# Northern Illinois University: Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology (bachelor's)

Dekalb, IL. IPEDS 147703, CIP 40.04. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/northern-illinois-university/majors/atmospheric-sciences-and-meteorology

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: not reported
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $49,198 (U.S. median for this major: $61,598 across 16 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $26,500 (U.S. median $25,250)
- Rank in IL: 2 of 2 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the U.S. median: -$12,400

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.39 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $49,198 minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IL (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $10,126 | $44,453 | 3.3 years |
| 30-48k | $9,854 | $43,259 | 3.2 years |
| 48-75k | $12,797 | $56,179 | 4.2 years |
| 75-110k | $17,612 | $77,317 | 5.8 years |
| 110k+ | $21,834 | $95,851 | 7.2 years |

Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score#value

## Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology at IL colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | $71,425 | $22,311 | $14,355 | 85% |
| Northern Illinois University | $49,198 | $26,500 | $13,391 | 49% |

## Careers
- Natural Sciences Managers (SOC 11-9121): median wage $167,040 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, $159,670 IL, $167,220 U.S.; U.S. jobs 8.2% by 2035
- Atmospheric and Space Scientists (SOC 19-2021): median wage $133,490 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, $112,280 IL, $99,070 U.S.; U.S. jobs 2.6% by 2035

## Sources and years
- Earnings (4 yr): Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars; debt: NSLDS pooled AY2018-19, AY2019-20 cohort

Free to reuse with attribution: cite "EducationGuide.com" with a link to the page URL. Most figures are U.S. government data (public domain); loan default rates and athletics come from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By 1.0, attribution required) and founding years from Wikidata (CC0).