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Public · 4-year

Northeastern State University

Tahlequah, Oklahoma

45
D
DR Rating
DegreeReturn Rating — Weak value

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

Strong return
+$50,541 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.

5.3 yrs
Break-even
+88%
10-year ROI
$55,771
Median earnings as of 2024
68% of Northeastern State 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

$12,710
Average net price / yr as of 2024
$55,771
Median earnings (5 yr) as of 2024
$43,690
Median earnings (1 yr) as of 2024
$17,367
Median debt at graduation as of 2024
35%
Graduation rate as of 2024
68%
Earn more than a HS grad as of 2024
66%
Repaying their loans (3 yr) as of 2024
61%
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.

$50,541
After 10 years
$158,251
After 20 years
$265,961
After 30 years
$373,671
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
$43,572
Men
$50,342

13% gap between the two groups

By family-income background
From lower-income families
$41,682
From higher-income families
$51,552

19% gap between the two groups

By student status (FAFSA)
Dependent students
$45,425
Independent students
$45,266

Essentially no gap — the payoff is even

42%
First-generation students
36%
Take federal student loans
97%
Born in the U.S.
Who studies here
White 41%Hispanic 9%Asian 3%Black 5%Other 43%

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$10,598
$30k–$48k$9,827
$48k–$75k$12,612
$75k–$110k$18,188
$110k+$19,511

How Northeastern State University compares

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

Graduate earnings over time

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

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Best-paying majors at Northeastern State 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 NursingAssociate's$99,835$12,500+1,729%Strong return
Management Information Systems and ServicesAssociate's$89,588+1,654%Strong return
Computer ScienceAssociate's$82,556$19,000+1,061%Strong return
Accounting and Related ServicesCertificate$93,687+858%Strong return
Business Administration, Management and OperationsCertificate$98,309$16,000+841%Strong return
Quality Control and Safety Technologies/TechniciansAssociate's$68,684$14,924+668%Strong return
OptometryDoctoral$128,096$158,826+664%Strong return
Accounting and Related ServicesAssociate's$63,470$18,225+476%Strong return
Finance and Financial Management ServicesAssociate's$61,112$19,500+395%Strong return
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, OtherAssociate's$59,214$19,297+338%Strong return
Biology, GeneralAssociate's$56,259$16,250+259%Strong return
Communication Disorders Sciences and ServicesAssociate's$55,516$15,150+240%Strong return
Business Administration, Management and OperationsAssociate's$53,647$17,829+171%Strong return
Public HealthAssociate's$53,150$20,548+148%Strong return
Educational Administration and SupervisionCertificate$60,009$32,894+139%Strong return
Communication Disorders Sciences and ServicesCertificate$59,707$33,410+133%Strong return
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/FitnessCertificate$56,026+117%Strong return
Criminal Justice and CorrectionsAssociate's$51,366$18,054+99%Strong return
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject AreasCertificate$56,730$23,000+98%Strong return
Special Education and TeachingAssociate's$49,771+88%Strong return
Clinical, Counseling and Applied PsychologyCertificate$56,535$40,699+76%Strong return
Social WorkAssociate's$50,193$23,250+53%Break-even
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject AreasAssociate's$49,966$22,000+49%Break-even
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/FitnessAssociate's$49,171$18,547+30%Break-even
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsAssociate's$44,719$17,499-109%Poor return

Calculate your own ROI

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

ROI at Northeastern State 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

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Admissions & profile

100%
Admission rate
1,049
Average SAT
20
Median ACT
4,772
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.

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