Graduates of Northern Kentucky University earn median 4-year earnings of $58,429, placing Northern Kentucky University in the 38.4 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $7,689 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 27.1 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Northern Kentucky University #915 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Program outcomes vary by major. Business Administration, Management and Operations reports 409 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $67,319, ranked #134 nationally in its major. Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing reports 274 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $77,404, ranked #261 nationally in its major. Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods reports 125 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $42,709, ranked #207 nationally in its major. Computer and Information Sciences, General reports 114 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $82,982, ranked #125 nationally in its major.
Graduates of Northern Kentucky University earn median 4-year earnings of $58,429, placing Northern Kentucky University in the 38.4 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $7,689 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 27.1 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Northern Kentucky University #915 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Program outcomes vary by major. Business Administration, Management and Operations reports 409 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $67,319, ranked #134 nationally in its major. Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing reports 274 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $77,404, ranked #261 nationally in its major. Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods reports 125 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $42,709, ranked #207 nationally in its major. Computer and Information Sciences, General reports 114 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $82,982, ranked #125 nationally in its major.
Latest FE earnings field: 10-year
Lower quartile, 10-year field
How graduate earnings grow across the currently available FE horizons.
Financial justification for the investment.
Graduates of Northern Kentucky University earn median 4-year earnings of $58,429, placing Northern Kentucky University in the 38.4 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $7,689 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 27.1 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Northern Kentucky University #915 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Program outcomes vary by major. Business Administration, Management and Operations reports 409 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $67,319, ranked #134 nationally in its major. Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing reports 274 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $77,404, ranked #261 nationally in its major. Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods reports 125 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $42,709, ranked #207 nationally in its major. Computer and Information Sciences, General reports 114 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $82,982, ranked #125 nationally in its major.
Program mix and student pathways explain much of the earnings story.
Northern Kentucky University's program mix is anchored in Business, with meaningful representation across health, education, and applied professional fields — a signature consistent with a regional public university serving the Greater Cincinnati labor market. Business accounts for 25% of graduates, followed by Education at 7% and Arts at 6%, reflecting a portfolio oriented toward stable, regionally in-demand careers. Across 45 programs serving roughly 2,124 students annually, the institution concentrates its degree output in fields with direct workforce alignment. Business Administration stands out as the program combining the broadest enrollment scale with strong four-year earnings, making it the primary economic driver of Northern Kentucky University's degree portfolio. Business Administration is the largest program by graduate count, with 409 graduates earning median earnings of $67,319 four years after enrollment; Azimuth ranks Business Administration #160 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Nursing and Teacher Education follow in scale, with graduates earning median earnings of $77,404 and $42,709, respectively, four years after enrollment — fields that connect directly to regional employer demand in healthcare, finance, and public administration. The highest-earning programs at Northern Kentucky University are concentrated in applied technical and business-adjacent fields. Artificial Intelligence leads on earnings, with 114 graduates posting median earnings of $82,982 four years after enrollment; Azimuth ranks Artificial Intelligence #97 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Nursing and Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General also deliver strong early-career outcomes, with graduates earning median earnings of $77,404 and $73,478, respectively — pathways that feed into the Cincinnati metro's finance, logistics, and technology sectors. The supply and demand for college graduates provides context for how these program families align with national and regional labor-market trends.
Upper quartile, 10-year field
Graduates of Northern Kentucky University earn median 4-year earnings of $58,429, placing Northern Kentucky University in the 38.4 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $7,689 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 27.1 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Northern Kentucky University #915 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Program outcomes vary by major. Business Administration, Management and Operations reports 409 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $67,319, ranked #134 nationally in its major. Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing reports 274 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $77,404, ranked #261 nationally in its major. Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods reports 125 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $42,709, ranked #207 nationally in its major. Computer and Information Sciences, General reports 114 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $82,982, ranked #125 nationally in its major.
