 students. NEIU is the longest-standing four-year public HSI in the Midwest (federally designated since 1997) and serves a mission-driven student base anchored by Latino and African American populations through culturally tailored campuses including El Centro (Avondale) and the Carruthers Center for Inner City Studies (Bronzeville), plus a consortium campus in suburban Lake County.

NEIU's revenue mechanics are characteristic of a state-funded public university. Primary revenue streams are tuition and fees (in-state undergraduate at $435.26/credit hour, out-of-state at $870.52/credit hour for 2026–2027, with a four-year Tuition Guarantee Plan), Illinois state appropriations, federal and state grants and scholarships (97% of students receive financial aid), and private donations through the NEIU Foundation. Pricing varies by residency, program, and degree level, with differential premiums for graduate programs in business (15%), counseling/social work (10%), and the EdD (20%). The go-to-market motion is direct-to-consumer, relying on admissions outreach, community-based recruitment at specialized centers, and a structured transfer pipeline from community colleges including the Star Scholar partnership with City Colleges of Chicago.

NEIU's underlying technology infrastructure is standard higher-ed IT: a NEIUport student portal, learning management systems, a three-tier data governance framework (Restricted, Internal, Public), PCI DSS training for payment data, and University Technology Services supporting administrative and network operations. The institution is positioned for moderate expansion, evidenced by a 19.6% increase in full-time transfer students for Fall 2025, a Moody's upgrade to investment-grade (Baa3) in January 2026, and a new Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence program launching August 2026.

Name

Northeastern Illinois University

Legal name

Northeastern Illinois University

Website

https://neiu.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

1867

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Northeastern Illinois University is a public, four-year Hispanic-Serving Institution in Chicago serving approximately 5,834 students across four academic colleges with 70+ programs. It generates revenue through tuition, Illinois state appropriations, grants, and private donations, and serves underrepresented communities via dedicated cultural centers and community-college transfer pathways.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Land-Grant Public Research Universities (EDAHAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

University/College Continuing Education (Extension) Programs (EDAAAEAA)

Keywords

• Public higher education
• Undergraduate degree programs
• Graduate education
• Community college transfer
• Hispanic-serving institution

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue from undergraduate and graduate tuition charged per credit hour, with differential tuition for specific colleges and programs. In-state tuition at $435.26/credit hour, out-of-state at $870.52/credit hour for 2026-2027 academic year.
2. State Funding and Appropriations: Sustained support from the State of Illinois as a public university, contributing to stable operating performance
3. Grants and Scholarships: Federal and state grants including Pell Grants, FSEOG, Illinois MAP grants, institutional scholarships, and private scholarships administered through the university
4. Private Donations: Contributions through the NEIU Foundation, including named scholarships and programmatic support from alumni and community donors

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Northeastern Illinois University is a public university delivering 70+ undergraduate and graduate degree, certificate, and licensure programs through four academic colleges (Arts & Sciences; Business & Technology; Daniel L. Goodwin College of Education; Graduate Studies & Research). It augments academics with student support programs (TRIO, McNair Scholars, Proyecto Pa'Lante, University Honors), continuing education in music and dance, and digital services including the NEIUport student portal.

Product overview

Northeastern Illinois University is a public university offering a comprehensive portfolio of academic programs and student services. The university operates through four academic colleges (College of Arts & Sciences, College of Business & Technology, Daniel L. Goodwin College of Education, and College of Graduate Studies & Research) providing 70+ undergraduate and graduate programs. Supporting the academic mission are student support programs including Proyecto Pa'Lante, McNair Scholars, TRIO Student Support Services, and the University Honors Program. The university also offers continuing education through its Community Music and Dance Programs. Digital services include the NEIUport student portal, University Technology Services, and Student Computing Services. Financial support is provided through scholarship programs including the Presidential Scholarship ($60,000+ value) and NEIU For You Scholarship. Campus life is supported through Campus Recreation facilities and programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence
• College of Arts & Sciences
• College of Business & Technology
• Daniel L. Goodwin College of Education
• College of Graduate Studies & Research
• Community Music Program (CMP)
• Community Dance Program
• NEIUport Student Portal
• University Honors Program
• Presidential Scholarship
• NEIU For You Scholarship

Quantifiable outcome

• 19.6% increase in full-time transfer students for Fall 2025
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• College of DuPageminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 March 2026College of DuPage is hosting 'Engineering the Future' event in partnership with Northern Illinois University's College of Engineering and Engineering Technology (note: this is Northern Illinois University, not Northeastern Illinois University). The event connects local high school students with regional employers and educators through career expo and campus tours.
• City of Chicago (Mayor Brandon Johnson)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 February 2026Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson visited NEIU for a Lakeside Chat panel on student barriers, human rights, and civic leadership. The event is part of NEIU's mission to expand educational opportunity through partnership between public universities and city leadership, addressing topics including housing insecurity, mental health, and support for undocumented students.
• City Colleges of ChicagocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStar Scholar partnership with City Colleges of Chicago allowing Star Scholars who graduate from CCC with an associate degree and minimum 3.0 GPA to transfer to NEIU with the Star Scholar Award, covering tuition costs.
• University Center of Lake County ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNEIU is a founding member of the University Center of Lake County consortium campus in suburban Lake County, offering select programs in education, social work, psychology, and human resources for working adults.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• University of Houston-Downtown: Urban public university and HSI serving a diverse, transfer-heavy population in a major U.S. metro. Comparable in scale, mission, and reliance on affordability and community partnerships as enrollment drivers.
• Northern Illinois University: Public four-year Illinois university comparable in size and Carnegie classification. Competes with NEIU for in-state undergraduates, transfers from community colleges, and select graduate students across Illinois.
• CUNY Lehman College: Urban public college in the CUNY system designated as an HSI, serving a heavily transfer and nontraditional student population. Comparable mission of affordable access for minority and immigrant communities in a major metropolitan area.
• Chicago State University: Chicago-based public university and federally designated HSI serving a similar urban, minority-serving mission. Directly comparable to NEIU in scale, mission, and student demographics within the Chicago metro higher-education market.
• Governors State University: Illinois public regional university in the Chicago south suburbs serving a similar nontraditional and transfer student population. Comparable in scale (~5,000 students), mission, and emphasis on affordability and working adults.
• California State University, Dominguez Hills: Federally designated HSI public university in the CSU system serving a similar urban, diverse, transfer-heavy student population. Closest national analog in mission, scale, and demographic focus.
• University of Illinois Chicago: Large Chicago public university offering a similar set of undergraduate and graduate programs. Directly competes for Chicago-area freshmen, transfer students, and graduate enrollment, though at a larger scale and with research university positioning.
• Indiana University Northwest: Regional public four-year university serving the Gary/northwest Indiana commuter market adjacent to Chicago. Comparable scale and mission of providing affordable access to underserved urban populations near a major metro.

Others

• City Colleges of Chicago: Two-year community college system serving the same Chicago metro market and functioning as a key transfer pipeline to NEIU via the Star Scholar partnership. Adjacent feeder rather than direct competitor.

Broad incumbents

• University of Texas at El Paso: Larger research-intensive HSI on the U.S.-Mexico border with comparable Hispanic-serving mission and demographic focus. Useful benchmark for HSI scale economics, federal funding capture, and outcomes at a larger scale than NEIU.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/45698916714
• Xx.com/NEIUlife
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/165217

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Northeastern Illinois University