Program Analysis
Northern Illinois University's Teacher Education graduates start at $44,214/yr — above the $41,412 national average, though not by a wide margin.
The earnings-to-cost ratio of 9.6x signals a solid financial return — projected decade earnings comfortably exceed the tuition investment.
Some AI exposure exists in Teacher Education's typical career paths, with 30% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 3% gap from the optimistic case.
Median debt of $24,545 represents roughly 7 months of the $44,214 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.
At #190 of 679 Teacher Education programs, Northern Illinois University scores above the median — competitive but not a standout.
Five-year earnings of $48,018 are relatively flat compared to the $44,214 starting salary — typical of fields with stable but capped salary bands.