Northern Illinois University Rankings & Recognition

Northern Illinois University appears in 15 of CollegesRef's value rankings by major. Its best placement is #63 of 354 for marketing, and #4 of 16 ranked colleges in Illinois.

Northern Illinois University rankings by major

Source: CollegesRef value rankings from U.S. College Scorecard data, 2025

Each ranking compares bachelor's programs in one field. A college's value score is the weighted average of four percentiles among the ranked colleges: graduate earnings, average net price, debt compared with earnings, and graduation rate. Percentiles here are 100 for the best figure in the field. How the rankings work

Marketing

Ranked #63 of 354 for value

Marketing · 112 graduates

Earnings 4 yrs after: $76,373; Ranked-college median: $67,486
Median debt: $18,669; Ranked-college median: $19,523

Value score 66.3 of 100 · #4 of 16 in Illinois

Graduate earnings · 40% of score: 77th percentile
Average net price (lower is better) · 25% of score: 71th percentile
Debt compared with earnings (lower is better) · 20% of score: 76th percentile
Graduation rate · 15% of score: 17th percentile

Average net price $14,505 (median $17,699) · graduation rate 48.5% · debt is 24% of earnings

Ranked just above: Bentley University (#62)
Ranked just below: Maryville University of Saint Louis (#64)

Best colleges for marketing

Finance

Ranked #69 of 330 for value

Finance and Financial Management Services · 48 graduates

Earnings 4 yrs after: $86,511; Ranked-college median: $77,916
Median debt: $15,085; Ranked-college median: $19,500

Value score 65.3 of 100 · #3 of 17 in Illinois

Graduate earnings · 40% of score: 70th percentile
Average net price (lower is better) · 25% of score: 70th percentile
Debt compared with earnings (lower is better) · 20% of score: 88th percentile
Graduation rate · 15% of score: 16th percentile

Average net price $14,505 (median $17,502) · graduation rate 48.5% · debt is 17% of earnings

Ranked just above: University of North Florida (#68)
Ranked just below: University of South Carolina-Columbia (#70)

Best colleges for finance

Accounting

Ranked #90 of 408 for value

Accounting and Related Services · 104 graduates

Earnings 4 yrs after: $83,573; Ranked-college median: $76,108
Median debt: $15,000; Ranked-college median: $20,500

Value score 64.8 of 100 · #3 of 19 in Illinois

Graduate earnings · 40% of score: 67th percentile
Average net price (lower is better) · 25% of score: 68th percentile
Debt compared with earnings (lower is better) · 20% of score: 90th percentile
Graduation rate · 15% of score: 20th percentile

Average net price $14,505 (median $17,285) · graduation rate 48.5% · debt is 18% of earnings

Ranked just above: Adelphi University (#89)
Ranked just below: University of Kentucky (#91)

Best colleges for accounting

Mathematics

Ranked #104 of 208 for value

Mathematics · 17 graduates

Earnings 4 yrs after: $69,856; Ranked-college median: $71,273
Median debt: $15,000; Ranked-college median: $18,563

Value score 48.3 of 100 · #7 of 7 in Illinois

Graduate earnings · 40% of score: 45th percentile
Average net price (lower is better) · 25% of score: 68th percentile
Debt compared with earnings (lower is better) · 20% of score: 62th percentile
Graduation rate · 15% of score: 5th percentile

Average net price $14,505 (median $17,049) · graduation rate 48.5% · debt is 22% of earnings

Ranked just above: California State University-Stanislaus (#103)
Ranked just below: James Madison University (#105)

Best colleges for mathematics

Electrical engineering

Ranked #153 of 184 for value

Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering · 41 graduates

Earnings 4 yrs after: $93,962; Ranked-college median: $99,787
Median debt: $19,658; Ranked-college median: $20,732

Value score 32.1 of 100 · #4 of 4 in Illinois

Graduate earnings · 40% of score: 14th percentile
Average net price (lower is better) · 25% of score: 63th percentile
Debt compared with earnings (lower is better) · 20% of score: 49th percentile
Graduation rate · 15% of score: 6th percentile

Average net price $14,505 (median $16,125) · graduation rate 48.5% · debt is 21% of earnings

Ranked just above: Morgan State University (#152)
Ranked just below: University of Idaho (#154)

Best colleges for electrical engineering

Education

Ranked #163 of 521 for value

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods · 132 graduates

Earnings 4 yrs after: $50,385; Ranked-college median: $48,822
Median debt: $19,100; Ranked-college median: $21,500

Value score 59.9 of 100 · #10 of 26 in Illinois

Graduate earnings · 40% of score: 61th percentile
Average net price (lower is better) · 25% of score: 67th percentile
Debt compared with earnings (lower is better) · 20% of score: 73th percentile
Graduation rate · 15% of score: 28th percentile

Average net price $14,505 (median $17,201) · graduation rate 48.5% · debt is 38% of earnings

Ranked just above: Illinois State University (#162)
Ranked just below: North Carolina Central University (#164)

Best colleges for education

Business

Ranked #164 of 986 for value

Business Administration, Management and Operations · 95 graduates

Earnings 4 yrs after: $73,176; Ranked-college median: $64,860
Median debt: $19,500; Ranked-college median: $21,375

Value score 67.9 of 100 · #4 of 32 in Illinois

Graduate earnings · 40% of score: 75th percentile
Average net price (lower is better) · 25% of score: 71th percentile
Debt compared with earnings (lower is better) · 20% of score: 75th percentile
Graduation rate · 15% of score: 34th percentile

Average net price $14,505 (median $19,132) · graduation rate 48.5% · debt is 27% of earnings

Ranked just above: Western Michigan University (#163)
Ranked just below: Western Illinois University (#165)

Best colleges for business

Mechanical engineering

Ranked #191 of 276 for value

Mechanical Engineering · 119 graduates

Earnings 4 yrs after: $86,999; Ranked-college median: $91,366
Median debt: $16,731; Ranked-college median: $20,713

Value score 39.6 of 100 · #5 of 8 in Illinois

Graduate earnings · 40% of score: 16th percentile
Average net price (lower is better) · 25% of score: 69th percentile
Debt compared with earnings (lower is better) · 20% of score: 73th percentile
Graduation rate · 15% of score: 8th percentile

Average net price $14,505 (median $17,379) · graduation rate 48.5% · debt is 19% of earnings

Ranked just above: Rowan University (#190)
Ranked just below: Ohio University (#192)

Best colleges for mechanical engineering

Kinesiology and exercise science

Ranked #205 of 459 for value

Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness · 102 graduates

Earnings 4 yrs after: $54,207; Ranked-college median: $53,707
Median debt: $21,375; Ranked-college median: $21,500

Value score 53.2 of 100 · #8 of 17 in Illinois

Graduate earnings · 40% of score: 53th percentile
Average net price (lower is better) · 25% of score: 73th percentile
Debt compared with earnings (lower is better) · 20% of score: 51th percentile
Graduation rate · 15% of score: 26th percentile

Average net price $14,505 (median $18,314) · graduation rate 48.5% · debt is 39% of earnings

Ranked just above: University of Southern Indiana (#204)
Ranked just below: University of North Carolina at Greensboro (#206)

Best colleges for kinesiology and exercise science

Engineering

Ranked #216 of 327 for value

Mechanical Engineering · 119 graduates

Earnings 4 yrs after: $86,999; Ranked-college median: $91,742
Median debt: $16,731; Ranked-college median: $21,000

Value score 41 of 100 · #5 of 9 in Illinois

Graduate earnings · 40% of score: 20th percentile
Average net price (lower is better) · 25% of score: 69th percentile
Debt compared with earnings (lower is better) · 20% of score: 71th percentile
Graduation rate · 15% of score: 10th percentile

Average net price $14,505 (median $17,499) · graduation rate 48.5% · debt is 19% of earnings

Ranked just above: West Virginia University (#215)
Ranked just below: Murray State University-Kentucky (#217)

Best colleges for engineering

Computer science

Ranked #230 of 466 for value

Computer Science · 122 graduates

Earnings 4 yrs after: $93,438; Ranked-college median: $97,375
Median debt: $16,093; Ranked-college median: $19,500

Value score 49.5 of 100 · #10 of 20 in Illinois

Graduate earnings · 40% of score: 43th percentile
Average net price (lower is better) · 25% of score: 65th percentile
Debt compared with earnings (lower is better) · 20% of score: 66th percentile
Graduation rate · 15% of score: 19th percentile

Average net price $14,505 (median $16,804) · graduation rate 48.5% · debt is 17% of earnings

Ranked just above: University of Arkansas (#229)
Ranked just below: Sam Houston State University (#231)

Best colleges for computer science

Communications

Ranked #231 of 388 for value

Communication and Media Studies · 62 graduates

Earnings 4 yrs after: $55,109; Ranked-college median: $56,130
Median debt: $21,236; Ranked-college median: $19,593

Value score 44.9 of 100 · #11 of 16 in Illinois

Graduate earnings · 40% of score: 46th percentile
Average net price (lower is better) · 25% of score: 67th percentile
Debt compared with earnings (lower is better) · 20% of score: 36th percentile
Graduation rate · 15% of score: 18th percentile

Average net price $14,505 (median $17,285) · graduation rate 48.5% · debt is 39% of earnings

Ranked just above: Monmouth University (#230)
Ranked just below: Ohio University (#232)

Best colleges for communications

Political science

Ranked #334 of 388 for value

Political Science and Government · 53 graduates

Earnings 4 yrs after: $54,039; Ranked-college median: $63,181
Median debt: $19,899; Ranked-college median: $19,500

Value score 30.1 of 100 · #11 of 14 in Illinois

Graduate earnings · 40% of score: 17th percentile
Average net price (lower is better) · 25% of score: 72th percentile
Debt compared with earnings (lower is better) · 20% of score: 21th percentile
Graduation rate · 15% of score: 7th percentile

Average net price $14,505 (median $18,238) · graduation rate 48.5% · debt is 37% of earnings

Ranked just above: Loyola University New Orleans (#333)
Ranked just below: SUNY Brockport (#335)

Best colleges for political science

Psychology

Ranked #382 of 814 for value

Psychology, General · 214 graduates

Earnings 4 yrs after: $49,669; Ranked-college median: $51,007
Median debt: $19,000; Ranked-college median: $21,000

Value score 51.6 of 100 · #18 of 29 in Illinois

Graduate earnings · 40% of score: 43th percentile
Average net price (lower is better) · 25% of score: 73th percentile
Debt compared with earnings (lower is better) · 20% of score: 62th percentile
Graduation rate · 15% of score: 25th percentile

Average net price $14,505 (median $18,874) · graduation rate 48.5% · debt is 38% of earnings

Ranked just above: Park University (#381)
Ranked just below: Fresno Pacific University (#383)

Best colleges for psychology

Biology

Ranked #496 of 680 for value

Biology, General · 65 graduates

Earnings 4 yrs after: $52,086; Ranked-college median: $58,001
Median debt: $20,500; Ranked-college median: $20,717

Value score 37.9 of 100 · #22 of 24 in Illinois

Graduate earnings · 40% of score: 25th percentile
Average net price (lower is better) · 25% of score: 71th percentile
Debt compared with earnings (lower is better) · 20% of score: 35th percentile
Graduation rate · 15% of score: 21th percentile

Average net price $14,505 (median $18,049) · graduation rate 48.5% · debt is 39% of earnings