Skip to content

Private nonprofit · 4-year

North Park University

Chicago, Illinois

50
C
DR Rating
DegreeReturn Rating — Fair value

A 0–100 composite of ROI, graduate earnings, net price, debt and graduation rate. How it’s scored.

Strong return
+$82,516 over 10 years

Estimated for a typical student paying the average net price over 4 years.

Graduate earnings clearly outpace the cost and debt — this degree pays back quickly.

4.8 yrs
Break-even
+107%
10-year ROI
$60,960
Median earnings as of 2024
71% of North Park University students earn more than a typical U.S. high-school graduate (about $28,000/yr) ten years after starting — measured from IRS tax records, not surveys.

The numbers behind the verdict

$16,948
Average net price / yr as of 2024
$60,960
Median earnings (5 yr) as of 2024
$46,168
Median earnings (1 yr) as of 2024
$25,500
Median debt at graduation as of 2024
58%
Graduation rate as of 2024
71%
Earn more than a HS grad as of 2024
74%
Repaying their loans (3 yr) as of 2024
62%
Retention rate as of 2024

Lifetime ROI: the long view

Cumulative net gain over a high-school-only earner at different career lengths, with tuition and debt interest already subtracted. Built on IRS-verified federal earnings — not self-reported surveys.

$82,516
After 10 years
$242,116
After 20 years
$401,716
After 30 years
$561,316
After 40 years

Conservative: holds year-5 earnings flat (no raises). Adjust the assumptions, or see the highest 20-year ROI colleges.

Equity & access

Who the college serves and whether the payoff reaches everyone — earnings ten years after starting (IRS-linked), with access measures from federal enrollment data.

By gender
Women
$56,257
Men
$61,873

9% gap between the two groups

By family-income background
From lower-income families
$55,604
From higher-income families
$60,008

7% gap between the two groups

By student status (FAFSA)
Dependent students
$59,526
Independent students
$59,521

Essentially no gap — the payoff is even

37%
First-generation students
50%
Take federal student loans
81%
Born in the U.S.
Who studies here
White 28%Hispanic 35%Asian 8%Black 11%Other 18%

Undergraduate enrollment by race/ethnicity. Federal data does not report earnings by race.

Net price by family income

What students actually pay after grants and scholarships, by household income as of 2024.

Family incomeAverage net price / yr
Family income $0–$30k$14,845
$30k–$48k$14,843
$48k–$75k$16,067
$75k–$110k$19,208
$110k+$22,964

How North Park University compares

This college against the Illinois and national averages — higher earnings and lower cost/debt are better.

Graduate earnings over time

Median earnings of North Park University students 10 years after entering, by cohort year as of 2024.

Advertisement

Best-paying majors at North Park University

Fields of study ranked by their own ROI — earnings five years after graduating against the cost and debt. Click a major for the deep dive.

MajorCredentialEarnings (5 yr)Median debt10-yr ROIVerdict
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingCertificate$116,050$26,500+817%Strong return
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingAssociate's$83,592$26,793+784%Strong return
Business Administration, Management and OperationsAssociate's$68,284$24,811+442%Strong return
Criminal Justice and CorrectionsAssociate's$60,960+371%Strong return
Business Administration, Management and OperationsCertificate$82,188$31,800+369%Strong return
Education, GeneralCertificate$66,298+214%Strong return
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/FitnessAssociate's$52,061$25,990+63%Break-even
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject AreasAssociate's$49,609+36%Break-even
Psychology, GeneralAssociate's$49,267$25,041-1%Poor return
Communication and Media StudiesAssociate's$45,665-80%Poor return
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsAssociate's$42,315-179%Poor return

Calculate your own ROI

Adjust the assumptions for your situation — the verdict, break-even and chart update live.

ROI at North Park University

Or pick your to set cost

Estimates from federal data; your result will vary. How this works.

10-yr net gain
Break-even
10-yr ROI

Advertisement

Admissions & profile

69%
Admission rate
0
Average SAT
23
Median ACT
1,818
Undergraduates

Location

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.

More colleges in Illinois