Graduates of Northland College earn median 4-year earnings of $44,714, placing Northland College in the 2.7 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $18,231 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Northland College in the 7.2 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Northland College #1407 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. These outcomes reflect the institution's focus on Natural Resources, a field that connects directly to stable, in-demand careers. The earnings pattern centers on natural-resource and environmental fields. Biology, General is the largest program with 21 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $45,396, performing at 0.8× the national benchmark for the field. Natural Resources and Conservation, Other and Natural Resources Conservation and Research round out the institution's core offerings, with Business Administration and Teacher Education providing additional pathways into related sectors. The concentration in Natural Resources — combined with Northland's location in WI — positions graduates to enter regional and national labor markets where environmental expertise commands consistent demand and career progression.
Graduates of Northland College earn median 4-year earnings of $44,714, placing Northland College in the 2.7 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $18,231 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Northland College in the 7.2 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Northland College #1407 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. These outcomes reflect the institution's focus on Natural Resources, a field that connects directly to stable, in-demand careers. The earnings pattern centers on natural-resource and environmental fields. Biology, General is the largest program with 21 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $45,396, performing at 0.8× the national benchmark for the field. Natural Resources and Conservation, Other and Natural Resources Conservation and Research round out the institution's core offerings, with Business Administration and Teacher Education providing additional pathways into related sectors. The concentration in Natural Resources — combined with Northland's location in WI — positions graduates to enter regional and national labor markets where environmental expertise commands consistent demand and career progression.
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 Northland College earn median 4-year earnings of $44,714, placing Northland College in the 2.7 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $18,231 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Northland College in the 7.2 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Northland College #1407 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. These outcomes reflect the institution's focus on Natural Resources, a field that connects directly to stable, in-demand careers. The earnings pattern centers on natural-resource and environmental fields. Biology, General is the largest program with 21 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $45,396, performing at 0.8× the national benchmark for the field. Natural Resources and Conservation, Other and Natural Resources Conservation and Research round out the institution's core offerings, with Business Administration and Teacher Education providing additional pathways into related sectors. The concentration in Natural Resources — combined with Northland's location in WI — positions graduates to enter regional and national labor markets where environmental expertise commands consistent demand and career progression.
Program mix and student pathways explain much of the earnings story.
Northland College's program mix centers on natural resources, environmental science, and sustainability-focused fields — a signature aligned with the institution's mission and Wisconsin's ecological heritage. Biology, General is the largest program with 21 graduates, followed by Natural Resources and Conservation, Other, Natural Resources Conservation and Research, Business Administration, and Teacher Education. Across 0 programs that meet Azimuth's ranking threshold, the institution's strength concentrates in applied environmental and natural-resource fields where graduates move directly into workforce roles. Biology, General leads the institution's earnings profile, with 21 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $45,396. This program anchors Northland College's economic return, combining meaningful cohort scale with strong labor-market outcomes in a field where demand remains steady. The institution's program portfolio reflects other STEM fields at 10%, Business at 10%, and Education at 8%, creating a concentrated profile in fields tied to environmental management, conservation, and natural-resource stewardship. Most of Northland College's ranked programs are high-mobility pathways where graduates enter the workforce directly in roles spanning environmental consulting, park management, field research, and natural-resource policy. The supply and demand for college graduates provides context for how the institution's dominant program families align with labor-market trends in environmental and sustainability sectors. For a small liberal-arts college, this focused program signature creates distinctive employer recognition within environmental industries and nonprofit conservation organizations.
Upper quartile, 10-year field
Graduates of Northland College earn median 4-year earnings of $44,714, placing Northland College in the 2.7 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $18,231 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Northland College in the 7.2 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Northland College #1407 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. These outcomes reflect the institution's focus on Natural Resources, a field that connects directly to stable, in-demand careers. The earnings pattern centers on natural-resource and environmental fields. Biology, General is the largest program with 21 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $45,396, performing at 0.8× the national benchmark for the field. Natural Resources and Conservation, Other and Natural Resources Conservation and Research round out the institution's core offerings, with Business Administration and Teacher Education providing additional pathways into related sectors. The concentration in Natural Resources — combined with Northland's location in WI — positions graduates to enter regional and national labor markets where environmental expertise commands consistent demand and career progression.
See which programs drive the strongest earnings and career trajectories
