Indiana University-Northwest

Indiana University-Northwest's program mix is anchored in health and applied professional fields — a signature well matched to the institution's role as a regional access campus serving the Gary, Indiana area. Health programs form the core of degree output, complemented by business, education, and social-science fields that together reflect the workforce needs of the surrounding Northwest Indiana region.

Across 20 programs, 11 meet Azimuth's ranking threshold, serving roughly 464 students annually. The strongest aggregate return comes from Nursing, which combines meaningful cohort scale with solid four-year earnings — making it the program that contributes most to the institution's overall financial outcomes.

Among the most popular programs, Nursing program graduates 73 students with median earnings of $82,626 four years after enrollment, and Azimuth ranks it #253 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Psychology, General and Business/Commerce, General also enroll substantial cohorts of 56 and 55 graduates respectively, with four-year median earnings of $45,323 and $56,211.

The highest-earning programs at Indiana University-Northwest are Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions, where graduates earn $86,888 four years after enrollment and Azimuth ranks the program #20 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, followed by Nursing at $82,626 and Criminal Justice at $58,155. The program-mix concentration in Business (13% of graduates), Education (7%), and Arts (2%) reflects a direct-to-workforce orientation typical of regional public campuses.

Health programs in particular lead to stable, in-demand roles in nursing, allied health, and clinical support — fields where Northwest Indiana's labor market shows consistent hiring demand. For context on how these program families align with national labor-market trends, see the [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/).

Indiana University-Northwest's published cost of attendance is $13,989. Net price by income band varies meaningfully across the income spectrum: low-income families pay approximately $1,419, middle-income families pay around $5,159, and higher-income families pay approximately $13,042.

Azimuth ranks Indiana University-Northwest #75 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown.

Indiana University-Northwest's aid structure is need-based, with financial aid distributed through federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans), state, and institutional programs. The institution serves a substantial share of Pell-eligible students, and net price reflects the aid reach available to low- and middle-income families in the region.

For families evaluating affordability in context of long-term outcomes, the net price figures above should be weighed against the institution's earnings and mobility metrics, which shape the real financial return after graduation. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $21,710, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $12,000; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions.

For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $59,535, median federal debt of $21,710 projects to a monthly payment of about $245 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).

Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $59,535, placing Indiana University-Northwest in the 44.8 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $2,990 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Indiana University-Northwest in the 69.9 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Azimuth ranks Indiana University-Northwest #687 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Those figures represent lifetime returns relative to IN's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $32,990 — the state median earnings of working adults with only a high school credential.

The earnings pattern at Indiana University-Northwest reflects its concentration in Health and related applied fields. Nursing anchors the institution's return story, combining enrollment scale with strong four-year earnings outcomes that drive aggregate value for graduates.

Among the top programs by scale and earnings, Nursing program graduates 73 students with median four-year earnings of $82,626, and Azimuth ranks the program #253 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions [per the program-ranking methodology](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/). Psychology, General and Business/Commerce, General round out the strongest-earning cluster, with graduates of each entering fields where regional employer demand supports solid early-career pay.

The Business concentration — representing 13% of degree output — helps explain why institution-level earnings hold up relative to peers despite the regional labor market context of northwest Indiana.