Northeastern Illinois University
Chicago, IL 60625-4699
About Northeastern Illinois University
Northeastern Illinois University is a public research university in Chicago, Illinois, serving roughly 3,982 students. Admission is moderately selective for first-time degree-seeking undergraduates reporting admissions data to the Education Department. The acceptance rate is about 74.60% in the latest College Scorecard admissions data. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $52,234 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- Northeastern Illinois University charges about 2.2× the national public median tuition ($12,383).
- Versus the Illinois median, sticker tuition is 7% below.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 21.65%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $52,234.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at Northeastern Illinois University is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 826% using Scorecard cost and 10-year earnings fields in this extract.
Interpretation: On this institution-wide model, typical graduate earnings over a decade substantially exceed estimated net education cost.
Limitation: ROI is institution-wide and not program-specific; individual outcomes vary by major, aid package, and labor market.
Finding
Northeastern Illinois University awards credentials across a wide program mix.
IPEDS completions cover more than 57 distinct degree programs at this campus.
Interpretation: Institutional averages blend very different fields; program-level completions and earnings matter more than the campus mean alone.
Limitation: Completions counts are not enrollment demand and do not measure program quality.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northeastern Illinois University | $12,383 | $14,109 | 1 |
| Public (national median) | $5,512 | — | 1,688 |
| Illinois (state median) | $13,248 | $7,399 | 131 |
| Urban (City) (locale median) | $15,200 | $20,053 | 1,346 |
| United States (national median) | $11,900 | $17,156 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
How expensive is Northeastern Illinois University really?
Key findings
- Northeastern Illinois University charges about 2.2× the national public median tuition ($12,383).
- Versus the Illinois median, sticker tuition is 7% below.
Northeastern Illinois University tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $12,383
Finding Northeastern Illinois University charges about 2.2× the national public median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $12,383. That is about 2.2× the national public median ($5,512). Versus the Illinois median ($13,248), sticker tuition is 7% below. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is 4% above.
Method Sticker tuition compared with Scorecard-derived medians by ownership, state, locale, and national rollups when available.
Interpretation Published tuition measures sticker price relative to public and geographic peers; it does not equal what undergraduates typically pay after aid.
Limitation Sticker comparisons omit room, board, and institutional aid; average net price and income-band net prices are the stronger signals of typical family cost.
Evidence: published tuition at Northeastern Illinois University versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at Northeastern Illinois University versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at Northeastern Illinois University is $14,109.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $14,109 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $6,710 above the Illinois median net price. Versus urban (city) campuses, net price runs $5,944 below the locale median.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
Key takeaway At Northeastern Illinois University, average net price exceeds published tuition alone because net price uses a fuller cost-of-attendance base.
Northeastern Illinois University: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for Northeastern Illinois University—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
The combination of completion and 10-year earnings is a multidimensional outcomes signal; it does not measure educational quality by itself.
Financial profile
In-state tuition
$12,383
Out-of-state tuition
$22,726
Avg. net price
$14,109
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $13,709 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $12,824 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $15,077 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $20,464 |
| $110,001+ | $25,001 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $49,532. See cost investigation.
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What Northeastern Illinois University is known for
Top program completions
- Social Work144
- Computer Science125
- Psychology, General79
- Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies67
- Special Education and Teaching, General58
See earnings & programs for more.
Admissions landscape
- Broad access — most applicants are admitted.
- Yield: 9% of admitted students enrolled.
See Admissions for the full funnel.
Is Northeastern Illinois University a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
Northeastern Illinois University is a good school for those looking for strong completion alongside solid mid-career earnings.
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for Northeastern Illinois University.
Campus
Location
Chicago, IL
City / state
- ZIP
- 60625-4699
- NCES locale
- City
Compared with Urban (City) campuses nationally, net price is 30% below the median for Urban (City) campuses ($20,053 median).
Control
Institution type
Public
Control
- Region
- Great Lakes
- Carnegie
- Master's Colleges and Universities: Medium Programs
Size
Enrollment
3,982
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 5,042
- Graduate
- 1,508
- Full-time share
- 64%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$14,600
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 55.67%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for Northeastern Illinois University.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Northeastern Illinois University was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Northeastern Illinois University in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $8,460 | $15,348 | $15,952 |
| 2014 | $8,868 | $16,164 | $16,619 |
| 2015 | $9,351 | $17,079 | $15,591 |
| 2016 | $10,138 | $18,514 | $16,285 |
| 2017 | $10,736 | $19,792 | $17,312 |
| 2018 | $11,218 | $20,726 | $19,287 |
| 2019 | $11,462 | $21,161 | $15,843 |
| 2020 | $11,827 | $21,720 | $14,590 |
| 2021 | $12,064 | $22,155 | $13,555 |
| 2022 | $12,101 | $22,192 | $13,209 |
| 2023 | $12,383 | $22,726 | $13,550 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
This institution has a moderate acceptance rate, accepting most qualified applicants.
Applicants → admits → first-time enrollment from College Scorecard / IPEDS. Bar widths are scaled for readability at highly selective schools.
Test Scores
Test score data is not available for this institution.
Score distribution is not available for this institution.
Academic Requirements
GPA requirements are not published by this institution. Contact the admissions office for specific academic requirements.
Estimated GPA range is not available for this institution.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
Northeastern Illinois University reported total enrollment of about 3,982 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 43% male and 57% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes Hispanic or Latino (52.3%), White (15.8%), and Black or African American (12.0%). About 55.67% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 50.9% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
63.7% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Northeastern Illinois University in 2024 is 3,982 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 5,042 students. Graduate enrollment is about 1,508 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
52.3%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
7.06% 100% Completion Time
21.65% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 7.06% of students graduating from Northeastern Illinois University completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Social Work: 19% male / 81% female
- Computer Science: 77% male / 23% female
- Psychology, General: 27% male / 73% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
Northeastern Illinois University graduates earn a median of $52,234 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of Northeastern Illinois University.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $52,234. Median federal loan debt: $14,600. Average net price used in cost models: $14,109.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway Northeastern Illinois University graduates report median earnings of $52,234 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for Northeastern Illinois University.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (57 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at Northeastern Illinois University.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for Northeastern Illinois University graduates.
How financially powerful is this institution?
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for Northeastern Illinois University—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Institutional endowment
$13.7M
End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023
- Illinois median 0.48× the median ($28.5M)
- Great Lakes median 0.43× the median ($31.8M)
- U.S. median 0.52× the median ($26.4M)
- Illinois median 0.22× the median ($15,173)
- Great Lakes median 0.20× the median ($16,690)
- U.S. median 0.27× the median ($12,100)
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 68.1%
- Illinois median 17.3 pp above median (50.8%)
- Great Lakes median 10.1 pp above median (58.1%)
- U.S. median 10.2 pp above median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $9,265
- Illinois median 1.1× the median ($8,563)
- Great Lakes median 1.2× the median ($8,046)
- U.S. median 1.2× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $18,253
- Illinois median 2.4× the median ($7,575)
- Great Lakes median 2.4× the median ($7,690)
- U.S. median 2.5× the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
Northeastern Illinois University at a glance
Northeastern Illinois University
Northeastern Illinois University is a public institution in Chicago, IL, classified as Master's Colleges and Universities: Medium Programs.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Social WorkComputer SciencePsychology, General
- Largest enrollment groups
- Hispanic or Latino52.3%White or Caucasian15.8%Black or African American12.0%
Schools near Northeastern Illinois University
Other campuses in Chicago, IL when available, plus nearby institutions in Illinois.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade D) within Illinois, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Northeastern Illinois University located?
Northeastern Illinois University is located in Chicago, IL.
What is Northeastern Illinois University's acceptance rate?
The acceptance rate at Northeastern Illinois University is 74.6% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data. IPEDS reports 8,481 applicants and 5,971 admits in the latest admissions cycle in our extract.
What is Northeastern Illinois University's tuition?
Northeastern Illinois University tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $12,383 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $14,109 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does Northeastern Illinois University cost?
Reported tuition is $12,383 and average net price is $14,109 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $10,390 annually.
What explains Northeastern Illinois University's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($14,109), completion (21.6% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($52,234). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.
What is the student body demographics at Northeastern Illinois University?
Northeastern Illinois University reports undergraduate enrollment of about 5,042 students, Hispanic or Latino (52.3%), White (15.8%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Northeastern Illinois University?
About 50.9% of students at Northeastern Illinois University are first-generation college students.
What do graduates of Northeastern Illinois University earn?
Median earnings are $43,801 six years after entry and $52,234 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Northeastern Illinois University?
The 150%-time completion rate is 21.6% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Northeastern Illinois University students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $14,600.
Is Northeastern Illinois University public or private?
Northeastern Illinois University is a public institution located in Chicago, IL.
Is Northeastern Illinois University an HBCU?
No. Northeastern Illinois University is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology & Data Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.