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Northern Illinois University

⌖ Dekalb, IL · 70 reportable field-and-credential outcomes

MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff

−$69,244 over 10 years

Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.

At these assumptions, the estimated earnings premium does not recover the modeled economic investment within ten years.

14.2 yrsModeled economic break-even
−30%Modeled 10-year ROI
$61,432Observed earnings · year 5
Economic ROI includes direct price and earnings forgone during study · $45,000 comparison earnings · values held flat · see the formula
ECONOMIC INVESTMENT → PAYBACK

Estimated payoff over ten years.

The scenario counts direct price and earnings forgone upfront, then applies the reported annual earnings premium.

10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
−$69,244at year 10
Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
−$233,5640
2
4
6
8
−$69,24410
Years after graduationBreak-even: 14.2 years
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 in-state tuition$13,248
Sticker price
Published out-of-state tuition$13,248
Sticker price
Average net price$13,391
Title IV student average
Cost of attendance$28,851
Tuition + living budget
PRICE SOURCECollege reported · annual amount · federal dataset
OBSERVED FEDERAL MEASURES

Cost, completion and earnings context

$13,391Average net price / year
$28,851Cost of attendance
$61,432Median earnings · year 5 after completion
48.7%Completion rate
69.8%Admission rate
11,301Student size
NATIONAL CONTEXT

How this college compares

Percentiles compare this institution with currently operating colleges that report the same federal measure.

82thEarnings percentile
35thCompletion percentile
EARNINGS PATH

Reported earnings over time

$45,902Year 1
$64,583Year 4
$61,432Year 5

Separate federal cohorts may underlie different measurement years.

PROGRAM PAYOFF SPREAD

The college average is not the whole story.

Observed earnings vary substantially by field and credential at the same institution.

1Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing · Master's Degree$120,7652Business Administration, Management and Operations · Master's Degree$119,8723Curriculum and Instruction · Doctoral Degree$117,3524Mechanical Engineering · Master's Degree$107,3385Accounting and Related Services · Master's Degree$101,1066Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering · Bachelor's Degree$93,9627Computer Science · Bachelor's Degree$93,4388Mechanical Engineering · Bachelor's Degree$86,999

Observed year-4 earnings · compare like fields and credentials before deciding

BUILD A REAL SHORTLIST

Comparable colleges in IL

Currently operating public institutions with the closest combination of annual net price and observed year-5 earnings. Similarity is descriptive—not a quality ranking.

Edwardsville, IL

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

Annual net price
$14,889
Observed earnings · year 5
$61,499
Modeled 10-year ROI
-31%
Open college profile →Springfield, IL

University of Illinois Springfield

Annual net price
$9,833
Observed earnings · year 5
$62,698
Modeled 10-year ROI
-19%
Open college profile →Chicago, IL

Northeastern Illinois University

Annual net price
$14,109
Observed earnings · year 5
$56,675
Modeled 10-year ROI
-51%
Open college profile →Carbondale, IL

Southern Illinois University-Carbondale

Annual net price
$13,297
Observed earnings · year 5
$55,667
Modeled 10-year ROI
-54%
Open college profile →
ALL REPORTABLE PROGRAM CATEGORIES

Explore exact field-and-credential outcomes

Federal fieldCredentialEarnings, year 4Federal debt
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingMaster's Degree$120,765Not available
Business Administration, Management and OperationsMaster's Degree$119,872Not available
Curriculum and InstructionDoctoral Degree$117,352Not available
Mechanical EngineeringMaster's Degree$107,338Not available
Accounting and Related ServicesMaster's Degree$101,106Not available
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications EngineeringBachelor's Degree$93,962$25,000
Computer ScienceBachelor's Degree$93,438$22,966
Mechanical EngineeringBachelor's Degree$86,999$25,000
Finance and Financial Management ServicesBachelor's Degree$86,511$19,500
Psychology, GeneralDoctoral Degree$85,719Not available
Accounting and Related ServicesBachelor's Degree$83,573$18,500
Public AdministrationMaster's Degree$82,907Not available
Industrial EngineeringBachelor's Degree$82,584$23,750
Engineering Technologies/Technicians, GeneralBachelor's Degree$81,554$27,274
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic ProfessionsDoctoral Degree$80,885Not available
Educational/Instructional Media DesignMaster's Degree$79,429Not available
LawFirst Professional Degree$78,459Not available
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied ProfessionsBachelor's Degree$76,856$23,750
MarketingBachelor's Degree$76,373$23,875
Public HealthMaster's Degree$74,989Not available
Business Administration, Management and OperationsBachelor's Degree$73,176$22,500
Educational Administration and SupervisionMaster's Degree$72,883Not available
Management Sciences and Quantitative MethodsBachelor's Degree$71,040$21,600
MathematicsBachelor's Degree$69,856$25,044
Apparel and TextilesBachelor's Degree$68,636Not available
EconomicsBachelor's Degree$66,760$25,879
Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition ServicesMaster's Degree$66,367Not available
ChemistryBachelor's Degree$65,611$23,023
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic ProfessionsMaster's Degree$65,500Not available
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/FitnessMaster's Degree$65,493Not available
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject AreasMaster's Degree$65,145Not available
Communication Disorders Sciences and ServicesMaster's Degree$63,768Not available
Special Education and TeachingMaster's Degree$62,066Not available
Student Counseling and Personnel ServicesMaster's Degree$59,834Not available
Education, GeneralMaster's Degree$59,110Not available
Hospitality Administration/ManagementBachelor's Degree$58,546$25,001
SociologyBachelor's Degree$58,023$27,000
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesBachelor's Degree$57,697$30,839
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related ServicesMaster's Degree$56,678Not available
Health/Medical Preparatory ProgramsBachelor's Degree$55,778$27,000
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied ProfessionsBachelor's Degree$55,586$29,804
Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition ServicesBachelor's Degree$55,221$27,000
Communication and Media StudiesBachelor's Degree$55,109$27,000
AnthropologyBachelor's Degree$54,890Not available
Natural Resources Conservation and ResearchBachelor's Degree$54,666$26,625
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/FitnessBachelor's Degree$54,207$27,418
Political Science and GovernmentBachelor's Degree$54,039$27,000
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject AreasBachelor's Degree$53,672$26,746
Fine and Studio ArtsMaster's Degree$53,301Not available
Special Education and TeachingBachelor's Degree$53,148$21,452
Biology, GeneralBachelor's Degree$52,086$23,630
Romance Languages, Literatures, and LinguisticsBachelor's Degree$51,151$21,250
JournalismBachelor's Degree$50,658$25,750
English Language and Literature, GeneralMaster's Degree$50,510Not available
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsBachelor's Degree$50,385$25,250
Psychology, GeneralBachelor's Degree$49,669$24,194
Communication Disorders Sciences and ServicesBachelor's Degree$49,653$22,500
Human Services, GeneralBachelor's Degree$49,514$27,000
Atmospheric Sciences and MeteorologyBachelor's Degree$49,198$26,500
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related ServicesBachelor's Degree$49,147$31,000
English Language and Literature, GeneralBachelor's Degree$47,981$25,375
Geography and CartographyBachelor's Degree$47,738Not available
HistoryBachelor's Degree$46,086$22,500
Fine and Studio ArtsBachelor's Degree$44,202$25,781
Drama/Theatre Arts and StagecraftMaster's Degree$42,708Not available
MusicMaster's Degree$41,850Not available
MusicBachelor's Degree$40,398$29,000
Drama/Theatre Arts and StagecraftBachelor's Degree$36,777$27,000
Biomedical/Medical EngineeringBachelor's DegreeNot available$20,521
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingBachelor's DegreeNot available$31,000

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.