Graduates of Northern State University earn median 4-year earnings of $53,116, placing Northern State University in the 12.9 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $1,119 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Northern State University in the 53.3 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Northern State University #873 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings pattern reflects Northern State University's concentrated focus on education and related fields. Teacher Education is the largest program with 34 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $44,147, representing 0.9× the national benchmark for the field. Subject-Specific Teacher Education and Biology, General follow as substantial enrollment clusters, with Biology, General graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $70,545 and benchmarking at 1.2× the national standard. Business Administration and Kinesiology round out the top five, with Business Administration earning $56,571 and Kinesiology earning $53,484. The institution's program mix, anchored by Education, produces outcomes that align with regional labor-market demand for educators and related professionals in SD.
Graduates of Northern State University earn median 4-year earnings of $53,116, placing Northern State University in the 12.9 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $1,119 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Northern State University in the 53.3 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Northern State University #873 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings pattern reflects Northern State University's concentrated focus on education and related fields. Teacher Education is the largest program with 34 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $44,147, representing 0.9× the national benchmark for the field. Subject-Specific Teacher Education and Biology, General follow as substantial enrollment clusters, with Biology, General graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $70,545 and benchmarking at 1.2× the national standard. Business Administration and Kinesiology round out the top five, with Business Administration earning $56,571 and Kinesiology earning $53,484. The institution's program mix, anchored by Education, produces outcomes that align with regional labor-market demand for educators and related professionals in SD.
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.
Healthy debt burden. Most graduates can manage $22,320 in debt with typical earnings.
Graduates of Northern State University earn median 4-year earnings of $53,116, placing Northern State University in the 12.9 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $1,119 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Northern State University in the 53.3 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Northern State University #873 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings pattern reflects Northern State University's concentrated focus on education and related fields. Teacher Education is the largest program with 34 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $44,147, representing 0.9× the national benchmark for the field. Subject-Specific Teacher Education and Biology, General follow as substantial enrollment clusters, with Biology, General graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $70,545 and benchmarking at 1.2× the national standard. Business Administration and Kinesiology round out the top five, with Business Administration earning $56,571 and Kinesiology earning $53,484. The institution's program mix, anchored by Education, produces outcomes that align with regional labor-market demand for educators and related professionals in SD.
Program mix and student pathways explain much of the earnings story.
Northern State University's program mix is anchored in education and teacher-preparation fields, reflecting the institution's regional mission as a comprehensive public university serving South Dakota. Teacher Education is the largest program with 34 graduates, followed by Subject-Specific Teacher Education, Biology, General, Business Administration, and Kinesiology. Across 0 ranked programs serving roughly 270 students annually, several deliver solid four-year earnings outcomes aligned with regional labor-market demand. The strongest earnings performers include Biology, General, where graduates earn median earnings of $70,545 four years after enrollment with 26 graduates, and Accounting, where median earnings reach $67,072 with 20 graduates. Business Administration delivers median earnings of $56,571 with 26 graduates, while Kinesiology and Sociology round out the higher-earning cluster. These programs reflect a mix of education-adjacent fields and applied professional pathways where graduates enter the workforce directly and earnings reflect regional labor-market outcomes. Education represents the institution's core strength and largest degree concentration, positioning Northern State as a primary educator-preparation hub for the region. The supply and demand for college graduates provides context for how the institution's dominant program families align with regional workforce needs and long-term career stability in education and related fields.
Upper quartile, 10-year field
Graduates of Northern State University earn median 4-year earnings of $53,116, placing Northern State University in the 12.9 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $1,119 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Northern State University in the 53.3 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Northern State University #873 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings pattern reflects Northern State University's concentrated focus on education and related fields. Teacher Education is the largest program with 34 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $44,147, representing 0.9× the national benchmark for the field. Subject-Specific Teacher Education and Biology, General follow as substantial enrollment clusters, with Biology, General graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $70,545 and benchmarking at 1.2× the national standard. Business Administration and Kinesiology round out the top five, with Business Administration earning $56,571 and Kinesiology earning $53,484. The institution's program mix, anchored by Education, produces outcomes that align with regional labor-market demand for educators and related professionals in SD.
See which programs drive the strongest earnings and career trajectories
