1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. [Elmhurst University](/school/elmhurst-university/) 4. / 5. Career outcomes brief Career outcomes brief Copy linkPrint brief # Elmhurst University Career Outcomes & Earnings Updated September 30, 2026 [Overview](/school/elmhurst-university/)[Cost & aid](/school/elmhurst-university/cost/)Outcomes[Admissions](/school/elmhurst-university/admissions/)[Majors](/school/elmhurst-university/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/elmhurst-university/similar/) **On this page**+ ## How much do Elmhurst University graduates earn? The reported median is $63,784 four years after completion. The peer comparison uses $68,250 as its benchmark; the difference is \-$4,466 per year. Elmhurst University shows a split return picture: graduates earn about $3,599 more than the model expects for similar students. [Earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/)—the gap between what graduates earn and what the model expects for similar students—fall in the 67th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $4,855. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $1,256. Four years after completion, median earnings are $63,784, in the 62nd percentile. That is $4,466 below the peer median of $68,250, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size). Azimuth places the return pillar in the 65th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The favorable model result and below-peer-median comparison point in different directions. The upside scenario reaches $81,539, marking a wide range of possible earnings at Elmhurst University. The downside earnings scenario is $44,480; both figures are scenarios estimated from the program mix rather than observed groups. Among individual fields, Computer Science has median earnings of $101,273 four years after completion, Accounting has $79,654, and Nursing has $79,372. Graduate study shapes how the four-year earnings figure should be read. An estimated 31.1% of graduates continue to graduate study, a figure estimated from the program mix rather than observed enrollment. The earnings measure covers completers who are working and not enrolled, leaving those in further study outside that snapshot. **Median earnings · four years after completion** $63,784 **Rank for difference from expectations** 67th percentile Four-year median earnings against two benchmarks **Elmhurst University reported median** $63,784 **Peer schools comparable schools · $4,466 above Elmhurst University** $68,250 **Model expectation what similar students would be expected to earn · $3,599 below Elmhurst University** $60,185 School and program earnings use pooled 2017–18 and 2018–19 completion cohorts, measured in 2022 and 2023 and expressed in 2024 dollars. [How the model works](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/). ## How could earnings differ from the median? The planning scenarios range from $44,480 to $81,539, around the reported median of $63,784. Compare the lower scenario with [Elmhurst University borrowing and monthly payments](/school/elmhurst-university/cost/) to see how a smaller income could change your plan. Modeled from the school’s program mix; not salary percentiles or a forecast for one graduate. Earnings four years after completion Planning rangeReported median **Lower estimate** $44,480 **Median · reported** $63,784 **Higher estimate** $81,539 Downside shows a lower-earning scenario based on the college’s mix of programs; upside shows a higher-earning scenario. Typical is the school’s reported median four years after completion. These are planning scenarios, not a forecast of your salary or percentiles of individual graduates. [Why the downside matters](/analysis/median-roi-hides-a-harsh-reality/) explores the risk hidden by medians, using older ten-year entrant data. [Read about the move to four-year earnings](/analysis/college-scorecard-2026-4-year-vs-10-year-earnings-2-2/). ## Do Elmhurst University graduates earn more than expected? Azimuth models what we would expect graduates to earn based on who the college enrolls, how selective it is and its local economy. The difference between that expectation and reported earnings is what Azimuth calls [value added](/methodology/#value-added). Elmhurst University graduates’ reported earnings are $3,599 above that expectation, the 67th percentile for this measure. Unlike a peer comparison, it adjusts for who enrolls. The breakdown separates the contribution attributed to observed factors from the remaining difference. Neither component establishes how much attending Elmhurst University caused a student to earn. [Read how expected earnings are estimated](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/). What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$4,855 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** \-$1,256 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** +$3,599 These are statistical model components, not proven causal effects; the remainder is not a direct measure of teaching quality. ## Which fields at Elmhurst University report the highest earnings? At Elmhurst University, program earnings span markedly different fields, from computing to psychology. Computer Science sits at the high end, with median earnings of $101,273 four years after completion across 11 degrees awarded. Accounting follows at $79,654 and 25 degrees awarded. Among larger programs, Nursing recorded $79,372 with 56 degrees awarded, while Psychology was at the more moderate level of $52,264 across 93 degrees awarded. The contrast shows that four-year earnings at the university vary substantially by field, including among programs with sizable award counts. At Elmhurst University, Business represents 20.7% of bachelor’s degrees awarded, and the largest fields have sharply different earnings profiles. Business Administration and Management awarded 75 degrees, with median earnings of $76,678 four years after completion. Nursing awarded 56 degrees and had median earnings of $79,372 four years after completion. Psychology awarded 93 degrees, and its median earnings were $52,264 four years after completion. For Teacher Education, 48 degrees were awarded and median earnings were $52,106 four years after completion. Biology awarded 42 degrees, with median earnings of $60,161 four years after completion. The larger fields therefore offer different earnings reference points for prospective majors. Highest reported four-year program earnings **Computer Science** $101,273 **Accounting and Related Services** $79,654 **Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing** $79,372 **Business Administration, Management and Operations** $76,678 **Finance and Financial Management Services** $76,433 **Marketing** $72,286 **Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness** $66,244 **Biology, General** $60,161 [Explore Elmhurst University program cohorts and field ranks](/school/elmhurst-university/majors/#largest-cohorts) for more context. ## Further analysis Earnings scenarios grounded in the program mix place the downside at $44,480, the typical scenario at $63,784, and the upside at $81,539. Computer Science sits at the high end, with median earnings of $101,273 four years after completion, while Teacher Education is the lowest-earning among the largest programs at $52,106. The spread shows how much the modeled picture varies by field. Among federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled, the median at Elmhurst University four years after completion is $63,784. That is $4,466 below the $68,250 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). The university lands in the 62nd percentile for earnings among nonprofit four-year institutions, drawn from a cohort of 969 completers. Graduates earn about $3,599 more than the model expects for similar students. Earnings scenarios estimated from the program mix run from $44,480 on the downside to $81,539 on the upside, with $63,784 as the typical outcome. Based on the program mix, an estimated 31.1% of Elmhurst University graduates continue on to graduate study. ## Data & methodology Sources and reporting periods: [methodology](/methodology/). Analysis and methodology by [Daniel Rogers](/about/#founder), founder of College Azimuth. Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source. Figure notes link to sources and limitations. [About College Azimuth](/about/).