Top 2020 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 2020 Badges Awarded page.
All 2020 Rankings For Northern Illinois University
Learn more about our methodologies that drive these rankings.
Top Quality Overall
better worse | |
| Nationwide | 709 of 1727 |
| Great Lakes | 114 of 268 |
| Illinois | 28 of 63 |
Best Colleges For The Money (all undergraduates)
better worse | |
| Nationwide | |
| Great Lakes | |
| Illinois | 18 of 52 |
Best Colleges For The Money (undergraduates getting aid)
better worse | |
| Nationwide | |
| Great Lakes | |
| Illinois | 16 of 52 |
Best Colleges For The Money (undergraduates getting no aid)
better worse | |
| Nationwide | 373 of 1483 |
| Great Lakes | 62 of 227 |
| Illinois | 10 of 52 |
Diversity
better worse | |
| Overall | 503 of 2179 |
| Ethnic | 435 of 2417 |
| Male / Female | 24 of 2424 |
| Location |
Biological & Biomedical Sciences
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 251 of 1422 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
General Biology
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 368 of 820 |
| Best Value | 350 of 803 |
| Most Popular | 177 of 1379 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Business, Management & Marketing
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 388 of 848 |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 196 of 1931 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads | 204 of 901 |
Accounting
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 218 of 621 |
| Best Value | 233 of 601 |
| Most Popular | 51 of 1281 |
| Most Focused | 271 of 1282 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 122 of 647 |
Business Administration & Management
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 291 of 744 |
| Best Value | 334 of 711 |
| Most Popular | 332 of 1667 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads | 216 of 724 |
Finance & Financial Management
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 154 of 662 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads | 98 of 416 |
Management Sciences & Quantitative Methods
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 26 of 171 |
| Most Focused | 49 of 171 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 38 of 83 |
Marketing
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 101 of 763 |
| Most Focused | 261 of 763 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 52 of 448 |
Communication & Journalism
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 236 of 600 |
| Best Value | 230 of 587 |
| Most Popular | 97 of 1209 |
| Most Focused | 224 of 1210 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 143 of 713 |
Communication & Media Studies
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 188 of 523 |
| Best Value | 158 of 508 |
| Most Popular | 59 of 1023 |
| Most Focused | 142 of 1022 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 196 of 600 |
Journalism
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 125 of 342 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads | 57 of 227 |
Computer & Information Sciences
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 186 of 1512 |
| Most Focused | 691 of 1512 |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Computer Science
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 56 of 605 |
| Most Focused | 140 of 605 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 95 of 360 |
Education
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 132 of 413 |
| Best Value | 196 of 404 |
| Most Popular | 116 of 1363 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads | 221 of 706 |
Special Education
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 90 of 183 |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 49 of 450 |
| Most Focused | 210 of 450 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 85 of 238 |
Teacher Education Grade Specific
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 124 of 1161 |
| Most Focused |
Teacher Education Subject Specific
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 110 of 346 |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 153 of 861 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads | 126 of 506 |
Engineering
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 181 of 595 |
| Most Focused | 274 of 595 |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Electrical Engineering
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 89 of 350 |
| Most Focused | 145 of 350 |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Industrial Engineering
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 51 of 108 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads | 33 of 90 |
Mechanical Engineering
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 107 of 337 |
| Most Focused | 159 of 337 |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Engineering Technologies
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 82 of 442 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads | 36 of 175 |
General Engineering Technology
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 3 of 73 |
| Most Focused | 19 of 73 |
English Language & Literature
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 289 of 601 |
| Best Value | 236 of 585 |
| Most Popular | 158 of 1350 |
| Most Focused | 664 of 1351 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 251 of 871 |
General English Literature
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 269 of 621 |
| Best Value | 204 of 603 |
| Most Popular | 130 of 1267 |
| Most Focused | 501 of 1267 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 186 of 799 |
Family, Consumer & Human Sciences
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 68 of 373 |
| Most Focused | 143 of 373 |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Human Development & Family Studies
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 40 of 263 |
| Most Focused | 91 of 263 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 49 of 127 |
Textile & Apparel Studies
better worse | |
| Most Popular | |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads | 16 of 48 |
Foreign Languages & Linguistics
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 183 of 941 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads | 229 of 653 |
Germanic Languages
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 116 of 272 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Romance Languages
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 102 of 809 |
| Most Focused | 349 of 809 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 157 of 571 |
Health Professions
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 76 of 591 |
| Best Value | 85 of 564 |
| Most Popular | 74 of 1667 |
| Most Focused | 748 of 1665 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 311 of 686 |
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 41 of 264 |
| Most Focused | 105 of 264 |
Communication Sciences
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 86 of 267 |
| Most Focused |
Dietetics & Clinical Nutrition Services
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 20 of 130 |
| Most Focused | 36 of 130 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 35 of 79 |
Health/Medical Prep Programs
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 3 of 157 |
| Most Focused | 19 of 157 |
Mental & Social Health Services
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 6 of 107 |
| Most Focused | 34 of 107 |
Nursing
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 231 of 1126 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads | 149 of 507 |
History
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 266 of 547 |
| Best Value | 219 of 533 |
| Most Popular | 134 of 1247 |
| Most Focused | 620 of 1247 |
History
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 268 of 579 |
| Best Value | 210 of 565 |
| Most Popular | 134 of 1247 |
| Most Focused | 620 of 1247 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 227 of 822 |
Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 236 of 1158 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Liberal Arts General Studies
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 236 of 1158 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Mathematics & Statistics
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 113 of 1223 |
| Most Focused | 392 of 1223 |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Mathematics
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | 217 of 465 |
| Most Popular | 83 of 1171 |
| Most Focused | 321 of 1171 |
| 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 | 131 of 750 |
| Most Focused |
Natural Resources Conservation
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 99 of 695 |
| Most Focused |
Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 140 of 891 |
| Most Focused |
Health & Physical Education
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 204 of 457 |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 120 of 829 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads | 157 of 458 |
Philosophy & Religious Studies
better worse | |
| Most Popular | |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads | 289 of 605 |
Philosophy
better worse | |
| Most Popular | |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Physical Sciences
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 206 of 479 |
| Best Value | 138 of 470 |
| Most Popular | 100 of 1156 |
| Most Focused | 397 of 1156 |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 23 of 65 |
| Most Focused | 23 of 65 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 20 of 44 |
Chemistry
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | 201 of 426 |
| Most Popular | 88 of 1099 |
| Most Focused | 441 of 1099 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 321 of 753 |
Geological & Earth Sciences
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 133 of 428 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Physics
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 312 of 717 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Psychology
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 375 of 835 |
| Best Value | 383 of 809 |
| Most Popular | 143 of 1476 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
General Psychology
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 359 of 840 |
| Best Value | 365 of 814 |
| Most Popular | 131 of 1380 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Public Administration & Social Service
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 430 of 865 |
| Most Focused |
Human Services
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 68 of 200 |
| Most Focused |
Social Sciences
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 285 of 670 |
| Best Value | 225 of 654 |
| Most Popular | 163 of 1316 |
| Most Focused | 503 of 1316 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 391 of 873 |
Anthropology
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 170 of 427 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Economics
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 180 of 715 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads | 231 of 536 |
Geography & Cartography
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 130 of 261 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads | 106 of 223 |
Political Science & Government
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 125 of 1081 |
| Most Focused | 348 of 1081 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 314 of 757 |
Sociology
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 83 of 962 |
| Most Focused | 292 of 962 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 208 of 687 |
Visual & Performing Arts
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 215 of 640 |
| Best Value | 145 of 626 |
| Most Popular | 165 of 1482 |
| Most Focused | 682 of 1482 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 371 of 848 |
Drama & Theater Arts
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 91 of 314 |
| Best Value | 55 of 308 |
| Most Popular | 83 of 808 |
| Most Focused | 301 of 808 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 38 of 535 |
Fine & Studio Arts
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 241 of 512 |
| Best Value | 175 of 501 |
| Most Popular | 77 of 1075 |
| Most Focused | 329 of 1075 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 303 of 693 |
Music
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 155 of 371 |
| Best Value | 141 of 365 |
| Most Popular | 123 of 1036 |
| Most Focused | 482 of 1036 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 235 of 658 |
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) | |
| Women's Soccer (D1) | |
| Women's Softball (D1) | 136 of 274 |
| Women's Volleyball (D1) | 93 of 308 |
Veterans
better worse | |
| Overall | 311 of 1751 |
Biological & Biomedical Sciences
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 272 of 825 |
General Biology
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 141 of 820 |
Business, Management & Marketing
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 311 of 852 |
Accounting
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 91 of 624 |
Business Administration & Management
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 243 of 748 |
Finance & Financial Management
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 153 of 390 |
Management Sciences & Quantitative Methods
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Marketing
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 134 of 416 |
Communication & Journalism
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 132 of 599 |
Communication & Media Studies
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 63 of 521 |
Journalism
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Computer & Information Sciences
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Computer Science
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Education
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 81 of 416 |
Special Education
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 59 of 186 |
Teacher Education Subject Specific
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 64 of 348 |
Engineering
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Electrical Engineering
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Industrial Engineering
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Mechanical Engineering
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
English Language & Literature
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 119 of 601 |
General English Literature
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 69 of 621 |
Family, Consumer & Human Sciences
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Human Development & Family Studies
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 46 of 121 |
Foreign Languages & Linguistics
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Romance Languages
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Health Professions
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 28 of 594 |
Dietetics & Clinical Nutrition Services
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 17 of 67 |
Nursing
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 250 of 523 |
History
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 90 of 547 |
History
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 88 of 579 |
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 472 |
Mathematics
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 113 of 476 |
Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 181 of 464 |
Health & Physical Education
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 127 of 455 |
Physical Sciences
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 97 of 479 |
Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Chemistry
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 113 of 435 |
Geological & Earth Sciences
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 89 of 242 |
Psychology
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 168 of 834 |
General Psychology
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 139 of 839 |
Social Sciences
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 172 of 669 |
Anthropology
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Economics
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 169 of 418 |
Geography & Cartography
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 65 of 162 |
Political Science & Government
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 163 of 589 |
Sociology
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 146 of 533 |
Visual & Performing Arts
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 102 of 640 |
Drama & Theater Arts
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 48 of 314 |
Fine & Studio Arts
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 66 of 513 |
Music
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 72 of 370 |
Non-Traditional Students
better worse | |
| Overall | 554 of 1291 |
International Quality
better worse | |
| OVERALL | 444 of 1240 |
| Bangladesh | |
| Canada | |
| China | 341 of 847 |
| France | |
| Ghana | |
| India | 207 of 664 |
| Indonesia | |
| Iran | |
| Japan | |
| Jordan | |
| Malaysia | |
| Nepal | |
| Nigeria | |
| Pakistan | |
| Saudi Arabia | 227 of 555 |
| South Korea | |
| Spain | |
| Sri Lanka | |
| Sweden | |
| Taiwan | |
| United Kingdom | |
| Vietnam |
International Value
better worse | |
| OVERALL | 151 of 1209 |
| Bangladesh | 95 of 281 |
| Canada | 150 of 677 |
| China | 139 of 826 |
| France | 99 of 315 |
| Ghana | 86 of 226 |
| India | 86 of 645 |
| Indonesia | 66 of 217 |
| Iran | 99 of 262 |
| Japan | 150 of 441 |
| Jordan | 55 of 147 |
| Malaysia | 86 of 243 |
| Nepal | 126 of 362 |
| Nigeria | 152 of 464 |
| Pakistan | 94 of 310 |
| Saudi Arabia | 110 of 545 |
| South Korea | 173 of 583 |
| Spain | 104 of 356 |
| Sri Lanka | 82 of 174 |
| Sweden | 55 of 175 |
| Taiwan | 96 of 363 |
| United Kingdom | 119 of 549 |
| Vietnam | 175 of 498 |
