1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. National Louis University Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # National Louis University IL · Medium private nonprofit institution · Overall rank #277 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 1, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/national-louis-university/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/national-louis-university/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/national-louis-university/admissions/)[Majors](/school/national-louis-university/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/national-louis-university/similar/) ## [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) National Louis University #277 among 1,467 nonprofit four-year institutions. ### Who it’s a good fit for National Louis University is a private nonprofit university in Chicago where Education and Business lead the degree mix. Affordability is well above average, and access is well above average. Graduates out-earn what the model predicts for students like them. The model attributes an addition to the remainder it cannot explain and a subtraction to the factors it measures. Pell recipients finish at a rate above the overall cohort, and the net price for the lowest income band sits close to what the highest band pays. The net price for the lowest income band sits below the published cost of attendance, and the highest band sits below it. The admission rate is above the median for comparable institutions, and most graduates are estimated to go into work rather than on to further study. A student drawn to Education, the largest field, should know it is not the best-paid one. ## National Louis University at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 95.1% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 30.1% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $63,065 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $12,996 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $19,750 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $17,284 ## National Louis University rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) National Louis University, a private nonprofit university in Chicago, Illinois, enrolls 4,406 undergraduates. Its standing sits near the top of the ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions (81st percentile). Applicants are admitted at a rate of 95.0%, compared with a median of 71.2% at comparable institutions (same type and size). Of the first-time full-time cohort, 50.4% continue into a second year, compared with a median of 83.4% at comparable institutions. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) for that cohort is 30.1%, against a peer median of 68.8%. An estimated 56.7% of undergraduates arrive as transfers or part-time students, so the first-time full-time cohort is a minority of the student body. At National Louis University, the four pillars are widely separated. Affordability is the strongest (86th percentile), and access is close behind (85th percentile). Return sits in the middle (74th percentile), while mobility is the weakest (43rd percentile). Affordability is the strongest pillar for National Louis University, sitting at the 86th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Access is close behind at the 85th percentile. Return lands at the 74th percentile. Mobility is the weakest of the four, at the 43rd percentile. 55.1% of undergraduates at National Louis University receive Pell Grants. Azimuth ranks the university #225 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. Pell recipients complete at a rate of 41.9%, which is 11.8 percentage points above the overall [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) (30.1%). For mobility, Azimuth ranks National Louis University #843. Graduates earn about $16,446 more than the model expects for similar students. [How value-added outcomes are assessed](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) · [How to interpret program rankings](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) National Louis University rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #277 | | [Illinois](/rankings/best-colleges-in-illinois/) | #14 | | [Midwest](/rankings/best-colleges-in-the-midwest/) | #44 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 43 **Access & reach** National percentile: 85 **[Affordability](/school/national-louis-university/cost/)** National percentile: 86 **[Return on investment](/school/national-louis-university/outcomes/)** National percentile: 74 ### Top-ranked majors 1. Criminology**#17** 2. Hospitality Administration/Management**#32** 3. Health and Medical Administrative Services**#36** This school’s three highest-ranked programs nationally. Each rank compares bachelor’s programs in the same field; field sizes differ. [Explore major rankings](/school/national-louis-university/majors/#major-rankings) 01 / National Louis University briefing ## [National Louis University cost & financial aid](/school/national-louis-university/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) The published cost of attendance at National Louis University is $24,154, with tuition and fees of $12,705. Grants and scholarships lower the average cost by $11,513, bringing the [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) to $12,641. That net price is $14,730 below the $27,371 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Azimuth ranks the university #204 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. For families earning under $30,000, the average net price is $12,462, while those in the highest band, over $110,000, average $17,956. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $5,494, a narrow range that points to a relatively flat pricing structure across incomes. The published cost of attendance is $24,154, and Azimuth ranks National Louis University #204 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. After grants and scholarships, the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) for aid recipients from families earning under $30,000 is $12,462, for those earning $48,001 to $75,000 it is $12,996, and for those earning over $110,000 it is $17,956. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $5,494. Aid covers about 48% of the published cost for the average aid recipient, bringing the overall average net price to $12,641. That is $14,730 below the $27,371 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Borrowers who complete a degree carry a median of $19,750 in federal student loans, which is $4,449 below the median for comparable institutions (same type and size) of $24,199. 74.7% of federal aid recipients borrow federal loans. Parents who borrow through [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) hold a separate median of $17,284. If repaid over ten years, the median student debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $224 a month. Your family income Choose a household income range to see estimated net price. $0–30K$30–48K$48–75K$75–110K$110K+ Reported average annual net price · $48–75K**$12,996** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at National Louis University 74.7% of federal aid recipients take federal loans. Federal-loan borrowers who complete a degree at National Louis University leave with a median of $19,750 in federal student debt. That is $4,449 below the $24,199 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). If repaid over ten years, the median debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $224 a month. Parents who borrow hold a separate median of $17,284 in [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) loans. The earnings story at National Louis University turns on the gap between what graduates earn and what the model expects. Four years after completion, federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $63,065, at the 61st percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure is $5,185 below the $68,250 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Graduates earn about $16,446 more than the model expects for similar students. That places the gap at the 93rd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Earnings scenarios, estimated from the university's program mix, range from a downside of $46,047 to an upside of $72,622, with a typical scenario of $63,065. Borrowers who finish leave with a median of $19,750 in federal loans, $4,449 below the peer median of $24,199. If repaid over ten years, that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $224 a month. Raw earnings sit below the peer median, and graduates earn about $16,446 more than the model expects for similar students. For the separate population of parent borrowers, median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $17,284. For student borrowers, that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $224 a month if repaid over ten years. [How Financial GPS measures payment burden](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/) · [The four risk-and-reward zones](/analysis/4-zones-of-college-risk-and-reward/) Financial GPS ### What does repayment look like? **Institution median student debt** $19,750 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $17,284 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $224/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $220/mo Payments use school-wide median balances, not a specific major’s. Payment assumptions Payments are 10-year standard payments on the median balance, before loan fees, used as a yardstick. Rates for newly issued loans may differ, and loans made after July 1, 2026 can repay over a longer term; existing loans keep their original fixed rates. [Explore your own numbers in Financial GPS](/financial-gps/?tool=student&school=national-louis-university#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/national-louis-university/cost/) 02 / National Louis University briefing ## [National Louis University career outcomes & earnings](/school/national-louis-university/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) Azimuth places the return pillar for National Louis University in the 74th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The median for working federally aided completers who are not enrolled is $63,065 four years after completion, at the 61st percentile. That figure is $5,185 below the $68,250 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Graduates earn about $16,446 more than the model expects for similar students. That outcome is in the 93rd 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) subtracts $58. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain adds $16,504. Within the measured factors, the STEM component subtracts $686. The four-year earnings measure draws on 1,156 federally aided completers at National Louis University who are working and not enrolled. These are graduates the federal government can track for employment outcomes. Four years after completing a degree, that group earns a median of $63,065. Graduates earn about $16,446 more than the model expects for similar students. Azimuth places [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) in the 93rd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Earnings scenarios estimated from the program mix range from $46,047 on the downside to $72,622 on the upside, with typical earnings at $63,065. The downside and upside figures show how outcomes vary depending on which program clusters a student completes. An estimated 28.6% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix. Four years after completing a degree, federally aided graduates of National Louis University who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $63,065. The median for comparable institutions (same type and size) is $68,250, so the university sits $5,185 below that benchmark. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) the university #377 for return among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $16,446 more than the model expects for similar students. That puts the gap at the 93rd percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) subtracts $58. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain adds $16,504. Within the measured factors, the STEM component subtracts $686. The university's largest programs are in education and human services, fields where earnings often sit below the institutional median. Earnings scenarios estimated from the program mix range from a downside of $46,047 to an upside of $72,622. An estimated 28.6% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix. Program choice shapes a wide earnings range at National Louis University. The downside earnings scenario is $46,047 and the upside scenario is $72,622; both are scenarios estimated from the program mix, not observed groups of graduates. At the higher end, Management Science graduates earn a median of $74,144 four years after completion, from 77 degrees awarded. Health and Medical Administrative Services follows at $64,430, with 30 degrees awarded. Graduates of National Louis University earn about $16,446 more than the model expects for similar students. That gap between actual and expected earnings is one side of the return picture for a student who borrows. Borrowers who finish carry a median of $19,750 in federal student loans. That amount is $4,449 below the $24,199 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). The peer median is the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size). If repaid over ten years, that federal debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $224 a month. For parents who borrow, the median Parent PLUS debt is $17,284. The earnings advantage and the below-peer debt point the same way for students who borrow. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** \-$58 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** +$16,504 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** +$16,446 These are statistical model components, not proven causal effects; the remainder is not a direct measure of teaching quality. [Read the full outcomes brief](/school/national-louis-university/outcomes/) 03 / National Louis University briefing ## [National Louis University acceptance rate & admissions](/school/national-louis-university/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) National Louis University admits 95.0% of applicants, well above the median of 71.2% for comparable institutions (same type and size). Admissions **Admission rate** 95.1% [Read the full admissions brief](/school/national-louis-university/admissions/) 04 / National Louis University briefing ## [What are the largest majors at National Louis University?](/school/national-louis-university/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) The largest programs at National Louis University sit in fields where earnings are moderate, while the highest pay goes to a smaller business program. Teacher Education awards 215 degrees a year, the most of any program, and its graduates earn a median of $46,398 four years after completion. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #155 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field. Management Science is the best-paid program, with median earnings of $74,144 from 77 degrees awarded. Azimuth ranks it #43 nationally. Human Development and Family Studies awards 69 degrees a year and its graduates earn $45,388, ranking #62 nationally. Criminology graduates earn $56,989 from 63 degrees awarded, with a national rank of #17. The earnings spread between the largest program and the best-paid one is wide, and the highest-earning field is not the one awarding the most degrees. National Louis University awards its two largest shares of bachelor's degrees in Education and Business, which together account for nearly half of degrees awarded. Seven bachelor's programs carry an Azimuth national rank. Education leads at 27.1% of degrees awarded, with Business at 18.9%. The largest single program is Teacher Education, at 215 degrees a year. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #155 within its field, and graduates earn a median of $46,398 four years after completion. The best-paid program is Management Science, where graduates earn $74,144 four years out. Azimuth ranks it #43 nationally, from 77 degrees awarded. National Louis University awards bachelor's degrees across 7 ranked programs, with earnings data available for 8. The program mix is concentrated in two families: Education accounts for 27.1% of degrees awarded, and Business follows at 18.9%. The largest single programs are Teacher Education at 215 degrees awarded, Management Science at 77, and Human Development and Family Studies at 69. The highest-ranked program is Criminology, which awards 63 degrees a year and ranks #1 in Illinois within its field. Hospitality Administration/Management ranks #32 nationally and #2 in Illinois within its field, with 23 degrees awarded and median earnings of $61,413. The highest-earning program overall is Management Science, where graduates earn $74,144 four years after completion. Strength is spread across several fields rather than concentrated in one. The largest program, Teacher Education, sits at a median of $46,398, while the best-paid programs are in business and health services. Only 5.9% of degrees are in STEM fields. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods 215 degrees awarded** $46,398 **Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods 77 degrees awarded** $74,144 **Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services 69 degrees awarded** $45,388 **Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other 68 degrees awarded** $52,616 **Psychology, General 65 degrees awarded** Too few graduates to report **Criminology 63 degrees awarded** $56,989 Fields selected by reported completions. Counts describe credentials awarded, not unique students or the earnings sample. Bars show median four-year earnings. [Read the full majors brief](/school/national-louis-university/majors/) 05 / National Louis University briefing ## [What colleges are similar to National Louis University?](/school/national-louis-university/similar/)[\[15\]](#hub-data-note-peers) Azimuth groups alternatives by admissions, location, cost and earnings, then orders candidates within each group. Peer earnings use the matched four-year cohort. [How matching works](/school/national-louis-university/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with National Louis University. Admissions peerVanderCook College of Music89.5% admitted+ Comparison with National Louis University | Measure | National Louis University | VanderCook College of Music | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $63,065 | $55,437\-$7,628 vs National Louis University | | Average annual net price | $12,641 | $19,780+$7,139 vs National Louis University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 95.1% | 89.5% | Nearby alternativeTrinity Christian CollegeNearby option · IL+ Comparison with National Louis University | Measure | National Louis University | Trinity Christian College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $63,065 | $57,170\-$5,895 vs National Louis University | | Average annual net price | $12,641 | $19,125+$6,484 vs National Louis University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 95.1% | 84.9% | Higher-earnings alternativeMichigan Technological University$84,560 earnings+ Comparison with National Louis University | Measure | National Louis University | Michigan Technological University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $63,065 | $84,560+$21,495 vs National Louis University | | Average annual net price | $12,641 | $14,182+$1,541 vs National Louis University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 95.1% | 92.4% | [Explore Michigan Technological University →](/school/michigan-technological-university/) Lower-cost alternativeIndiana University-Northwest$5,130 average net price+ Comparison with National Louis University | Measure | National Louis University | Indiana University-Northwest | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $63,065 | $59,535\-$3,530 vs National Louis University | | Average annual net price | $12,641 | $5,130\-$7,511 vs National Louis University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 95.1% | 73.4% | [Explore Indiana University-Northwest →](/school/indiana-university-northwest/) Similar profileAurora UniversityMatched across several measures+ Comparison with National Louis University | Measure | National Louis University | Aurora University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $63,065 | $64,521+$1,456 vs National Louis University | | Average annual net price | $12,641 | $18,838+$6,197 vs National Louis University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 95.1% | 80.9% | [Explore Aurora University →](/school/aurora-university/) Each school is the first-ranked match in its category, not a recommendation across every measure. The same college may lead more than one category. Figures use the matching snapshot; earnings reflect the matched four-year cohort. — means unavailable. [Read the full similar schools brief](/school/national-louis-university/similar/) ## Data scope & methodology Structured payloads generated September 27, 2026 · Governed hub narrative September 28, 2026 · Governed spoke corpus September 28, 2026 Four-year earnings describe cohorts of completers. Figures for other horizons describe different cohorts and are not joined into a career-growth projection. Azimuth's overall rank and pillar percentiles come from the school profile. Absolute pillar ranks, city, enrollment and official-site links are shown only when structured data supplies them. Detailed earnings, cost, admissions and program values come from the endpoint responsible for each measure. Missing values are not replaced with zero. Value-added estimates are model associations, not causal effects. Figures are refreshed with each data release, at most a quarter apart. The underlying source dates can be earlier than the release. Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source. Analysis and methodology by [Daniel Rogers](/about/#founder), founder of College Azimuth. [Read the ranking methodology, data definitions and limitations](/methodology/) · [About College Azimuth](/about/) Read the analysis behind [value-added earnings](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) and the [change to four-year graduate earnings](/analysis/college-scorecard-2026-4-year-vs-10-year-earnings-2-2/). These articles are published on collegeazimuth.com. ## Data notes & source fields Scorecard field codes identify the underlying measure; Azimuth-derived values are labeled separately. Snapshot dates are not measurement years. Source populations and reporting periods differ across measures. Field definitions are in the [U.S. Department of Education · College Scorecard documentation](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/files/InstitutionDataDocumentation.pdf); notes with a different source link it below. 1. **Admission rate.** Reported applicants admitted; not a transfer-specific or individual admission probability. Source fields: `ADM_RATE` 2. **Six-year completion.** First-time, full-time students completing at the institution within 150% of normal time, typically six years for a bachelor’s degree. Source fields: `C150_4` 3. **Four-year institutional earnings.** Median earnings of graduates in the reported cohort who are working and not enrolled, four years after completion. Source fields: `MD_EARN_WNE_4YR` 4. **Median federal student debt.** Federal student-loan debt among completers in the reported borrowing cohort. Excludes Parent PLUS and is not total debt across all students. Source fields: `GRAD_DEBT_MDN` 5. **National, regional and state ranks; pillar percentiles; major ranks.** Derived scores within the stated eligible comparison set, not raw Scorecard fields. Major ranks compare institutions within a field; their denominators differ. Source fields: `Azimuth rankings` [College Azimuth · Ranking methodology](/methodology/) 6. **Annual net price by family income.** Average annual cost after grants and scholarships for the eligible first-time, full-time aid-recipient cohort. Public-school figures reflect in-state tuition. Includes living costs; these are averages, not medians or individual offers. Source fields: `NPT4_PUB/PRIV; NPT41_PUB/PRIV through NPT45_PUB/PRIV` 7. **Parent PLUS debt, payments and GPS illustration.** Stored payments use Financial GPS loan and repayment assumptions. The adjustable spectrum applies the published framework to annual student payments divided by earnings minus an expense allowance; its initial allowance uses the frozen 2024 framework baseline. It is an illustration rather than a school rating. Parent PLUS uses the completer median where available, otherwise the all-borrower median; these describe different borrowing populations. Source fields: `PLUS_DEBT_ALL_COMP_MD; fallback PLUS_DEBT_ALL_MD; Azimuth Financial GPS calculations` [College Azimuth · Financial GPS methodology](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/) 8. **Downside and upside earnings; yellow band.** The band spans the modeled lower and higher scenarios. It is not the P25–P75 interval for individual graduates. The median marker is the separately reported institutional median. Source fields: `Azimuth modeled program-mix scenarios` [College Azimuth · Earnings scenario methodology](/analysis/median-roi-hides-a-harsh-reality/) 9. **Value added and its components.** Observed-factor attribution plus the unexplained remainder equals total modeled value added. These are associations, not proven causal effects; the remainder is not a direct measure of teaching quality. Source fields: `Azimuth statistical model` [College Azimuth · Value-added methodology](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) 10. **SAT score range and reported midpoint.** Reported scores of enrolled score-submitters, not admission cutoffs. The midpoint field is not necessarily the middle of the displayed range. Source fields: `SATVR25 + SATMT25; SATVR75 + SATMT75; SAT_AVG` 11. **First-year retention.** Retention of the reported full-time cohort at four-year institutions. Source fields: `RET_FT4` 12. **Program earnings, completion counts and major-mix dots.** Included bachelor’s programs have at least five reported completions. Counts are aggregated credentials, not unique people or an earnings sample. Major-mix dots group those counts by field of study; excluded programs are not zero activity. Source fields: `EARN_MDN_4YR; IPEDSCOUNT1; CIPCODE` [College Scorecard · Field-of-study technical documentation](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/assets/FieldOfStudyDataDocumentation.pdf) 13. **Pell recipients.** Share of undergraduates receiving a Pell Grant in the reported academic year. Source fields: `PCTPELL` 14. **Entering students outside the first-time, full-time group.** This is not an observed transfer-in rate. It includes part-time entrants and other entering-student attendance patterns. Source fields: `1 − PFTFTUG1_EF` 15. **Peer earnings and signed differences.** Differences are peer minus this school, from the same matching snapshot. A positive earnings difference does not mean the peer is better on every measure. Source fields: `Azimuth peer model using MD_EARN_WNE_4YR` [College Azimuth · Comparison methodology](/methodology/) [How to interpret program rankings](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/)