NIU not ranked in top 10 Illinois universities with highest paid graduates
Freshman psychology major Jason Betts Jr. (left) and sophomore English major Jalen Olajuwon walk down Lucinda Avenue on April 28, 2014, following a workout at the Recreation Center.
September 16, 2015
A website recently released by the U.S. Department of Education does not rank NIU in a list of top 10 Illinois universities with the highest paid graduates.
CollegeScorecard.ed.gov compiles information on every college and university in the country. The website breaks down data state by state and includes data on tuition cost, financial aid, student debt and average SAT/ACT scores.
Rush University comes in at number one for the top 10 universities in Illinois with the highest paid graduates, with earnings of $74,300 and careers related to the medical field, according to College Scoreboard. NIU did not make the list, with students earning $43,900 on average after graduation.
Here are more numbers detailing how NIU stands up to other schools:
Postgraduate earnings vs. post-high school earnings
On average, 69 percent of students who attend NIU earn more than students with a high school diploma, according to College Scoreboard.
Cost
NIU’s average annual cost is $19,624 compared with $16,789 nationally, according to College Scoreboard.
Debt payment
More than 80 percent of NIU students pay down their debt compared to the national average of 67 percent, according to College Scorecard. The typical debt is $23,500 for undergraduate students who complete college, while the typical monthly loan payment is $126 per month, according to College Scoreboard.
