Location: Chicago, IL•In-State Tuition: $35,325•Admission Rate: 73%
Est. Earnings (1yr)
$47,048
Est. from IL median (15 programs)
Est. Median Debt
$23,717
Est. from IL median (8 programs)

Analysis

Illinois economics programs span an enormous range—from elite institutions breaking $90,000 in first-year earnings down to programs where graduates start closer to $40,000. Based on comparable programs across the state, North Park's economics degree appears positioned in the middle tier, with estimated first-year earnings around $47,000 against roughly $24,000 in debt. That debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.50 sits comfortably below the threshold where loan payments typically become burdensome, and the estimated debt figure actually tracks slightly below the national median for economics programs.

The gap between North Park's estimated outcomes and Chicago's top-tier programs is significant—similar Illinois economics programs produce starting salaries about half what University of Chicago or Northwestern graduates command. However, the estimated earnings align precisely with the state median, suggesting this represents a standard launch point for economics graduates in Illinois. With 43% of students receiving Pell grants, North Park serves a population where avoiding excessive debt matters tremendously, and the estimated $24,000 figure appears manageable on these projected earnings.

For families evaluating this program, the fundamental challenge is that these estimates come from peer institutions rather than North Park's actual graduates, making it impossible to know if this particular program outperforms or underperforms similar ones. The projected debt load seems reasonable, but you're essentially betting on outcomes that match other mid-tier Illinois economics programs—without data confirming North Park delivers comparable results.

Where North Park University Stands

Earnings vs. debt across all economics bachelors's programs nationally

North Park University (estimated ±10%)Other economics programs

Dashed lines show national medians. Upper-left = best value.

Compare to Similar Programs in Illinois

Economics bachelors's programs at peer institutions in Illinois (35 total in state)

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SchoolIn-State TuitionEarnings (1yr)*Earnings (4yr)Median Debt*Debt/Earnings
North Park UniversityChicago$35,325$47,048*—$23,717*—
University of ChicagoChicago$66,939$92,075*$127,832$13,197*0.14
Northwestern UniversityEvanston$65,997$84,932*$105,795$16,227*0.19
Wheaton CollegeWheaton$43,930$62,889*$60,894$21,000*0.33
University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignChampaign$16,004$58,921*$75,600$21,228*0.36
Olivet Nazarene UniversityBourbonnais$37,940$54,169*—$27,000*0.50
National Median—$51,722*—$22,816*0.44
* Estimated from similar programs

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with economics graduates

Economists

Conduct research, prepare reports, or formulate plans to address economic problems related to the production and distribution of goods and services or monetary and fiscal policy. May collect and process economic and statistical data using sampling techniques and econometric methods.

$115,440/yrJobs growth:Master's degree

Environmental Economists

Conduct economic analysis related to environmental protection and use of the natural environment, such as water, air, land, and renewable energy resources. Evaluate and quantify benefits, costs, incentives, and impacts of alternative options using economic principles and statistical techniques.

$115,440/yrJobs growth:Master's degree

Data Scientists

Develop and implement a set of techniques or analytics applications to transform raw data into meaningful information using data-oriented programming languages and visualization software. Apply data mining, data modeling, natural language processing, and machine learning to extract and analyze information from large structured and unstructured datasets. Visualize, interpret, and report data findings. May create dynamic data reports.

$112,590/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Business Intelligence Analysts

Produce financial and market intelligence by querying data repositories and generating periodic reports. Devise methods for identifying data patterns and trends in available information sources.

$112,590/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Clinical Data Managers

Apply knowledge of health care and database management to analyze clinical data, and to identify and report trends.

$112,590/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Statisticians

Develop or apply mathematical or statistical theory and methods to collect, organize, interpret, and summarize numerical data to provide usable information. May specialize in fields such as biostatistics, agricultural statistics, business statistics, or economic statistics. Includes mathematical and survey statisticians.

$104,350/yrJobs growth:Master's degree

Biostatisticians

Develop and apply biostatistical theory and methods to the study of life sciences.

$104,350/yrJobs growth:Master's degree

Economics Teachers, Postsecondary

Teach courses in economics. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

$83,980/yrJobs growth:

Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists

Research conditions in local, regional, national, or online markets. Gather information to determine potential sales of a product or service, or plan a marketing or advertising campaign. May gather information on competitors, prices, sales, and methods of marketing and distribution. May employ search marketing tactics, analyze web metrics, and develop recommendations to increase search engine ranking and visibility to target markets.

$76,950/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Search Marketing Strategists

Employ search marketing tactics to increase visibility and engagement with content, products, or services in Internet-enabled devices or interfaces. Examine search query behaviors on general or specialty search engines or other Internet-based content. Analyze research, data, or technology to understand user intent and measure outcomes for ongoing optimization.

$76,950/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education

Teach one or more subjects to students at the secondary school level.

$64,580/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Survey Researchers

Plan, develop, or conduct surveys. May analyze and interpret the meaning of survey data, determine survey objectives, or suggest or test question wording. Includes social scientists who primarily design questionnaires or supervise survey teams.

$63,380/yrJobs growth:Master's degree
About This Data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (October 2025 release)

Population: Graduates who received federal financial aid (Title IV grants or loans). At North Park University, approximately 43% of students receive Pell grants. Students who did not receive federal aid are not included in these figures.

Earnings: Median earnings from IRS W-2 data for graduates who are employed and not enrolled in further education, measured 1 year after completion. Earnings are pre-tax and include wages, salaries, and self-employment income.

Debt: Median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation. Does not include private loans or Parent PLUS loans borrowed on behalf of students.

Estimated Earnings: Actual earnings data is not available for this program (typically due to privacy thresholds when fewer than 30 graduates reported earnings). The estimate shown is based on the median of 15 similar programs in IL. Actual outcomes may vary.