Bachelor's-17% vs national median807 grads tracked
Economics at Northern Illinois University
Ranked 172nd of 225 bachelor's programs in Economics by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$42,356
middle 50%: $31,171 – $54,553
Median · 5 years out
$65,586
middle 50%: $50,467 – $83,092
Median · 10 years out
$82,771
middle 50%: $59,989 – $112,564
Salary trajectory
Median earnings vs the national median for Economics (bachelor's) graduates.
This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates
Economics bachelor's graduates begin with a median salary of $42k. Mid-career earnings reach $66k, rising to $83k after ten years.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau PSEO, release V4.13.0 2025Q4. Earnings are for graduates working in covered states; figures are medians in nominal dollars.
Will the degree pay for itself?
Drag the sliders — payback uses this program's actual salary curve.
Assumes a 6.5% APR loan and this program's median salary trajectory (interpolated between years 1, 5 and 10).
Paid off in
6.5 yrs
≈ $7,628 total interest
Same major at other universities
University of Missouri - Kansas City
$66,514 · 5 yrs out
University of Toledo
$66,251 · 5 yrs out
CUNY Lehman College
$66,099 · 5 yrs out
SUNY at Fredonia
$65,986 · 5 yrs out
West Virginia University
$65,986 · 5 yrs out
University of Wisconsin - River Falls
$65,743 · 5 yrs out
Indiana University Southeast
$65,458 · 5 yrs out
Montana State University Bozeman
$65,382 · 5 yrs out
Oklahoma State University
$65,353 · 5 yrs out
University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
$65,130 · 5 yrs out
Agnes Scott College
$64,930 · 5 yrs out
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
$64,854 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at Northern Illinois University
Education (Doctorate)
$119,874 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Master's)
$115,599 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Master's)
$111,551 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Master's)
$111,291 · 5 yrs out
Mathematics and Statistics (Doctorate)
$109,443 · 5 yrs out
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians (Master's)
$102,156 · 5 yrs out
Biomedical/Medical Engineering (Bachelor's)
$97,392 · 5 yrs out
Psychology (Doctorate)
$97,297 · 5 yrs out
Public Administration and Social Service Professions (Master's)
$95,329 · 5 yrs out
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's)
$95,041 · 5 yrs out
Mathematics and Statistics (Master's)
$93,400 · 5 yrs out
Social Sciences (Doctorate)
$92,787 · 5 yrs out