U.S. median for this major: $70,257.
College Scorecard field of study; 65 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 36% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $21,589.
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 Mathematics: 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.
Mathematics 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 | 1.3 years |
| $30–48k | $9,854 | $43,259 | 1.3 years |
| $48–75k | $12,797 | $56,179 | 1.6 years |
| $75–110k | $17,612 | $77,317 | 2.3 years |
| $110k+ | $21,834 | $95,851 | 2.8 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 Mathematics graduates 4 years after graduating ($69,856) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IL (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $34,059 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.
Mathematics at Illinois colleges
Every Illinois college we cover that reports Mathematics 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 | $172,826 | $12,000 | $14,860 | 96% |
| 2 | Northwestern University | $107,072 | $12,418 | $29,167 | 95% |
| 3 | DePaul University | $89,908 | $26,154 | $30,902 | 68% |
| 4 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | $78,891 | $20,847 | $14,355 | 85% |
| 5 | Illinois State University | $75,318 | $20,309 | $19,398 | 65% |
| 6 | University of Illinois Springfield | $72,681 | — | $9,833 | 53% |
| 7 | Northern Illinois University | $69,856 | $25,044 | $13,391 | 49% |
| 8 | University of Illinois Chicago | $67,016 | — | $10,974 | 62% |
| 9 | Northeastern Illinois University | $66,269 | $14,781 | $14,109 | 22% |
| 10 | Lewis University | $56,168 | — | $17,028 | 67% |
37 more Illinois colleges offer Mathematics but have too few graduates to report earnings.
Careers for Mathematics graduates
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs -0.2% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Data Scientists
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +34.6% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Natural Sciences Managers
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +8.2% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.
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
- Statistics—
- Management Science / Analytics$71,040
- Computer Science$93,438
Northern Illinois University Mathematics questions
How much do Northern Illinois University Mathematics graduates earn?
Mathematics graduates of Northern Illinois University earn a median $69,856 four years after graduating and $44,857 one year after. The U.S. median for Mathematics graduates across 309 colleges is $70,257.
How much debt do Northern Illinois University Mathematics graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Mathematics graduates of Northern Illinois University is $25,044, about 36% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $21,589.
Is Northern Illinois University a good school for Mathematics in Illinois?
On pay, Mathematics graduates of Northern Illinois University earn $69,856 four years out, $4,144 below the median for the same major across 10 Illinois colleges ($74,000) and $401 below the U.S. median ($70,257). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Northern Illinois University rank for Mathematics in Illinois?
Of 10 Illinois colleges reporting Mathematics graduate earnings, Northern Illinois University ranks 7th. The highest is University of Chicago at $172,826.
What jobs do Mathematics graduates get?
A common career is secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education, with a median wage of $98,970 in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN area and $72,040 nationally. Others include data scientists and natural sciences managers.
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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 Mathematics: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/northern-illinois-university/majors/mathematics (College Scorecard and BLS data).