Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois · Private, nonprofit

Of 79 assessed programs, 76 leave graduates out-earning a typical Illinois high-school graduate (about $36,082/yr) and 3 fall short. Another 258 could not be assessed.

What would this cost you?

My family earns and I expect to take

Family income	Net price per year
Under $30k	$1,764
$30k to $48k	$6,099
$48k to $75k	$7,898
$75k to $110k	$18,282
$110k and up	$48,777
All families (average)	$29,167

Net price is the yearly cost after grants and scholarships, by family income (College Scorecard). It reflects students who received federal aid.

Program earnings vs a high-school graduate

Earnings are measured four years after completion when available. Where four-year earnings are suppressed, one-year earnings are shown and marked 1-year earnings. One-year and four-year figures reflect different career stages and should not be compared as if measured at the same time.

79 of 337 programs could be assessed 23% have an earnings verdict

Programs by earnings versus a typical Illinois high-school graduate.
Program	Degree	Median earnings	vs a high-school grad	Verdict	Median debt	Years to repay	Recent completers
Management Science	Master's Degree	$180,186	+$144,104	clears the bar	$42,454	0.3 yrs	1,665
Radio, TV and Digital Media	Master's Degree	$116,019	+$79,937	clears the bar	$37,695	0.5 yrs	431
Counseling Psychology	Master's Degree	$60,758	+$24,676	clears the bar	$153,657	6.2 yrs	347
Business Administration	Master's Degree	$244,399	+$208,317	clears the bar	$172,164	0.8 yrs	347
Economics	Bachelor's Degree	$126,006	+$89,924	clears the bar	$15,250	0.2 yrs	335
Law	First Professional Degree	$291,132	+$255,050	clears the bar	$154,286	0.6 yrs	290
Radio, TV and Digital Media	Bachelor's Degree	$51,471	+$15,389	clears the bar	$15,000	1.0 yrs	253
Medicine	First Professional Degree	$94,158	+$58,076	clears the bar	$201,568	3.5 yrs	154
Psychology	Bachelor's Degree	$73,646	+$37,564	clears the bar	$13,500	0.4 yrs	153
Biology	Bachelor's Degree	$71,181	+$35,099	clears the bar	$14,684	0.4 yrs	150
Business	Master's Degree	$240,637	+$204,555	clears the bar	$76,735	0.4 yrs	112
Legal Professions and Studies, Other	Master's Degree	$102,193	+$66,111	clears the bar	$61,372	0.9 yrs	110
Political Science	Bachelor's Degree	$73,231	+$37,149	clears the bar	$16,834	0.5 yrs	110
Neuroscience	Bachelor's Degree	$54,279	+$18,197	clears the bar	$17,309	1.0 yrs	103
Computer Science	Bachelor's Degree	$155,106	+$119,024	clears the bar	$14,646	0.1 yrs	102
Engineering, Other	Master's Degree	$211,469	+$175,387	clears the bar	$64,256	0.4 yrs	101
Computer Science	Master's Degree	$197,823	+$161,741	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	96
Communications and Media	Bachelor's Degree	$93,541	+$57,459	clears the bar	$17,687	0.3 yrs	90
Theatre	Bachelor's Degree	$49,316	+$13,234	clears the bar	$17,000	1.3 yrs	90
Public Administration	Master's Degree	$98,798	+$62,716	clears the bar	$44,568	0.7 yrs	87
Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management	Master's Degree	$69,411	+$33,329	clears the bar	$75,398	2.3 yrs	87
Music	Bachelor's Degree	$53,875	+$17,793	clears the bar	$18,039	1.0 yrs	86
Information Science	Bachelor's Degree	$163,740	+$127,658	clears the bar	$11,425	0.1 yrs	78
Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology	Master's Degree	$71,781	+$35,699	clears the bar	$116,714	3.3 yrs	73
Mechanical Engineering	Bachelor's Degree	$98,277	+$62,195	clears the bar	$13,942	0.2 yrs	72
Community Organization and Advocacy	Bachelor's Degree	$84,712	+$48,630	clears the bar	$13,500	0.3 yrs	71
History	Bachelor's Degree	$78,966	+$42,884	clears the bar	$15,917	0.4 yrs	63
Mathematics	Bachelor's Degree	$107,072	+$70,990	clears the bar	$12,418	0.2 yrs	62
Music	Master's Degree	$34,062	-$2,020	falls short	$47,600	insufficient data	62
English	Bachelor's Degree	$62,147	+$26,065	clears the bar	$15,450	0.6 yrs	56
Statistics	Bachelor's Degree	$122,682	+$86,600	clears the bar	$14,234	0.2 yrs	56
Chemistry	Doctoral Degree	$116,234	+$80,152	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	56
Industrial Engineering	Bachelor's Degree	$138,720	+$102,638	clears the bar	$18,000	0.2 yrs	55
Kinesiology and Physical Education	Master's Degree	$82,178	+$46,096	clears the bar	$38,772	0.8 yrs	53
Public Health	Bachelor's Degree	$39,956 1-year earnings	+$3,874	clears the bar	$14,684	3.8 yrs	53
Public Health	Master's Degree	$82,202	+$46,120	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	53
Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education	Master's Degree	$65,919	+$29,837	clears the bar	$50,612	1.7 yrs	52
Health Sciences	Master's Degree	$110,591	+$74,509	clears the bar	$41,869	0.6 yrs	52
Information Science	Master's Degree	$141,026	+$104,944	clears the bar	$39,844	0.4 yrs	50
Mental Health and Counseling Services	Master's Degree	$83,218	+$47,136	clears the bar	$139,267	3.0 yrs	48
Physical and Occupational Therapy	Master's Degree	$85,999	+$49,917	clears the bar	$112,106	2.2 yrs	48
Public Policy Analysis	Bachelor's Degree	$78,752	+$42,670	clears the bar	$18,750	0.4 yrs	47
Public Relations and Advertising	Master's Degree	$96,250	+$60,168	clears the bar	$54,057	0.9 yrs	43
Biomedical Engineering	Bachelor's Degree	$102,994	+$66,912	clears the bar	$16,833	0.3 yrs	43
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences	Doctoral Degree	$117,797	+$81,715	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	41
Biomedical Engineering	Master's Degree	$95,167	+$59,085	clears the bar	$70,280	1.2 yrs	40
Biotechnology	Master's Degree	$75,972 1-year earnings	+$39,890	clears the bar	$82,387	2.1 yrs	40
Engineering-Related Fields	Master's Degree	$136,480	+$100,398	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	36
Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology	Doctoral Degree	$91,009	+$54,927	clears the bar	$63,500	1.2 yrs	36
Mechanical Engineering	Master's Degree	$83,978 1-year earnings	+$47,896	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	35
Allied Health Diagnostics and Treatment	Master's Degree	$130,944	+$94,862	clears the bar	$148,699	1.6 yrs	35
Chemical Engineering	Bachelor's Degree	$111,040	+$74,958	clears the bar	$16,500	0.2 yrs	34
Applied Mathematics	Bachelor's Degree	$148,740	+$112,658	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	34
International Relations	Bachelor's Degree	$74,477	+$38,395	clears the bar	$19,234	0.5 yrs	34
Manufacturing Engineering	Bachelor's Degree	$97,819	+$61,737	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	27
Medical Clinical Sciences/Graduate Medical Studies	Master's Degree	$189,578	+$153,496	clears the bar	$81,076	0.5 yrs	27
Educational Administration	Master's Degree	$78,655	+$42,573	clears the bar	$26,252	0.6 yrs	26
Sociology	Bachelor's Degree	$75,267	+$39,185	clears the bar	$13,622	0.3 yrs	25
Psychology, Other	Bachelor's Degree	$62,905	+$26,823	clears the bar	$11,630	0.4 yrs	23
Music	Doctoral Degree	$66,572	+$30,490	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	22
Theatre	Master's Degree	$25,804 1-year earnings	-$10,278	falls short	$73,654	insufficient data	21
Medical Illustration and Informatics	Master's Degree	$132,068	+$95,986	clears the bar	$45,980	0.5 yrs	19
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians	Master's Degree	$129,403	+$93,321	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	18
Biology	Doctoral Degree	$86,946 1-year earnings	+$50,864	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	18
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies	Bachelor's Degree	$59,372	+$23,290	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	16
Human Resources	Bachelor's Degree	$108,498	+$72,416	clears the bar	$33,332	0.5 yrs	16
Psychology	Doctoral Degree	$71,819	+$35,737	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	12
Science Technologies/Technicians, Other	Master's Degree	$125,048	+$88,966	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	11
Anthropology	Bachelor's Degree	$33,208 1-year earnings	-$2,874	falls short	insufficient data	insufficient data	10
History	Doctoral Degree	$70,118	+$34,036	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	9
Liberal Arts and General Studies	Bachelor's Degree	$93,180	+$57,098	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
Communications and Media	Master's Degree	$116,101	+$80,019	clears the bar	$55,813	0.7 yrs	0
Journalism	Bachelor's Degree	$80,258	+$44,176	clears the bar	$14,834	0.3 yrs	0
Journalism	Master's Degree	$70,715	+$34,633	clears the bar	$64,766	1.9 yrs	0
Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other	Master's Degree	$126,571	+$90,489	clears the bar	$68,589	0.8 yrs	0
Community Organization and Advocacy	Master's Degree	$168,632	+$132,550	clears the bar	$69,011	0.5 yrs	0
Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies	First Professional Degree	$155,436	+$119,354	clears the bar	$75,943	0.6 yrs	insufficient data
Liberal Arts and General Studies	Post-baccalaureate Certificate	$100,964	+$64,882	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data
Physical and Occupational Therapy	Doctoral Degree	$82,633	+$46,551	clears the bar	$168,092	3.6 yrs	insufficient data
Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	335
Finance	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	320
Marketing	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	242
Physical and Occupational Therapy	First Professional Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	93
Liberal Arts and General Studies	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	78
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians, Other	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	55
Economics	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	55
Sustainability Studies	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	43
Business/Managerial Economics	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	39
Civil Engineering	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	33
Economics	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	31
Finance	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	31
Materials Engineering	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	26
Human Resources	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	24
Computer Engineering	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	23
Natural Resources and Conservation	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	22
Research Psychology	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	22
Materials Engineering	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	21
Biomedical Engineering	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	20
Electrical Engineering	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	20
Philosophy	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	20
Materials Engineering	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	19
Non-Professional Legal Studies	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	19
Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	19
Chemistry	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	19
Mechanical Engineering	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	18
Statistics	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	18
Chemical Engineering	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	17
Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	17
Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	17
Neuroscience	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	17
Physics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	17
Community Organization and Advocacy	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	17
Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	17
Civil Engineering	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	16
Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology	First Professional Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	16
Computer Engineering	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	15
Industrial Engineering	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	15
Healthcare Administration	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	15
Computer and Information Science	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	14
Fine Arts	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	14
History	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	14
Neuroscience	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	13
Health/Medical Preparatory Programs	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	13
Area Studies	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	12
Education, Other	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	12
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	12
Sociology	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	12
Civil Engineering	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	11
Electrical Engineering	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	11
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	11
Sociology	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	11
Mathematics	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	10
Applied Mathematics	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	10
Political Science	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	10
Film and Photography	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	10
Management Science	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	10
Computer and Information Science	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	9
Computer Science	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	9
Chemical Engineering	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	9
Industrial Engineering	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	9
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	9
English	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	9
Botany/Plant Biology	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	9
Biological and Physical Sciences	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	9
Science, Technology and Society	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	9
Health Professions Education, Ethics, and Humanities	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	9
Engineering Physics	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	8
Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	8
English	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	8
Liberal Arts and General Studies	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	8

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release 2026-06-10. Earnings are medians measured four years after completion where available (programs shown with a 1-year figure are marked), compared with the state high-school-graduate benchmark ($36,082/yr). Debt is federal loans only. Suppressed values are shown as insufficient data, never imputed. Figures describe past graduates and are never a promise.