Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods at North Central College

North Central College graduates with this degree earn $85,168 in their first year—nearly $13,000 more than graduates from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and dramatically above the $48,715 median for Illinois programs in this field. That's the 95th percentile both nationally and statewide, putting this small liberal arts college ahead of much larger research universities. The $26,851 in typical debt sits just slightly above state averages but represents only 32 cents per dollar of first-year earnings, creating one of the strongest return-on-investment profiles you'll find for this degree.

The significant caveat: fewer than 30 students graduated from this program in the measured cohort, which means these numbers could shift substantially year-to-year. A handful of graduates landing particularly strong positions—perhaps in quantitative finance or data analytics roles in Chicago's business corridor—could be driving these exceptional outcomes. Still, the gap between North Central's results and other Illinois schools is wide enough to suggest genuine program strength rather than statistical noise.

For families considering this program, the combination of strong earnings and manageable debt makes it financially compelling, but verify that recent graduates are consistently landing in these high-paying roles. The small program size might actually be an advantage—more faculty attention, tighter industry connections—but you'll want to confirm the trajectory holds beyond this cohort.