Master's+19% vs national median7,972 grads tracked
Education at Northern Illinois University
Ranked 28th of 335 master's programs in Education by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$71,158
middle 50%: $56,999 – $88,293
Median · 5 years out
$83,281
middle 50%: $66,741 – $105,201
Median · 10 years out
$96,219
middle 50%: $76,579 – $119,229
Salary trajectory
Median earnings vs the national median for Education (master's) graduates.
This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates
Northern Illinois University education master's graduates earn $71k starting out. Ten-year median salaries reach $96k.
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
4.6 yrs
≈ $4,880 total interest
Same major at other universities
Central Connecticut State University
$85,475 · 5 yrs out
Concordia University - Saint Paul
$85,361 · 5 yrs out
University of Massachusetts at Boston
$84,993 · 5 yrs out
Bridgewater State University
$84,481 · 5 yrs out
Judson University
$83,978 · 5 yrs out
Prairie View Agricultural & Mechanical University
$83,313 · 5 yrs out
Hamline University
$81,731 · 5 yrs out
University of Houston - Downtown
$81,043 · 5 yrs out
State University of New York at New Paltz
$80,907 · 5 yrs out
Augsburg University
$80,773 · 5 yrs out
George Mason University
$80,576 · 5 yrs out
University of Massachusetts - Lowell
$80,512 · 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
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