10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
−$69,244at year 10Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
Public · COLLEGE PAYOFF
Northern Illinois University
Dekalb, IL · 70 field-and-degree records
Earnings reported for 68 · Federal debt reported for 42
Based onObserved earnings + college priceEstimate10-year payoff
Estimated 10-year payoff
Negative payoff
−$69,244 over 10 years
Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.
14.2 yrsTime to earn back the modeled cost
−30%Estimated return after 10 years
$61,432Observed 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: $13,900 housing and food allowance plus $2,422 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−$15,680
$8,000Annual price−$47,680
$13,000Current college-wide context−$67,680
$16,000Annual price−$79,680
$24,000Annual price−$111,680
$32,000Annual price−$143,680
$40,000Annual price−$175,680
HOW STUDENTS ATTEND · 2023-24
Most students take at least some classes online.
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
$13,391Average net price / year
$28,851Cost of attendance
$22,162Median federal student debt · completer borrowers
$235/moPublished 10-year payment estimate
$61,432Median earnings · year 5 after completion
48.7%Completion rate
69.8%Admission rate
11,301Student 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 Northern Illinois University
What does Northern Illinois University cost?
Northern Illinois University reports an average annual net price of $13,391 after grants and scholarships. This is an institution-wide average, not an individual aid offer.
What do Northern Illinois University graduates earn?
The observed median earnings figure is $61,432 5 years after completion. It describes a federal cohort, not a guaranteed starting salary.
How much federal debt do Northern Illinois University graduates have?
Completer borrowers report median cumulative federal student debt of $22,162. Parent PLUS and private loans are not included.
Is every degree at Northern Illinois University worth the same?
No. The current release contains 70 field-and-degree records for Northern Illinois University; 68 report year-4 earnings and 42 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
17,142Students enrolled at any point
12,360Undergraduate students
4,782Graduate 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
58% received a Pell Grant within eight yearsMedian Parent PLUS debt
1,561 parent borrowers in the reported cohortMedian federal student debt
57% making progress in repayment after three yearsStudent family incomeMedian earnings after 10 yearsObserved federal cohorts
Lower income$53,345Earnings are not a guarantee
Middle income$58,600Earnings are not a guarantee
Higher income$62,614Earnings are not a guarantee
Three-year repayment progress
Lower income45%
Middle income64%
Higher income74%
Undergraduate student composition
White42%
Black21%
Hispanic26%
Asian6%
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
Accounting and Related Services.Master’s degree · Broad federal field 52
$82,231Year 1
$113,924Year 5
$147,533Year 10
Computer Programming.Master’s degree · Broad federal field 11
$77,060Year 1
$113,791Year 5
$139,818Year 10
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering.Master’s degree · Broad federal field 14
$73,047Year 1
$110,211Year 5
$137,845Year 10
Computer Programming.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 11
$74,668Year 1
$94,594Year 5
$135,264Year 10
Community Organization and Advocacy.Master’s degree · Broad federal field 44
$76,214Year 1
$90,481Year 5
$127,005Year 10
Architectural Engineering Technologies/Technicians.Master’s degree · Broad federal field 15
$101,595Year 1
$102,889Year 5
$121,802Year 10
Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education.Doctoral, research/scholarship · Broad federal field 13
$113,530Year 1
$116,958Year 5
$119,554Year 10
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 14
$69,539Year 1
$89,755Year 5
$114,819Year 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
$45,902Year 1
$64,583Year 4
$61,432Year 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.
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$86,999Observed 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.
1Curriculum and InstructionDoctoral Degree · $117,352 reported+41%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt2Apparel and TextilesBachelor's Degree · $68,636 reported+19%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt3AnthropologyBachelor's Degree · $54,890 reported+18%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt4Business Administration, Management and OperationsMaster's Degree · $119,872 reported+16%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt5Educational/Instructional Media DesignMaster's Degree · $79,429 reported+12%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt6MarketingBachelor's Degree · $76,373 reported+10%vs same-degree national median$23,875federal debt
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%
University of Illinois Springfield
- Annual net price
- $9,833
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $62,698
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -19%
Northeastern Illinois University
- Annual net price
- $14,109
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $56,675
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -51%
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
- Annual net price
- $13,297
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $55,667
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -54%
Compare fields and degree levels
Showing the 40 highest-earning records from 70 field-and-degree records. Use the program directory to search the complete set.
| Major or field | Degree level | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | 2024–25 graduates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Master's Degree | $120,765 | Not available | Not reported |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Master's Degree | $119,872 | Not available | Not reported |
| Curriculum and Instruction | Doctoral Degree | $117,352 | Not available | 5 |
| Mechanical Engineering | Master's Degree | $107,338 | Not available | Not reported |
| Accounting and Related Services | Master's Degree | $101,106 | Not available | Not reported |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $93,962 | $25,000 | Not reported |
| Computer Science | Bachelor's Degree | $93,438 | $22,966 | Not reported |
| Mechanical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $86,999 | $25,000 | Not reported |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | Bachelor's Degree | $86,511 | $19,500 | Not reported |
| Psychology, General | Doctoral Degree | $85,719 | Not available | 13 |
| Accounting and Related Services | Bachelor's Degree | $83,573 | $18,500 | Not reported |
| Public Administration | Master's Degree | $82,907 | Not available | Not reported |
| Industrial Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $82,584 | $23,750 | Not reported |
| Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General | Bachelor's Degree | $81,554 | $27,274 | Not reported |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | Doctoral Degree | $80,885 | Not available | 28 |
| Educational/Instructional Media Design | Master's Degree | $79,429 | Not available | Not reported |
| Law | First Professional Degree | $78,459 | Not available | Not reported |
| Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions | Bachelor's Degree | $76,856 | $23,750 | Not reported |
| Marketing | Bachelor's Degree | $76,373 | $23,875 | Not reported |
| Public Health | Master's Degree | $74,989 | Not available | Not reported |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Bachelor's Degree | $73,176 | $22,500 | Not reported |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | Master's Degree | $72,883 | Not available | 15 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | Bachelor's Degree | $71,040 | $21,600 | Not reported |
| Mathematics | Bachelor's Degree | $69,856 | $25,044 | Not reported |
| Apparel and Textiles | Bachelor's Degree | $68,636 | Not available | Not reported |
| Economics | Bachelor's Degree | $66,760 | $25,879 | Not reported |
| Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services | Master's Degree | $66,367 | Not available | Not reported |
| Chemistry | Bachelor's Degree | $65,611 | $23,023 | Not reported |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | Master's Degree | $65,500 | Not available | Not reported |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | Master's Degree | $65,493 | Not available | Not reported |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | Master's Degree | $65,145 | Not available | Not reported |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | Master's Degree | $63,768 | Not available | Not reported |
| Special Education and Teaching | Master's Degree | $62,066 | Not available | Not reported |
| Student Counseling and Personnel Services | Master's Degree | $59,834 | Not available | Not reported |
| Education, General | Master's Degree | $59,110 | Not available | Not reported |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | Bachelor's Degree | $58,546 | $25,001 | Not reported |
| Sociology | Bachelor's Degree | $58,023 | $27,000 | Not reported |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | Bachelor's Degree | $57,697 | $30,839 | Not reported |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | Master's Degree | $56,678 | Not available | Not reported |
| Health/Medical Preparatory Programs | Bachelor's Degree | $55,778 | $27,000 | 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.
Search every Northern Illinois University program record →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.