Financeat Northern Illinois University
Graduates earn $54,802/yr in their first year — about 1.0% below the national Finance average. Base-case 10-year earnings $718K; scenarios range from $632K to $750K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at Northern Illinois University
Graduates earn $54,802/yr, roughly in line with the $55,340 national median for Finance. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.
The 14.1x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.
AI risk is moderate — 55% task exposure — and the 16% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
With first-year pay of $54,802 far exceeding the $15,250 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.
Ranked #117 out of 431 programs, Northern Illinois University's Finance offering sits in the upper half but doesn't break into the top tier.
The five-year earnings trajectory from $54,802 to $79,501 shows 45% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.
Three scenarios, ten years out
Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.
10 year projection
Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Northern Illinois University's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.
Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.
Peer schools offering Finance
How Northern Illinois University stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at Northern Illinois University
Other highest-scoring programs offered at Northern Illinois University, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Consider the trade route
Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Finance offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.
Compare Finance trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →Frequently asked about Finance at Northern Illinois University
How does Northern Illinois University's Finance program score?
A score of 78/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. Northern Illinois University's Finance graduates fare well on earnings, job market size, and return on investment.
How vulnerable is Finance to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Finance careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 55% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.