10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
+$213,182at year 10Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
Northwestern University
⌖ Evanston, IL · 74 reportable field-and-credential outcomes
MODELED SCENARIO · Positive payoff
+$213,182 over 10 years
Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.
This is a positive modeled result. Price, time to finish and future earnings can still change the outcome.
5.8 yrsModeled economic break-even
+72%Modeled 10-year ROI
$95,985Observed earnings · year 5
ECONOMIC INVESTMENT → PAYBACK
Estimated payoff over ten years.
The scenario counts direct price and earnings forgone upfront, then applies the reported annual earnings premium.
FEDERAL COST DATA
Four ways to read college price.
Annual college-wide figures from the current College Scorecard release. Average net price covers full-time, first-time undergraduates receiving federal aid; public-college figures use in-state students. Program tuition and individual aid offers may differ.
Cost, completion and earnings context
$29,167Average net price / year
$91,250Cost of attendance
$95,985Median earnings · year 5 after completion
95.1%Completion rate
7.7%Admission rate
9,201Student size
NATIONAL CONTEXT
How this college compares
Percentiles compare this institution with currently operating colleges that report the same federal measure.
EARNINGS PATH
Reported earnings over time
$73,331Year 1
$109,275Year 4
$95,985Year 5
Separate federal cohorts may underlie different measurement years.
The college average is not the whole story.
Observed earnings vary substantially by field and credential at the same institution.
1Law · First Professional Degree$291,1322Business Administration, Management and Operations · Master's Degree$244,3993Business/Commerce, General · Master's Degree$240,6374Engineering, Other · Master's Degree$211,4695Computer Science · Master's Degree$197,8236Medical Clinical Sciences/Graduate Medical Studies · Master's Degree$189,5787Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods · Master's Degree$180,1868Community Organization and Advocacy · Master's Degree$168,632Observed year-4 earnings · compare like fields and credentials before deciding
Comparable colleges in IL
Currently operating private nonprofit institutions with the closest combination of annual net price and observed year-5 earnings. Similarity is descriptive—not a quality ranking.
Chicago, IL
Illinois Institute of Technology
- Annual net price
- $18,425
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $86,006
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- +62%
University of Chicago
- Annual net price
- $14,860
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $103,328
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- +144%
DePaul University
- Annual net price
- $30,902
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $70,714
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -15%
Illinois Wesleyan University
- Annual net price
- $28,199
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $66,515
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -27%
Explore exact field-and-credential outcomes
| Federal field | Credential | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Law | First Professional Degree | $291,132 | Not available |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Master's Degree | $244,399 | Not available |
| Business/Commerce, General | Master's Degree | $240,637 | Not available |
| Engineering, Other | Master's Degree | $211,469 | Not available |
| Computer Science | Master's Degree | $197,823 | Not available |
| Medical Clinical Sciences/Graduate Medical Studies | Master's Degree | $189,578 | Not available |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | Master's Degree | $180,186 | Not available |
| Community Organization and Advocacy | Master's Degree | $168,632 | Not available |
| Information Science/Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $163,740 | $12,000 |
| Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies | First Professional Degree | $155,436 | Not available |
| Computer Science | Bachelor's Degree | $155,106 | $14,600 |
| Applied Mathematics | Bachelor's Degree | $148,740 | Not available |
| Information Science/Studies | Master's Degree | $141,026 | Not available |
| Industrial Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $138,720 | $17,912 |
| Engineering-Related Fields | Master's Degree | $136,480 | Not available |
| Medical Illustration and Informatics | Master's Degree | $132,068 | Not available |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | Master's Degree | $130,944 | Not available |
| Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians | Master's Degree | $129,403 | Not available |
| Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other | Master's Degree | $126,571 | Not available |
| Economics | Bachelor's Degree | $126,006 | $16,227 |
| Science Technologies/Technicians, Other | Master's Degree | $125,048 | Not available |
| Statistics | Bachelor's Degree | $122,682 | $14,000 |
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | Doctoral Degree | $117,797 | Not available |
| Chemistry | Doctoral Degree | $116,234 | Not available |
| Communication and Media Studies | Master's Degree | $116,101 | Not available |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | Master's Degree | $116,019 | Not available |
| Chemical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $111,040 | $16,500 |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General | Master's Degree | $110,591 | Not available |
| Human Resources Management and Services | Bachelor's Degree | $108,498 | $38,832 |
| Mathematics | Bachelor's Degree | $107,072 | $12,418 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $102,994 | $17,063 |
| Legal Professions and Studies, Other | Master's Degree | $102,193 | Not available |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | Post-baccalaureate Certificate | $100,964 | $19,312 |
| Public Administration | Master's Degree | $98,798 | Not available |
| Mechanical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $98,277 | $15,334 |
| Manufacturing Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $97,819 | Not available |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | Master's Degree | $96,250 | Not available |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | Master's Degree | $95,167 | Not available |
| Medicine | First Professional Degree | $94,158 | Not available |
| Communication and Media Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $93,541 | $18,112 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | Bachelor's Degree | $93,180 | Not available |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | Doctoral Degree | $91,009 | Not available |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | Master's Degree | $85,999 | Not available |
| Community Organization and Advocacy | Bachelor's Degree | $84,712 | $13,500 |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | Master's Degree | $83,218 | Not available |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | Doctoral Degree | $82,633 | Not available |
| Public Health | Master's Degree | $82,202 | Not available |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | Master's Degree | $82,178 | Not available |
| Journalism | Bachelor's Degree | $80,258 | $15,333 |
| History | Bachelor's Degree | $78,966 | $15,917 |
| Public Policy Analysis | Bachelor's Degree | $78,752 | $18,750 |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | Master's Degree | $78,655 | Not available |
| Sociology | Bachelor's Degree | $75,267 | $14,567 |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $74,477 | $19,234 |
| Psychology, General | Bachelor's Degree | $73,646 | $14,500 |
| Political Science and Government | Bachelor's Degree | $73,231 | $16,834 |
| Psychology, General | Doctoral Degree | $71,819 | Not available |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | Master's Degree | $71,781 | Not available |
| Biology, General | Bachelor's Degree | $71,181 | $14,800 |
| Journalism | Master's Degree | $70,715 | Not available |
| History | Doctoral Degree | $70,118 | Not available |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management | Master's Degree | $69,411 | Not available |
| Music | Doctoral Degree | $66,572 | Not available |
| Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education | Master's Degree | $65,919 | Not available |
| Psychology, Other | Bachelor's Degree | $62,905 | $11,630 |
| English Language and Literature, General | Bachelor's Degree | $62,147 | $15,564 |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | Master's Degree | $60,758 | Not available |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $59,372 | Not available |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | Bachelor's Degree | $54,279 | $16,948 |
| Music | Bachelor's Degree | $53,875 | $18,166 |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | Bachelor's Degree | $51,471 | $15,500 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | Bachelor's Degree | $49,316 | $17,000 |
| Music | Master's Degree | $34,062 | Not available |
| Public Health | Bachelor's Degree | Not available | $14,684 |
Earnings, price, completion and enrollment are observed federal measures. ROI, payoff and break-even are modeled scenarios built from those measures and fixed assumptions. College payoff is not the payoff of every degree at this school; use the program table for a more precise comparison.