Northern Illinois University

Northern Illinois University's published cost of attendance is $28,851, but need-based aid shifts what families actually pay by a meaningful amount. Low-income families see a net price of approximately $10,126, while middle-income families pay around $12,797, and higher-income families pay approximately $21,834.

Azimuth ranks Northern Illinois University #319 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.

Northern Illinois University participates in federal, state, and institutional aid programs, including Pell Grants, Direct Loans, and Illinois-specific need-based assistance. The spread between low-income and higher-income net prices reflects meaningful grant and scholarship activity for qualifying students, though the gap is narrower than at institutions with larger endowments or more aggressive institutional aid programs.

Families are encouraged to review the [net price illusion](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) — published sticker prices and actual net prices can differ substantially depending on household income and aid eligibility. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $22,162, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $19,508; 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 $64,583, median federal debt of $22,162 projects to a monthly payment of about $250 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 of Northern Illinois University earn median earnings of $64,583 four years after enrollment, placing Northern Illinois University in the 64.4 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure sits below the $65,228 median at comparable institutions (same control and size band).

Graduates earn about $6,142 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 79.1 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions. Those figures represent lifetime returns relative to IL's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $32,990 — the state median earnings of working adults age 25–34 with only a high school credential.

Business is the dominant program family, accounting for 20% of degrees, followed by Education at 7% and Engineering at 6%. Computer Science combines the largest cohort scale with strong earnings, anchoring the institution's return profile.

The Psychology, General program graduates 193 students annually with median earnings of $49,669 four years after enrollment, and Azimuth ranks the program #183 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/). Among higher-earning programs, Azimuth ranks Business Administration #132 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning $73,176, and Azimuth ranks Computer Science #108 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning $93,438.

Health/Medical Preparatory Programs adds further depth, with 153 graduates earning $55,778 and Azimuth ranking the program #7 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Northern Illinois University's program mix is anchored in Business, which accounts for 20% of degree output — a concentration that shapes the institution's overall earnings profile. Education represents 7% of graduates and Engineering accounts for 6%, rounding out a portfolio tilted toward applied-professional fields.

Across 49 programs serving roughly 2,839 students annually, 41 meet Azimuth's ranking threshold. Computer Science is the program that combines the largest cohort scale with strong earnings, making it the institution's highest aggregate-return major.

Psychology, General is the largest program by graduates (193 annually), and Azimuth ranks it #183 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Among the highest-earning programs, Computer Science leads with median earnings of $93,438 four years after enrollment, and Azimuth ranks it #108 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Mechanical Engineering follows at $86,999, ranked #174 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions, while The Accounting program graduates 122 students and posts median earnings of $83,573. The largest programs beyond Psychology, General include Health/Medical Preparatory Programs (153 graduates, median earnings of $55,778) and Business Administration (149 graduates, median earnings of $73,176).

The Computer Science program graduates 132 students with median earnings of $93,438 four years after enrollment. Several of these applied-business and health-adjacent fields feed directly into regional workforce demand, while programs like Nursing (166 graduates) represent pathways where four-year earnings may undercount lifetime trajectory for graduates who continue to graduate or professional study.

For context on how [Azimuth evaluates programs](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/), see the methodology overview. ```