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 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. 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.
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 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. 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.
Latest FE earnings field: 10-year
How graduate earnings grow across the currently available FE horizons.
Financial justification for the investment.
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 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. 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.
Program mix and student pathways explain much of the earnings story.
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, see the methodology overview. ```
Lower quartile, 10-year field
Upper quartile, 10-year field
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 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. 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.
See which programs drive the strongest earnings and career trajectories
