Top 2017 Rankings For Northern Illinois University
A more complete picture of where Northern Illinois University is the "best of the best" can be found on our 2017 Badges Awarded page.
All 2017 Rankings For Northern Illinois University
Learn more about our methodologies that drive these rankings.
Top Quality Overall
better worse | |
| Nationwide | 611 of 1387 |
| Great Lakes | 98 of 224 |
| Illinois | 25 of 53 |
Best Colleges For The Money (all undergraduates)
better worse | |
| Nationwide | |
| Great Lakes | |
| Illinois |
Best Colleges For The Money (undergraduates getting aid)
better worse | |
| Nationwide | |
| Great Lakes | |
| Illinois |
Best Colleges For The Money (undergraduates getting no aid)
better worse | |
| Nationwide | 340 of 1208 |
| Great Lakes | 57 of 193 |
| Illinois | 14 of 48 |
Diversity
better worse | |
| Overall | 512 of 2397 |
| Ethnic | 539 of 2655 |
| Male / Female | 12 of 1714 |
| Location |
Biological & Biomedical Sciences
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 234 of 1399 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
General Biology
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 352 of 812 |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 162 of 1357 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Business, Management & Marketing
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 380 of 830 |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 221 of 2091 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads | 204 of 904 |
Accounting
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 200 of 608 |
| Best Value | 253 of 577 |
| Most Popular | 76 of 1345 |
| Most Focused | 405 of 1344 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 124 of 652 |
Business Administration & Management
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 264 of 727 |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 264 of 1756 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads | 217 of 727 |
Finance & Financial Management
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 168 of 634 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads | 99 of 420 |
Management Sciences & Quantitative Methods
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 33 of 152 |
| Most Focused | 61 of 152 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 40 of 89 |
Marketing
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 186 of 396 |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 164 of 764 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads | 52 of 455 |
Communication & Journalism
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 230 of 589 |
| Best Value | 280 of 567 |
| Most Popular | 84 of 1209 |
| Most Focused | 224 of 1209 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 144 of 719 |
Communication & Media Studies
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 182 of 537 |
| Best Value | 190 of 516 |
| Most Popular | 50 of 1018 |
| Most Focused | 160 of 1018 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 202 of 608 |
Journalism
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 131 of 350 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads | 57 of 237 |
Computer & Information Sciences
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 209 of 1632 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Computer Science
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 55 of 605 |
| Most Focused | 169 of 605 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 96 of 368 |
Education
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 128 of 450 |
| Best Value | 212 of 428 |
| Most Popular | 109 of 1376 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads | 221 of 710 |
Special Education
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 75 of 192 |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 35 of 449 |
| Most Focused | 176 of 449 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 91 of 247 |
Teacher Education Grade Specific
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 149 of 1174 |
| Most Focused |
Teacher Education Subject Specific
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 100 of 380 |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 161 of 879 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads | 128 of 510 |
Engineering
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 203 of 553 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Electrical Engineering
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 114 of 336 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Industrial Engineering
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads | 34 of 92 |
Mechanical Engineering
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 142 of 317 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Engineering Technologies
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 80 of 471 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads | 38 of 179 |
General Engineering Technology
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 3 of 71 |
| Most Focused | 18 of 71 |
English Language & Literature
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 274 of 625 |
| Best Value | 246 of 589 |
| Most Popular | 141 of 1354 |
| Most Focused | 647 of 1354 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 253 of 873 |
General English Literature
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 258 of 644 |
| Best Value | 208 of 607 |
| Most Popular | 116 of 1275 |
| Most Focused | 504 of 1275 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 188 of 806 |
Family, Consumer & Human Sciences
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 42 of 372 |
| Most Focused | 86 of 372 |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Human Development & Family Studies
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 55 of 123 |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 26 of 260 |
| Most Focused | 58 of 260 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 49 of 135 |
Textile & Apparel Studies
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads | 17 of 50 |
Foreign Languages & Linguistics
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 143 of 948 |
| Most Focused | 410 of 948 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 232 of 661 |
Germanic Languages
better worse | |
| Most Popular | |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Romance Languages
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 66 of 828 |
| Most Focused | 287 of 828 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 160 of 592 |
Health Professions
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 54 of 577 |
| Best Value | 88 of 545 |
| Most Popular | 56 of 1718 |
| Most Focused | 777 of 1720 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 313 of 692 |
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 44 of 271 |
| Most Focused | 108 of 271 |
Communication Sciences
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 64 of 260 |
| Most Focused | 122 of 260 |
Dietetics & Clinical Nutrition Services
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 27 of 70 |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 17 of 122 |
| Most Focused | 28 of 122 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 35 of 80 |
Health/Medical Prep Programs
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 4 of 152 |
| Most Focused | 21 of 152 |
Mental & Social Health Services
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 9 of 106 |
| Most Focused | 44 of 106 |
Nursing
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 218 of 508 |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 174 of 1106 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads | 149 of 511 |
History
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 266 of 590 |
| Best Value | 265 of 557 |
| Most Popular | 98 of 1252 |
| Most Focused | 499 of 1251 |
History
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 269 of 615 |
| Best Value | 268 of 581 |
| Most Popular | 98 of 1252 |
| Most Focused | 499 of 1251 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 227 of 828 |
Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 245 of 1180 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Liberal Arts General Studies
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 245 of 1180 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Mathematics & Statistics
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 99 of 1238 |
| Most Focused | 443 of 1238 |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Mathematics
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 71 of 1189 |
| Most Focused | 385 of 1190 |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies
better worse | |
| Most Popular | |
| Most Focused |
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies (Other)
better worse | |
| Most Popular | |
| Most Focused |
Natural Resources & Conservation
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 214 of 708 |
| Most Focused |
Natural Resources Conservation
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 175 of 650 |
| Most Focused |
Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 222 of 462 |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 187 of 883 |
| Most Focused |
Health & Physical Education
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 186 of 451 |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 170 of 819 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads | 157 of 460 |
Philosophy & Religious Studies
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 285 of 944 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads | 290 of 613 |
Philosophy
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 174 of 742 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads | 267 of 536 |
Physical Sciences
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 160 of 462 |
| Best Value | 100 of 443 |
| Most Popular | 73 of 1142 |
| Most Focused | 324 of 1143 |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 9 of 59 |
| Most Focused | 13 of 59 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 18 of 42 |
Chemistry
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 195 of 1084 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads | 325 of 748 |
Geological & Earth Sciences
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 57 of 423 |
| Most Focused | 170 of 423 |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Physics
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 105 of 718 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Psychology
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 339 of 848 |
| Best Value | 365 of 800 |
| Most Popular | 145 of 1490 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
General Psychology
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 316 of 854 |
| Best Value | 322 of 805 |
| Most Popular | 129 of 1421 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Public Administration & Social Service
better worse | |
| Most Popular | |
| Most Focused |
Human Services
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 82 of 187 |
| Most Focused |
Social Sciences
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 284 of 691 |
| Best Value | 263 of 656 |
| Most Popular | 126 of 1319 |
| Most Focused | 417 of 1320 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 392 of 878 |
Anthropology
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 198 of 423 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Economics
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 144 of 733 |
| Most Focused | 322 of 733 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 234 of 549 |
Geography & Cartography
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads | 105 of 227 |
Political Science & Government
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 302 of 613 |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 82 of 1075 |
| Most Focused | 264 of 1075 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 319 of 768 |
Sociology
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 62 of 969 |
| Most Focused | 256 of 969 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 208 of 697 |
Visual & Performing Arts
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 209 of 672 |
| Best Value | 169 of 641 |
| Most Popular | 173 of 1566 |
| Most Focused | 773 of 1565 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 373 of 851 |
Drama & Theater Arts
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 97 of 322 |
| Best Value | 67 of 312 |
| Most Popular | 150 of 814 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads | 38 of 546 |
Fine & Studio Arts
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 213 of 533 |
| Best Value | 179 of 513 |
| Most Popular | 50 of 1124 |
| Most Focused | 270 of 1123 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 309 of 700 |
Music
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 173 of 393 |
| Best Value | 177 of 382 |
| Most Popular | 209 of 1035 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads | 235 of 660 |
Men's Sports
better worse | |
| Men's Baseball (D1) | |
| Men's Basketball (D1) | |
| Men's Football (FBS) | 59 of 125 |
| Men's Soccer (D1) |
Women's Sports
better worse | |
| Women's Basketball (D1) | |
| Women's Soccer (D1) | |
| Women's Softball (D1) | |
| Women's Volleyball (D1) | 123 of 318 |
Veterans
better worse | |
| Overall | 194 of 1428 |
Biological & Biomedical Sciences
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 273 of 828 |
General Biology
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 139 of 822 |
Business, Management & Marketing
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 330 of 866 |
Accounting
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 85 of 629 |
Business Administration & Management
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 225 of 760 |
Finance & Financial Management
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 147 of 386 |
Management Sciences & Quantitative Methods
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Marketing
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 139 of 407 |
Communication & Journalism
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 120 of 599 |
Communication & Media Studies
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 56 of 546 |
Journalism
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Computer & Information Sciences
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Computer Science
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 134 of 275 |
Education
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 76 of 459 |
Special Education
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 52 of 196 |
Teacher Education Subject Specific
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 61 of 389 |
Engineering
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Electrical Engineering
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 117 of 265 |
Industrial Engineering
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Mechanical Engineering
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 129 of 273 |
English Language & Literature
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 111 of 632 |
General English Literature
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 63 of 651 |
Family, Consumer & Human Sciences
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 59 of 144 |
Human Development & Family Studies
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 33 of 129 |
Textile & Apparel Studies
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Foreign Languages & Linguistics
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Romance Languages
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Health Professions
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 18 of 600 |
Dietetics & Clinical Nutrition Services
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 8 of 71 |
Nursing
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 187 of 525 |
History
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 87 of 597 |
History
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 82 of 623 |
Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Liberal Arts General Studies
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Mathematics & Statistics
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 153 of 490 |
Mathematics
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 116 of 508 |
Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 174 of 467 |
Health & Physical Education
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 132 of 456 |
Philosophy & Religious Studies
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Philosophy
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 103 of 261 |
Physical Sciences
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 68 of 465 |
Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Chemistry
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 128 of 431 |
Geological & Earth Sciences
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 84 of 244 |
Physics
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Psychology
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 168 of 864 |
General Psychology
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 126 of 870 |
Social Sciences
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 168 of 698 |
Anthropology
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Economics
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 133 of 432 |
Geography & Cartography
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Political Science & Government
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 109 of 619 |
Sociology
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 174 of 557 |
Visual & Performing Arts
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 101 of 683 |
Drama & Theater Arts
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 41 of 324 |
Fine & Studio Arts
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 45 of 539 |
Music
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 80 of 396 |
Non-Traditional Students
better worse | |
| Overall | 477 of 989 |
International Quality
better worse | |
| OVERALL | 404 of 1184 |
| Bangladesh | |
| Canada | |
| China | 324 of 821 |
| France | |
| Germany | |
| India | 198 of 641 |
| Indonesia | |
| Iran | |
| Jordan | |
| Malaysia | |
| Mexico | |
| Nepal | |
| Nigeria | |
| Pakistan | |
| Russia | |
| Saudi Arabia | 223 of 561 |
| South Korea | 298 of 609 |
| Spain | |
| Sweden | |
| Taiwan | |
| Thailand | |
| Ukraine | |
| United Kingdom | |
| Vietnam |
International Value
better worse | |
| OVERALL | 155 of 1155 |
| Bangladesh | 109 of 261 |
| Canada | 183 of 659 |
| China | 142 of 808 |
| France | 95 of 307 |
| Germany | 128 of 378 |
| India | 95 of 630 |
| Indonesia | 68 of 208 |
| Iran | 99 of 257 |
| Jordan | 77 of 154 |
| Malaysia | 88 of 234 |
| Mexico | 135 of 325 |
| Nepal | 125 of 349 |
| Nigeria | 160 of 430 |
| Pakistan | 81 of 260 |
| Russia | 103 of 245 |
| Saudi Arabia | 134 of 552 |
| South Korea | 160 of 599 |
| Spain | 88 of 289 |
| Sweden | 52 of 181 |
| Taiwan | 98 of 355 |
| Thailand | 77 of 251 |
| Ukraine | 38 of 101 |
| United Kingdom | 124 of 512 |
| Vietnam | 187 of 486 |
