Top 2018 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 2018 Badges Awarded page.
All 2018 Rankings For Northern Illinois University
Learn more about our methodologies that drive these rankings.
Top Quality Overall
better worse | |
| Nationwide | 618 of 1383 |
| Great Lakes | 101 of 224 |
| Illinois | 26 of 53 |
Best Colleges For The Money (all undergraduates)
better worse | |
| Nationwide | |
| Great Lakes | |
| Illinois | 18 of 51 |
Best Colleges For The Money (undergraduates getting aid)
better worse | |
| Nationwide | |
| Great Lakes | |
| Illinois | 14 of 51 |
Best Colleges For The Money (undergraduates getting no aid)
better worse | |
| Nationwide | 310 of 1325 |
| Great Lakes | 51 of 212 |
| Illinois | 9 of 51 |
Diversity
better worse | |
| Overall | 513 of 2355 |
| Ethnic | 504 of 2594 |
| Male / Female | 129 of 2596 |
| Location |
Biological & Biomedical Sciences
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 241 of 1413 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
General Biology
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 344 of 818 |
| Best Value | 309 of 800 |
| Most Popular | 174 of 1372 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Business, Management & Marketing
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 370 of 825 |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 197 of 2041 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads | 203 of 903 |
Accounting
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 204 of 600 |
| Best Value | 212 of 584 |
| Most Popular | 94 of 1313 |
| Most Focused | 461 of 1312 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 123 of 651 |
Business Administration & Management
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 260 of 724 |
| Best Value | 296 of 701 |
| Most Popular | 264 of 1720 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads | 216 of 725 |
Finance & Financial Management
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 186 of 382 |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 140 of 642 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads | 98 of 417 |
Management Sciences & Quantitative Methods
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 32 of 164 |
| Most Focused | 57 of 164 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 41 of 88 |
Marketing
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 185 of 402 |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 100 of 769 |
| Most Focused | 293 of 769 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 52 of 454 |
Communication & Journalism
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 219 of 582 |
| Best Value | 216 of 570 |
| Most Popular | 89 of 1219 |
| Most Focused | 216 of 1219 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 143 of 715 |
Communication & Media Studies
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 185 of 519 |
| Best Value | 158 of 508 |
| Most Popular | 50 of 1035 |
| Most Focused | 151 of 1036 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 199 of 606 |
Journalism
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 113 of 343 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads | 57 of 233 |
Computer & Information Sciences
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 179 of 1603 |
| Most Focused | 761 of 1603 |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Computer Science
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 50 of 599 |
| Most Focused | 129 of 599 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 95 of 360 |
Education
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 133 of 421 |
| Best Value | 189 of 409 |
| Most Popular | 122 of 1366 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads | 220 of 708 |
Special Education
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 82 of 185 |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 45 of 435 |
| Most Focused | 177 of 435 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 90 of 242 |
Teacher Education Grade Specific
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 142 of 1169 |
| Most Focused |
Teacher Education Subject Specific
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 103 of 351 |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 178 of 864 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads | 124 of 503 |
Engineering
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 173 of 582 |
| Most Focused | 266 of 582 |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Electrical Engineering
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | 126 of 255 |
| Most Popular | 70 of 343 |
| Most Focused | 121 of 343 |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Industrial Engineering
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 53 of 109 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads | 33 of 91 |
Mechanical Engineering
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 116 of 326 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Engineering Technologies
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 73 of 459 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads | 39 of 178 |
General Engineering Technology
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 3 of 73 |
| Most Focused | 15 of 73 |
English Language & Literature
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 296 of 612 |
| Best Value | 270 of 596 |
| Most Popular | 180 of 1360 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads | 250 of 874 |
General English Literature
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 271 of 625 |
| Best Value | 229 of 609 |
| Most Popular | 151 of 1281 |
| Most Focused | 614 of 1281 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 185 of 805 |
Family, Consumer & Human Sciences
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 63 of 376 |
| Most Focused | 129 of 376 |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Human Development & Family Studies
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 53 of 119 |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 36 of 271 |
| Most Focused | 82 of 271 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 49 of 134 |
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 | 231 of 939 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads | 231 of 656 |
Germanic Languages
better worse | |
| Most Popular | |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Romance Languages
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 130 of 817 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads | 158 of 581 |
Health Professions
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 43 of 582 |
| Best Value | 69 of 562 |
| Most Popular | 57 of 1701 |
| Most Focused | 727 of 1704 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 314 of 692 |
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 50 of 273 |
| Most Focused | 118 of 273 |
Communication Sciences
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 77 of 262 |
| Most Focused |
Dietetics & Clinical Nutrition Services
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 25 of 72 |
| Best Value | 34 of 72 |
| Most Popular | 9 of 128 |
| Most Focused | 21 of 128 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 35 of 79 |
Health/Medical Prep Programs
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 3 of 148 |
| Most Focused | 20 of 148 |
Mental & Social Health Services
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 11 of 108 |
| Most Focused | 40 of 108 |
Nursing
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 225 of 513 |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 173 of 1124 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads | 149 of 509 |
History
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 245 of 570 |
| Best Value | 169 of 553 |
| Most Popular | 142 of 1261 |
| Most Focused |
History
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 246 of 594 |
| Best Value | 168 of 577 |
| Most Popular | 142 of 1261 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads | 228 of 831 |
Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 283 of 1152 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Liberal Arts General Studies
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 283 of 1152 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Mathematics & Statistics
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 86 of 1230 |
| Most Focused | 370 of 1231 |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Mathematics
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | 229 of 459 |
| Most Popular | 64 of 1179 |
| Most Focused | 318 of 1178 |
| 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 | 156 of 745 |
| Most Focused |
Natural Resources Conservation
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 120 of 689 |
| Most Focused |
Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 220 of 452 |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 176 of 890 |
| Most Focused |
Health & Physical Education
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 182 of 443 |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 158 of 820 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads | 155 of 456 |
Philosophy & Religious Studies
better worse | |
| Most Popular | |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads | 294 of 616 |
Philosophy
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 378 of 756 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads | 270 of 544 |
Physical Sciences
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 140 of 1143 |
| Most Focused | 506 of 1143 |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 28 of 61 |
| Most Focused | 29 of 61 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 19 of 43 |
Chemistry
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 113 of 1087 |
| Most Focused | 484 of 1087 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 321 of 753 |
Geological & Earth Sciences
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 211 of 430 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Physics
better worse | |
| Most Popular | |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Psychology
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 355 of 826 |
| Best Value | 331 of 807 |
| Most Popular | 161 of 1492 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
General Psychology
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 333 of 832 |
| Best Value | 298 of 813 |
| Most Popular | 147 of 1407 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Public Administration & Social Service
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 423 of 862 |
| Most Focused |
Human Services
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 68 of 192 |
| Most Focused |
Social Sciences
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 277 of 676 |
| Best Value | 208 of 661 |
| Most Popular | 129 of 1318 |
| Most Focused | 416 of 1317 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 392 of 877 |
Anthropology
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 160 of 422 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Economics
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 145 of 729 |
| Most Focused | 319 of 729 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 232 of 542 |
Geography & Cartography
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 106 of 267 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads | 106 of 227 |
Political Science & Government
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 91 of 1081 |
| Most Focused | 266 of 1081 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 315 of 763 |
Sociology
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 79 of 969 |
| Most Focused | 289 of 969 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 208 of 695 |
Visual & Performing Arts
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 177 of 628 |
| Best Value | 108 of 615 |
| Most Popular | 150 of 1529 |
| Most Focused | 686 of 1529 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 372 of 852 |
Drama & Theater Arts
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 85 of 306 |
| Best Value | 51 of 299 |
| Most Popular | 119 of 809 |
| Most Focused | 388 of 809 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 38 of 544 |
Fine & Studio Arts
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 180 of 507 |
| Best Value | 101 of 498 |
| Most Popular | 41 of 1114 |
| Most Focused | 244 of 1114 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 308 of 693 |
Music
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 154 of 376 |
| Best Value | 133 of 368 |
| Most Popular | 165 of 1030 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads | 236 of 657 |
Men's Sports
better worse | |
| Men's Baseball (D1) | |
| Men's Basketball (D1) | |
| Men's Football (FBS) | |
| Men's Soccer (D1) |
Women's Sports
better worse | |
| Women's Basketball (D1) | 159 of 323 |
| Women's Soccer (D1) | |
| Women's Softball (D1) | 130 of 272 |
| Women's Volleyball (D1) | 87 of 306 |
Veterans
better worse | |
| Overall | 210 of 1423 |
Biological & Biomedical Sciences
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 299 of 831 |
General Biology
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 152 of 829 |
Business, Management & Marketing
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 313 of 861 |
Accounting
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 97 of 623 |
Business Administration & Management
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 230 of 759 |
Finance & Financial Management
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 140 of 394 |
Management Sciences & Quantitative Methods
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Marketing
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 127 of 414 |
Communication & Journalism
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 122 of 590 |
Communication & Media Studies
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 62 of 527 |
Journalism
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Computer & Information Sciences
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Computer Science
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 135 of 274 |
Education
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 83 of 430 |
Special Education
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 58 of 189 |
Teacher Education Subject Specific
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 62 of 361 |
Engineering
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Electrical Engineering
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 113 of 267 |
Industrial Engineering
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Mechanical Engineering
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 136 of 276 |
English Language & Literature
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 123 of 617 |
General English Literature
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 73 of 631 |
Family, Consumer & Human Sciences
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Human Development & Family Studies
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 39 of 126 |
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 | 14 of 606 |
Dietetics & Clinical Nutrition Services
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 9 of 73 |
Nursing
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 201 of 531 |
History
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 96 of 577 |
History
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 89 of 601 |
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 | 146 of 473 |
Mathematics
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 107 of 476 |
Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 189 of 459 |
Health & Physical Education
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 129 of 451 |
Physical Sciences
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 164 of 477 |
Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Chemistry
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 114 of 413 |
Geological & Earth Sciences
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Psychology
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 172 of 841 |
General Psychology
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 136 of 848 |
Social Sciences
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 159 of 681 |
Anthropology
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Economics
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 156 of 442 |
Geography & Cartography
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Political Science & Government
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 116 of 601 |
Sociology
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 181 of 528 |
Visual & Performing Arts
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 100 of 648 |
Drama & Theater Arts
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 36 of 309 |
Fine & Studio Arts
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 48 of 521 |
Music
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 73 of 380 |
Non-Traditional Students
better worse | |
| Overall | 486 of 1164 |
International Quality
better worse | |
| OVERALL | 408 of 1174 |
| Bangladesh | |
| Canada | |
| China | 317 of 798 |
| France | |
| India | 186 of 618 |
| Indonesia | |
| Iran | |
| Jordan | |
| Malaysia | |
| Mexico | |
| Nepal | |
| Nigeria | |
| Pakistan | |
| Russia | |
| Saudi Arabia | 213 of 548 |
| South Korea | |
| Spain | |
| Sweden | |
| Taiwan | |
| Thailand | |
| United Kingdom | |
| Vietnam |
International Value
better worse | |
| OVERALL | 133 of 1148 |
| Bangladesh | 88 of 252 |
| Canada | 170 of 603 |
| China | 115 of 786 |
| France | 72 of 272 |
| India | 67 of 607 |
| Indonesia | 57 of 191 |
| Iran | 88 of 248 |
| Jordan | 53 of 133 |
| Malaysia | 81 of 208 |
| Mexico | 111 of 274 |
| Nepal | 119 of 335 |
| Nigeria | 120 of 408 |
| Pakistan | 65 of 238 |
| Russia | 79 of 218 |
| Saudi Arabia | 99 of 539 |
| South Korea | 149 of 558 |
| Spain | 73 of 262 |
| Sweden | 41 of 142 |
| Taiwan | 74 of 333 |
| Thailand | 80 of 223 |
| United Kingdom | 94 of 462 |
| Vietnam | 184 of 442 |
