U.S. median for this major: $52,601.
College Scorecard field of study; 87 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 53% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $27,000.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $28,851. College Scorecard.
Northern Illinois University Liberal Arts / General Studies: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.
Liberal Arts / General Studies nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →
Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income
Uses Northern Illinois University's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $10,126 | $44,453 | 2.0 years |
| $30–48k | $9,854 | $43,259 | 2.0 years |
| $48–75k | $12,797 | $56,179 | 2.6 years |
| $75–110k | $17,612 | $77,317 | 3.5 years |
| $110k+ | $21,834 | $95,851 | 4.4 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (33% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Liberal Arts / General Studies graduates 4 years after graduating ($57,697) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IL (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $21,900 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.
Liberal Arts / General Studies at Illinois colleges
Every Illinois college we cover that reports Liberal Arts / General Studies graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Chicago | $96,510 | — | $14,860 | 96% |
| 2 | Northwestern University | $93,180 | — | $29,167 | 95% |
| 3 | DePaul University | $86,444 | $42,350 | $30,902 | 68% |
| 4 | North Park University | $62,972 | — | $16,948 | 58% |
| 5 | Quincy University | $62,841 | — | $20,359 | 45% |
| 6 | Aurora University | $60,775 | $27,000 | $18,838 | 60% |
| 7 | Northern Illinois University | $57,697 | $30,839 | $13,391 | 49% |
| 8 | Western Illinois University | $55,944 | $28,750 | $12,937 | 45% |
| 9 | Northeastern Illinois University | $55,569 | $17,000 | $14,109 | 22% |
| 10 | Saint Xavier University | $54,826 | $31,000 | $10,970 | 57% |
| 11 | Eastern Illinois University | $52,078 | $24,250 | $12,786 | 47% |
| 12 | Illinois State University | $50,744 | $23,621 | $19,398 | 65% |
| 13 | Governors State University | $50,703 | $36,500 | $12,329 | 22% |
| 14 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | $43,236 | $28,544 | $13,297 | 62% |
| 15 | University of Illinois Springfield | $43,026 | $29,467 | $9,833 | 53% |
29 more Illinois colleges offer Liberal Arts / General Studies but have too few graduates to report earnings.
What families pay at Northern Illinois University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Northern Illinois University
- Acceptance rate: 70% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 49% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $57,808
- Full cost breakdown · all 57 majors · overview
Related majors at Northern Illinois University
- English$47,981
- History$46,086
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages$51,151
- Philosophy—
Northern Illinois University Liberal Arts / General Studies questions
How much do Northern Illinois University Liberal Arts / General Studies graduates earn?
Liberal Arts / General Studies graduates of Northern Illinois University earn a median $57,697 four years after graduating and $29,426 one year after. The U.S. median for Liberal Arts / General Studies graduates across 467 colleges is $52,601.
How much debt do Northern Illinois University Liberal Arts / General Studies graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Liberal Arts / General Studies graduates of Northern Illinois University is $30,839, about 53% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $27,000.
Is Northern Illinois University a good school for Liberal Arts / General Studies in Illinois?
On pay, Liberal Arts / General Studies graduates of Northern Illinois University earn $57,697 four years out, $1,753 above the median for the same major across 15 Illinois colleges ($55,944) and $5,096 above the U.S. median ($52,601). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Northern Illinois University rank for Liberal Arts / General Studies in Illinois?
Of 15 Illinois colleges reporting Liberal Arts / General Studies graduate earnings, Northern Illinois University ranks 7th. The highest is University of Chicago at $96,510.
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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Northern Illinois University Liberal Arts / General Studies: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/northern-illinois-university/majors/liberal-arts-general-studies (College Scorecard and BLS data).