Graduates of Northwest Missouri State University earn median 4-year earnings of $52,213, placing the institution in the 12.1 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure runs below the $56,249 median at comparable institutions. Graduates earn about $2,801 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Northwest Missouri State University in the 45.8 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Northwest Missouri State University #1048 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Those figures represent lifetime returns relative to MO's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $31,959 (the state median earnings of working adults with only a high school credential). The earnings pattern centers on education and human services fields, reflecting the institution's dominant program family. Teacher Education is the largest program with 131 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $42,508, performing at 0.9× the national CIP-4 benchmark for the field. The Business Administration program graduates 95 students earning $57,907, at 0.8× benchmark, while Subject-Specific Teacher Education with 86 graduates reaches $46,501 at 0.9× benchmark. Communication and Media Studies and $50,012 round out the core program lineup, each anchoring stable career pathways in their respective fields. The concentration in Education — which accounts for a substantial share of degrees — aligns with regional labor-market demand and contributes to the institution's consistent outcomes across the graduate population.
Graduates of Northwest Missouri State University earn median 4-year earnings of $52,213, placing the institution in the 12.1 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure runs below the $56,249 median at comparable institutions. Graduates earn about $2,801 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Northwest Missouri State University in the 45.8 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Northwest Missouri State University #1048 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Those figures represent lifetime returns relative to MO's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $31,959 (the state median earnings of working adults with only a high school credential). The earnings pattern centers on education and human services fields, reflecting the institution's dominant program family. Teacher Education is the largest program with 131 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $42,508, performing at 0.9× the national CIP-4 benchmark for the field. The Business Administration program graduates 95 students earning $57,907, at 0.8× benchmark, while Subject-Specific Teacher Education with 86 graduates reaches $46,501 at 0.9× benchmark. Communication and Media Studies and $50,012 round out the core program lineup, each anchoring stable career pathways in their respective fields. The concentration in Education — which accounts for a substantial share of degrees — aligns with regional labor-market demand and contributes to the institution's consistent outcomes across the graduate population.
Latest FE earnings field: 10-year
How graduate earnings grow across the currently available FE horizons.
Financial justification for the investment.
Graduates of Northwest Missouri State University earn median 4-year earnings of $52,213, placing the institution in the 12.1 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure runs below the $56,249 median at comparable institutions. Graduates earn about $2,801 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Northwest Missouri State University in the 45.8 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Northwest Missouri State University #1048 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Those figures represent lifetime returns relative to MO's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $31,959 (the state median earnings of working adults with only a high school credential). The earnings pattern centers on education and human services fields, reflecting the institution's dominant program family. Teacher Education is the largest program with 131 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $42,508, performing at 0.9× the national CIP-4 benchmark for the field. The Business Administration program graduates 95 students earning $57,907, at 0.8× benchmark, while Subject-Specific Teacher Education with 86 graduates reaches $46,501 at 0.9× benchmark. Communication and Media Studies and $50,012 round out the core program lineup, each anchoring stable career pathways in their respective fields. The concentration in Education — which accounts for a substantial share of degrees — aligns with regional labor-market demand and contributes to the institution's consistent outcomes across the graduate population.
Program mix and student pathways explain much of the earnings story.
Northwest Missouri State University's program mix is anchored in education, business, and applied professional fields—a portfolio shaped by the institution's regional public-university identity and workforce-development mission. Teacher Education is the largest program with 131 graduates annually, followed by Business Administration, Subject-Specific Teacher Education, Communication and Media Studies, and Agricultural Business and Management. Across 43 total programs, 0 meet Azimuth's ranking threshold, with several delivering solid four-year earnings outcomes aligned with regional labor-market demand. The earnings pattern reflects the institution's strength in applied fields and education pathways. Agricultural Business and Management leads with median four-year earnings of $58,035 from 61 graduates, followed by Business Administration at $57,907 and Digital Marketing at $57,705. Biology, General and Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General round out the highest-earning cohorts, with graduates earning $57,564 and $52,179 respectively. These outcomes cluster in business, health, and technical fields where employers in Missouri and neighboring states recruit actively. Several of these programs represent grad-school-dependent pathways—particularly in Education, where four-year earnings undercount the trajectory of graduates who continue to advanced certification or graduate study. Business and health-related programs, by contrast, are direct-to-workforce pathways where graduates enter regional labor markets immediately and earnings reflect employment outcomes. The supply and demand for college graduates provides context for how Northwest Missouri State University's dominant program families align with regional and national workforce demand.
Lower quartile, 10-year field
Upper quartile, 10-year field
Graduates of Northwest Missouri State University earn median 4-year earnings of $52,213, placing the institution in the 12.1 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure runs below the $56,249 median at comparable institutions. Graduates earn about $2,801 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Northwest Missouri State University in the 45.8 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Northwest Missouri State University #1048 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Those figures represent lifetime returns relative to MO's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $31,959 (the state median earnings of working adults with only a high school credential). The earnings pattern centers on education and human services fields, reflecting the institution's dominant program family. Teacher Education is the largest program with 131 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $42,508, performing at 0.9× the national CIP-4 benchmark for the field. The Business Administration program graduates 95 students earning $57,907, at 0.8× benchmark, while Subject-Specific Teacher Education with 86 graduates reaches $46,501 at 0.9× benchmark. Communication and Media Studies and $50,012 round out the core program lineup, each anchoring stable career pathways in their respective fields. The concentration in Education — which accounts for a substantial share of degrees — aligns with regional labor-market demand and contributes to the institution's consistent outcomes across the graduate population.
See which programs drive the strongest earnings and career trajectories
