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Journalism at Northern Illinois University

What traits are you looking for in a school for Journalism, take a look at what Northern Illinois University. We’ve gathered the following information to help you decide.

Northern Illinois University sits in Dekalb, IL.

In the most recent year for which we have data, 13 journalism degrees were granted at Northern Illinois University.

Online & Distance Learning at Northern Illinois University

Distance learning is available at Northern Illinois University. Of 15,414 students, 2,197 (14%) were enrolled entirely in distance education and 7,937 (51%) took at least some classes online.

Journalism Rankings at Northern Illinois University

Use these rankings to compare Northern Illinois University’s Journalism program to other colleges that offer this major.

Bachelor’s-Level Rankings

Ranking	Scope	Rank
Best Value	Illinois	#2 of 9
Best Schools (Quality)	Illinois	#7 of 9
Best Value	Great Lakes (Region)	#7 of 30
Best Schools (Quality)	Great Lakes (Region)	#23 of 30
Best Value	Nationwide	#59 of 206
Best Schools (Quality)	Nationwide	#150 of 206

Earnings for Journalism Graduates from Northern Illinois University

Those who finish Northern Illinois University’s Journalism program report the following median earnings (per the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard):

Years After Graduation	Median Earnings
1 year	$30,216
2 years	$29,250
3 years	$32,551
4 years	$38,341
5 years	$47,283

How does this compare to the school overall? Four years after graduating, Journalism graduates from Northern Illinois University take home a median $38,341, compared with $63,103 for all Northern Illinois University graduates — about 39% lower than the school-wide median.

Median Debt at Graduation

Median student loan debt for Journalism graduates from Northern Illinois University comes in at $25,750.

Student Demographics & Diversity

Below you’ll find the composition of Journalism graduates at Northern Illinois University, broken down by degree level.

Program-wide, Journalism graduates at Northern Illinois University are 62% women (8) and 38% men (5).

Journalism Bachelor’s Program at Northern Illinois University

Of the 13 bachelor’s journalism degrees awarded at Northern Illinois University, 62% were women (8) and 38% were men (5).

The following table and chart show the race/ethnicity of Journalism bachelor’s degree recipients at Northern Illinois University.

Race / Ethnicity	Number of Graduates
White	4
Hispanic / Latino	2
Black / African American	6
Two or More Races	1

Racial-ethnic minorities make up 69% of Journalism bachelor’s degree recipients at Northern Illinois University, above the national average of 35%.*

*The racial-ethnic minorities figure is the total number of graduates minus White, international (nonresident), and unknown-race graduates.

More Specific Journalism Concentrations at Northern Illinois University

The Journalism program at Northern Illinois University includes the following sub-specializations:

Concentration	Graduates
General Journalism	13

Top-Paying Careers for Journalism Graduates

Those who complete Journalism program at Northern Illinois University pursue many career paths. Here are the highest-paying careers for Journalism graduates, ordered by median annual salary:

Occupation	Nationwide Median Wage
Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys	$108,419
Editors	$100,346
Communications Teachers, Postsecondary	$96,169
Film and Video Editors	$89,576
Photographers	$75,743
News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists	$74,101
Poets, Lyricists and Creative Writers	$70,619
Writers and Authors	$63,195
Proofreaders and Copy Markers	$30,503

References

• IPEDS — Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System
• U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard
• O*NET Online (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
• National Center for Education Statistics

More about our data sources and methodologies.