10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
−$87,272at year 10Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
Private nonprofit · COLLEGE PAYOFF
Aurora University
Aurora, IL · 27 field-and-degree records
Earnings reported for 26 · Federal debt reported for 16
Based onObserved earnings + college priceEstimate10-year payoff
Estimated 10-year payoff
Negative payoff
−$87,272 over 10 years
Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.
15.2 yrsTime to earn back the modeled cost
−34%Estimated return after 10 years
$61,808Observed earnings · year 5
Not reachedHighest annual price before payoff reaches $0
Start with your question
What do you want to understand?
ECONOMIC INVESTMENT → PAYBACK
Estimated payoff over ten years.
The scenario counts direct price and earnings forgone upfront, then applies the reported annual earnings premium.
FEDERAL COST DATA
Four ways to read college price.
Annual college-wide figures from the current College Scorecard release. Average net price covers full-time, first-time undergraduates receiving federal aid; public-college figures use in-state students. Program tuition and individual aid offers may differ.
PUBLISHED STUDENT BUDGET · 2024–25
What makes up the annual price?
Sticker-price components reported to IPEDS. Grants and scholarships are not subtracted here.
Living off campus: $4,626 housing and food allowance plus $3,780 in other expenses.
Do not confuse this with net price. Net price subtracts average grants and scholarships. DegreeVerdict continues to use the separately labeled average net price in its standard college ROI scenario.
PRICE SENSITIVITY
The price can change the verdict.
Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.
← Negative payoff$0Positive payoff →
$0Annual price−$11,920
$8,000Annual price−$43,920
$16,000Annual price−$75,920
$19,000Current college-wide context−$87,920
$24,000Annual price−$107,920
$32,000Annual price−$139,920
$40,000Annual price−$171,920
HOW STUDENTS ATTEND · 2023-24
Online study is a meaningful part of the student experience.
IPEDS enrollment counts show course delivery across the whole institution. They do not indicate whether a specific degree can be completed online.
Institution-level attendance context from IPEDS. Program delivery is reported separately on degree pages and in the program directory. These figures do not enter ROI.
College identity and local contextAccreditation, institution type, dual enrollment and state prices
COLLEGE AT A GLANCE
Institution details
Current federal characteristics describing the college, not the outcomes of a specific program.
- Accreditor
- Higher Learning Commission
- Main award level
- Bachelor’s degrees
- Campus setting
- Suburban
- Admissions
- Selective admission
- Delivery
- Campus or mixed delivery
- Federal designation
- No special designation reported
STATE PRICE CONTEXT · 2024
Prices in Illinois run 0% below the U.S. level.
BEA Regional Price Parities compare price levels across states. A value of 100 equals the national average.
What it costs and what graduates earn
$18,838Average net price / year
$40,625Cost of attendance
$20,318Median federal student debt · completer borrowers
$215/moPublished 10-year payment estimate
$61,808Median earnings · year 5 after completion
60.3%Completion rate
80.8%Admission rate
1,076Average SAT score
22ACT midpoint
3,974Student size
Debt covers federal student-loan borrowers who completed. It does not include Parent PLUS or private loans. We show admissions scores only when a valid federal value is available.
What the numbers say about Aurora University
What does Aurora University cost?
Aurora University reports an average annual net price of $18,838 after grants and scholarships. This is an institution-wide average, not an individual aid offer.
What do Aurora University graduates earn?
The observed median earnings figure is $61,808 5 years after completion. It describes a federal cohort, not a guaranteed starting salary.
How much federal debt do Aurora University graduates have?
Completer borrowers report median cumulative federal student debt of $20,318. Parent PLUS and private loans are not included.
Is every degree at Aurora University worth the same?
No. The current release contains 27 field-and-degree records for Aurora University; 26 report year-4 earnings and 16 report federal debt. Outcomes can differ substantially by field and degree level.
DEBT AFTER COLLEGE
Are borrowers making progress?
Repayment progress, default and debt at exit describe different federal borrower cohorts. They are shown separately and do not change the ROI estimate.
Source: College Scorecard. Repayment progress is the share of borrowers who reduced principal by at least $1 at the stated measurement point. Debt covers federal student loans; Parent PLUS and private loans are excluded. Cohorts and reporting periods differ across measures.
Who studied here during the year
7,303Students enrolled at any point
4,629Undergraduate students
2,674Graduate students
Unduplicated students enrolled at any point from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025. This full-year measure is different from a fall headcount and does not enter ROI.
More student and earnings detailPrice by family income, retention, equity and common industries
WHO PAYS, WHO FINISHES, WHO EARNS
Outcomes are not the same for every family.
These federal cohorts add context that a single college average can hide. Missing figures remain unreported rather than estimated.
Complete within 150% of the expected time
65% received a Pell Grant within eight yearsMedian Parent PLUS debt
432 parent borrowers in the reported cohortMedian federal student debt
61% making progress in repayment after three yearsStudent family incomeMedian earnings after 10 yearsObserved federal cohorts
Lower income$55,621Earnings are not a guarantee
Middle income$58,715Earnings are not a guarantee
Higher income$60,563Earnings are not a guarantee
Three-year repayment progress
Lower income47%
Middle income64%
Higher income74%
Undergraduate student composition
White39%
Black6%
Hispanic43%
Asian3%
Source: College Scorecard, June 2026 release. Parent PLUS debt belongs to parents; student-debt measures exclude Parent PLUS and private loans. Cohort definitions differ by measure.
INDEPENDENT CENSUS EARNINGS VIEW
How earnings develop by field
Privacy-protected Census employment records follow graduate cohorts one, five and ten years after completion. This source is kept separate from College Scorecard because its population and methodology differ.
Field and credentialYear 1Year 5Year 10
Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education.Doctoral, research/scholarship · Broad federal field 13
$132,751Year 1
$143,232Year 5
$137,942Year 10
Accounting and Related Services.Master’s degree · Broad federal field 52
$67,408Year 1
$98,203Year 5
$128,758Year 10
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 51
$63,580Year 1
$80,354Year 5
$90,181Year 10
Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education.Master’s degree · Broad federal field 13
$73,217Year 1
$76,898Year 5
$89,695Year 10
Accounting and Related Services.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 52
$48,817Year 1
$73,216Year 5
$89,177Year 10
Criminal Justice and Corrections.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 43
$45,875Year 1
$65,669Year 5
$77,273Year 10
Outdoor Education.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 31
$34,677Year 1
$43,722Year 5
$76,770Year 10
Community Organization and Advocacy.Master’s degree · Broad federal field 44
$51,178Year 1
$62,792Year 5
$74,092Year 10
Median annual earnings in 2023 dollars. Each time point may use a different pooled graduation cohort. Coverage is limited to institutions participating in the Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes program.
NATIONAL CONTEXT
How this college compares
Percentiles compare this institution with currently operating colleges that report the same federal measure.
WHAT STANDS OUT
A faster read on this college
These summaries use every reportable field-and-credential record at this institution. They do not fill privacy-suppressed outcomes.
EARNINGS OVER TIME
What graduates earned in later years
$48,840Year 1
$64,521Year 4
$61,808Year 5
Each year can represent a different federal cohort, so the points do not track the same people over time.
Your choice of degree can change the payoff.
Graduate earnings differ by field and credential, even within the same college.
1Educational Administration and Supervision · Doctoral Degree$136,3182Computer Science · Bachelor's Degree$90,0893Accounting and Related Services · Master's Degree$84,8674Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing · Bachelor's Degree$84,0225Educational Administration and Supervision · Master's Degree$83,7466Business Administration, Management and Operations · Master's Degree$81,7407Finance and Financial Management Services · Bachelor's Degree$77,4368Educational/Instructional Media Design · Master's Degree$76,260Observed year-4 earnings · compare the same field and credential across colleges
Programs that stand out against the same-degree benchmark
This view rewards performance relative to the same field and credential, not simply majors that pay more everywhere.
1Educational Administration and SupervisionDoctoral Degree · $136,318 reported+36%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt2Educational Administration and SupervisionMaster's Degree · $83,746 reported+17%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt3Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesBachelor's Degree · $60,775 reported+15%vs same-degree national median$27,000federal debt4Clinical, Counseling and Applied PsychologyMaster's Degree · $73,726 reported+13%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt5Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsMaster's Degree · $67,283 reported+12%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt6Psychology, GeneralBachelor's Degree · $55,697 reported+10%vs same-degree national median$23,250federal debt
Comparable colleges in IL
Currently operating private nonprofit institutions with the closest combination of annual net price and observed year-5 earnings. Similarity is descriptive, not a quality ranking.
Bourbonnais, IL
Olivet Nazarene University
- Annual net price
- $20,729
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $61,936
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -36%
Concordia University-Chicago
- Annual net price
- $18,436
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $59,330
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -44%
North Park University
- Annual net price
- $16,948
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $59,703
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -41%
Graham Hospital School of Nursing
- Annual net price
- $21,228
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $64,223
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -27%
Compare fields and degree levels
Showing all 27 field-and-degree records in the current release.
| Major or field | Degree level | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | 2024–25 graduates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Educational Administration and Supervision | Doctoral Degree | $136,318 | Not available | 15 |
| Computer Science | Bachelor's Degree | $90,089 | $25,625 | Not reported |
| Accounting and Related Services | Master's Degree | $84,867 | Not available | Not reported |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Bachelor's Degree | $84,022 | $26,000 | Not reported |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | Master's Degree | $83,746 | Not available | Not reported |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Master's Degree | $81,740 | Not available | Not reported |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | Bachelor's Degree | $77,436 | $24,499 | Not reported |
| Educational/Instructional Media Design | Master's Degree | $76,260 | Not available | Not reported |
| Accounting and Related Services | Bachelor's Degree | $74,820 | $23,452 | Not reported |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | Master's Degree | $73,726 | Not available | Not reported |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | Master's Degree | $67,283 | Not available | Not reported |
| Marketing | Bachelor's Degree | $64,813 | $22,900 | Not reported |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Bachelor's Degree | $64,446 | $25,000 | Not reported |
| Special Education and Teaching | Master's Degree | $64,110 | Not available | Not reported |
| Social Work | Master's Degree | $61,710 | Not available | 26 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | Bachelor's Degree | $60,808 | $23,635 | Not reported |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | Bachelor's Degree | $60,775 | $27,000 | Not reported |
| Political Science and Government | Bachelor's Degree | $58,503 | Not available | Not reported |
| Psychology, General | Bachelor's Degree | $55,697 | $23,250 | Not reported |
| Social Work | Bachelor's Degree | $55,546 | $27,000 | Not reported |
| Health/Medical Preparatory Programs | Bachelor's Degree | $52,987 | $21,375 | Not reported |
| Biology, General | Bachelor's Degree | $52,159 | $24,163 | Not reported |
| Communication and Media Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $50,079 | $23,262 | Not reported |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | Bachelor's Degree | $49,471 | $27,000 | Not reported |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | Bachelor's Degree | $46,609 | $24,197 | Not reported |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $44,786 | Not available | Not reported |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | Bachelor's Degree | Not available | $23,750 | Not reported |
Graduate counts come from IPEDS and group related majors into the same federal field. Missing earnings or debt values remain labeled as unavailable.
Earnings, price, completion and enrollment are observed federal measures. ROI, payoff and break-even are modeled scenarios built from those measures and fixed assumptions. College payoff is not the payoff of every degree at this school; use the program table for a more precise comparison.