Law at Northern Illinois University
Dekalb, IL · First Professional Degree · about 90 graduates a year
Northern Illinois University graduates in law earn 27% less than the national median for the same major four years after graduating. Their median federal debt equals about 96% of one year’s pay at that point.
How Northern Illinois University Compares for Law
All 174 colleges reporting law earnings at this degree level, ranked by median pay four years after graduation. “Wage-adjusted” divides pay by the square root of the state’s wage index so colleges in low-wage states aren’t penalized for local pay.
| # | College | 4 yrs after | Wage-adjusted | Adj. rank | 1 yr after |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NY | $308,943 | $294,050 | #2 | $220,843 |
| 2 | University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA | $302,120 | $307,259 | #1 | $210,273 |
| 3 | Harvard University Cambridge, MA | $291,490 | $256,687 | #6 | $175,880 |
| 4 | Northwestern University Evanston, IL | $291,132 | $286,035 | #3 | $210,979 |
| 5 | University of Virginia-Main Campus Charlottesville, VA | $284,309 | $258,889 | #5 | $204,216 |
| 6 | University of Chicago Chicago, IL | $279,203 | $274,315 | #4 | $199,603 |
| 7 | Stanford University Stanford, CA | $259,944 | $236,532 | #9 | $162,001 |
| 8 | New York University New York, NY | $255,401 | $243,089 | #7 | — |
| 9 | Fordham University Bronx, NY | $232,595 | $221,382 | #10 | $170,942 |
| 10 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA | $226,996 | $206,551 | #12 | $196,724 |
| … | |||||
| 153 | University of Akron Main Campus Akron, OH | $79,750 | $85,105 | #140 | $57,386 |
| 154 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Carbondale, IL | $79,658 | $78,263 | #161 | $54,507 |
| 155 | West Virginia University Morgantown, WV | $78,497 | $92,866 | #108 | $58,881 |
| 156 | Northern Illinois University Dekalb, IL | $78,459 | $77,085 | #166 | $57,561 |
| 157 | University of Arkansas at Little Rock Little Rock, AR | $78,317 | $92,290 | #111 | $57,468 |
| 158 | The Colleges of Law at Ventura Ventura, CA | $78,136 | $71,099 | #170 | $52,348 |
| 159 | The Colleges of Law at Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA | $78,136 | $71,099 | #171 | $52,348 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Northern Illinois University law graduates make?
Graduates earn a median $57,561 one year after graduating and $78,459 four years after graduating. Figures are from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
How does Northern Illinois University rank for law?
Among 174 colleges reporting earnings for law graduates, Northern Illinois University ranks #156 by median pay four years after graduation, and #166 after adjusting for state wage levels.
Is law at Northern Illinois University worth it?
Its graduates earn 27% less than the national median for law ($107,773), and the median federal debt at graduation is $75,688.
← All data for Northern Illinois University · Methodology
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study data. Earnings are medians for graduates who received federal aid and were working and not enrolled; programs with few graduates are not reported. Wage adjustment uses Census ACS state median household income.