Bachelor's-8% vs national median864 grads tracked
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering at Northern Illinois University
Ranked 108th of 129 bachelor's programs in Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$73,473
middle 50%: $56,225 – $85,200
Median · 5 years out
$95,041
middle 50%: $81,175 – $110,169
Median · 10 years out
$117,573
middle 50%: $98,563 – $142,826
Salary trajectory
Median earnings vs the national median for Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (bachelor's) graduates.
This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates
Engineering graduates earn a median of $73k in their first year. Salaries reach $118k after a decade.
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
4.3 yrs
≈ $4,561 total interest
Same major at other universities
Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis
$96,401 · 5 yrs out
University of Texas at El Paso
$95,810 · 5 yrs out
Southern Illinois University at Carbondale
$95,729 · 5 yrs out
Pennsylvania State University (The) - Harrisburg
$95,220 · 5 yrs out
Pennsylvania State University (The) - New Kensington
$95,189 · 5 yrs out
Pennsylvania State University (The) - Erie, The Behrend College
$95,088 · 5 yrs out
University of Southern Maine
$94,960 · 5 yrs out
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
$94,755 · 5 yrs out
University of Akron (The)
$94,574 · 5 yrs out
Georgia Southern University
$94,522 · 5 yrs out
Southern University and Agricultural & Mechanical Colg at Baton Rouge
$94,485 · 5 yrs out
Valparaiso University
$94,389 · 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
Mathematics and Statistics (Master's)
$93,400 · 5 yrs out
Social Sciences (Doctorate)
$92,787 · 5 yrs out
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services (Doctorate)
$92,521 · 5 yrs out
Related fields of study
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering
Compare universities
Agricultural Engineering
Compare universities
Architectural Engineering
Compare universities
Biochemical Engineering
Compare universities
Biological/Biosystems Engineering
Compare universities
Biomedical/Medical Engineering
Compare universities