All Northern Illinois University majors by area
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 10
- Health & Medicine · 9
- Humanities & Languages · 8
- Science & Math · 8
- Business & Finance · 7
- Engineering · 6
- Arts & Design · 3
- Education · 3
- Communications & Media · 2
- Technology & Computing · 1
| Major | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Laboratory Science | $70,654 | $76,856 | $23,750 |
| Pre-Med / Pre-Health | $31,899 | $55,778 | $27,000 |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | $41,139 | $55,586 | $29,804 |
| Dietetics | $29,911 | $55,221 | $27,000 |
| Kinesiology / Exercise Science | $32,158 | $54,207 | $27,418 |
| Speech-Language Pathology / Communication Disorders | $34,136 | $49,653 | $22,500 |
| Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech) | — | — | — |
| Nursing | $75,557 | — | $31,000 |
| Public Health | — | — | — |
| Major | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal Arts / General Studies | $29,426 | $57,697 | $30,839 |
| Spanish / French / Romance Languages | $40,586 | $51,151 | $21,250 |
| English | $34,122 | $47,981 | $25,375 |
| History | $33,288 | $46,086 | $22,500 |
| Ethnic / Gender Studies | — | — | — |
| German | — | — | — |
| Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | — | — | — |
| Philosophy | — | — | — |
| Major | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | $44,857 | $69,856 | $25,044 |
| Chemistry | $43,061 | $65,611 | $23,023 |
| Environmental Science / Conservation | $36,409 | $54,666 | $26,625 |
| Biology | $38,137 | $52,086 | $23,630 |
| Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology | — | $49,198 | $26,500 |
| Geology / Earth Science | — | — | — |
| Physics | — | — | — |
| Statistics | — | — | — |
| Major | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Finance | $54,802 | $86,511 | $19,500 |
| Accounting | $63,743 | $83,573 | $18,500 |
| Marketing | $51,137 | $76,373 | $23,875 |
| Business Administration | $52,724 | $73,176 | $22,500 |
| Management Science / Analytics | $51,128 | $71,040 | $21,600 |
| Economics | $45,386 | $66,760 | $25,879 |
| Hospitality Management | $32,337 | $58,546 | $25,001 |
| Major | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical Engineering | $74,442 | $93,962 | $25,000 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $68,069 | $86,999 | $25,000 |
| Industrial Engineering | $72,112 | $82,584 | $23,750 |
| Engineering Technologies / Technicians | $62,117 | $81,554 | $27,274 |
| Biomedical Engineering | $54,047 | — | $20,521 |
| Engineering | — | — | — |
| Major | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio Art | $26,795 | $44,202 | $25,781 |
| Music | $42,830 | $40,398 | $29,000 |
| Theatre | $23,517 | $36,777 | $27,000 |
| Major | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Subject Teaching) | $45,184 | $53,672 | $26,746 |
| Special Education | $46,578 | $53,148 | $21,452 |
| Education (Elementary / Secondary) | $44,214 | $50,385 | $25,250 |
| Major | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Communications | $38,490 | $55,109 | $27,000 |
| Journalism | $31,753 | $50,658 | $25,750 |
| Major | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | $77,257 | $93,438 | $22,966 |
College Scorecard field of study, latest release: median earnings of graduates who received federal aid, 1 and 4 years after graduating; median federal loan debt. — means too few graduates to report.
From major to career
Communications → Public relations specialist
Median annual wage for all workers in this job. U.S. jobs projected to grow 1.8% from 2025 to 2035. Typical entry education: bachelor's degree.
BLS OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Business Administration → Management analyst
Median annual wage for all workers in this job. U.S. jobs projected to grow 10.1% from 2025 to 2035. Typical entry education: bachelor's degree.
BLS OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Across all majors, former Northern Illinois University students earn a median $57,808 ten years after starting college, more than 46% of Illinois colleges we cover. 49% graduate within six years.
Northern Illinois University majors questions
How many majors does Northern Illinois University offer?
Northern Illinois University offers 57 bachelor's majors across 10 areas; the most majors are in Social Sciences & Public Service and Health & Medicine.
What is the highest-paying major at Northern Illinois University?
Electrical Engineering graduates from Northern Illinois University earn a median $93,962 four years after graduating, the highest of the 43 majors with reported earnings. Their median debt is $25,000.
Which Northern Illinois University majors earn the least?
Among majors with reported earnings, Theatre graduates earn the least: a median $36,777 four years after graduating.
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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections). Back to Northern Illinois University overview