by our College Data Analytics TeamFind out more about how National Louis University Graduate School ranks, how diverse it is, what graduate degree programs are offered, and other essential facts below. Use the following list to jump to the section on the page with details on that topic.
Each year, College Factual releases its Best Quality Schools ranking to identify graduate schools that offer a great educational experience and provide excellent student outcomes.These rankings are based on components such as post-graduation earnings of students, accumulated student debt of graduates, how much in demand the school is, and faculty and student diversity.
Out of a field of 4,630 colleges and universities considered in the 2026 Best Master’s Degree Schools in the U.S. ranking, National Louis University landed the #1,045 spot.This means that the school is among the Top 15% of the nation when it comes to overall quality.NLU received this year’s Best Master’s Schools badge for its high ranking.In addition, NLU took the #50 spot for Best Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois.
Of the 4,630 institutions of higher learning that were examined in the 2026 Best Doctorate Schools in the United States ranking, NLU came in at #1,045.For the Best Doctorate Degree Schools in Illinois, NLU came in at #50.
### Best Graduate Certificate Schools RankingOut of 4,630 schools analyzed in the 2026 Best Graduate Certificate Schools in the United States ranking, NLU came in at #1,045. In addition, NLU took the #50 spot for Best Graduate Certificate Schools in Illinois.
In College Factual’s 2026 Best Graduate Schools in the United States ranking, NLU took the #1,045 spot out of 4,630 schools. In addition, NLU took the #50 spot for Best Graduate Schools in Illinois.
For the last year in which we have data, 4,444 graduate students decided that National Louis University was the best place for them.College Factual looked at the demographics of these students to determine how diverse the population is.Here is what we found.
Women make up 81.1% of the total graduate student body at NLU while men make up 18.9%. These percentages may be different for specific degree programs.
Racial-ethnic minorities* make up 49.1% of the graduate student population at NLU.The school attracts students from outside the U.S., too. Around 5.6% of graduate students hail from another country.The following chart shows the distribution of racial-ethnic groups at the school. If you click on it, you’ll find more detailed information.
Data on the average tuition and fees for full-time graduate students at the school is not available.
The typical graduate student at NLU who borrowed carries a median debt of $29,242.
Graduate students who earn their master’s degree at NLU enter the workforce with an average early-career salary of $68,951.
After earning their doctoral degree from NLU, graduates go on to jobs with an average early-career salary of $90,002.
Yearly salaries vary depending on the field of study, but the table below shows the highest-earning graduate fields of study at NLU based on the early-career earnings of recent graduates.
| Graduate Field of Study | Avg Early-Career Salary |
|---|---|
| Business Administration & Management | $89,576 |
| Health/Medical Admin Services | $78,255 |
| Educational Administration | $77,188 |
| Teacher Education Subject Specific | $72,424 |
| Special Education | $69,716 |
| Teacher Education Grade Specific | $66,717 |
| Curriculum & Instruction | $65,604 |
| Clinical & Counseling Psychology | $62,229 |
| Human Resource Management | $61,852 |
| Child Development & Family Studies | $59,472 |
Located in Chicago, Illinois, National Louis University is a private not-for-profit institution.The location of the school is great for students who enjoy the amenities of city life. Get more details about the location of National Louis University.
Contact details for NLU are given below.
| Contact Details | |
|---|---|
| Address: | 122 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60603 |
| Phone: | 800-443-5522 |
| Website: | www.nl.edu |
| Twitter: | twitter.com/NationalLouisU |
Around 70.9% of NLU graduate students took at least one course online.Roughly 59.8% of all grad students took courses exclusively online.
Listed here are the degree programs in which the school awarded master’s degrees.
| Masters Degree Program | Annual Graduates | Avg Early-Career Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration & Management | 35 | $89,576 |
| Child Development & Family Studies | 29 | $59,472 |
| Clinical & Counseling Psychology | 155 | $62,229 |
| Curriculum & Instruction | 170 | $65,604 |
| Educational Administration | 26 | $74,965 |
| Educational Assessment | 7 | — |
| General Psychology | 14 | $55,534 |
| Health/Medical Admin Services | 20 | $78,255 |
| Human Resource Management | 11 | $61,852 |
| Public Administration | 11 | — |
| Special Education | 97 | $69,716 |
| Teacher Education Grade Specific | 300 | $66,717 |
| Teacher Education Subject Specific | 26 | $72,424 |
As with the master’s degree programs, only the programs that awarded doctorate degrees are shown here.
| Doctorate Degree Program | Annual Graduates | Avg Early-Career Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Clinical & Counseling Psychology | 15 | — |
| Curriculum & Instruction | 5 | — |
| Educational Administration | 56 | $90,002 |
| Ethnic Studies | 2 | — |
| Student Counseling | 7 | — |
| Teacher Education Subject Specific | 4 | — |
The programs below are those in which the school awarded a graduate certificate.
| Graduate Certificate Program | Annual Graduates | Avg Early-Career Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Educational Administration | 1 | — |
| General Psychology | 1 | — |
| Mental & Social Health Services | 7 | — |
| Teacher Education Grade Specific | 5 | — |
Listed here are the programs in which National Louis University awarded a professional degree.
| Professional Degree Program | Annual Graduates | Avg Early-Career Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Clinical & Counseling Psychology | 20 | — |
| Educational Administration | 9 | — |
Listed here are the programs in which National Louis University awarded a post-masters certificate.
| Post-Masters Certificate Program | Annual Graduates | Avg Early-Career Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Clinical & Counseling Psychology | 32 | — |
| Curriculum & Instruction | 38 | — |
| Educational Administration | 83 | — |
| Educational Assessment | 4 | — |
| Ethnic Studies | 1 | — |
| Teacher Education Subject Specific | 5 | — |
Footnotes
*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.
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