Communication Disorders Sciences and Services at Northern Illinois University

Northern Illinois University's Communication Disorders program significantly outperforms the national landscape, with graduates earning $34,136 in their first year—38% above the national median for this field. That might sound modest in absolute terms, but context matters: nationally, most bachelor's-level communication disorders graduates earn under $25,000. The earnings trajectory here is particularly strong, jumping to $47,528 by year four, a 39% increase that suggests graduates are advancing into higher-responsibility roles relatively quickly.

Within Illinois, the picture is more nuanced. This program sits at the 60th percentile statewide, slightly above the state median of $31,878 but notably trailing programs like U of I Urbana-Champaign. The $22,500 debt load is reasonable—roughly equivalent to what you'd see nationally—and the 0.66 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates could realistically pay this off within a few years even on entry-level salaries. For a field that often requires graduate school for clinical licensure, starting with manageable debt is crucial.

The small sample size (under 30 graduates) means these numbers could shift year to year, but the pattern is encouraging: solid earnings relative to peers nationally, reasonable debt, and strong upward momentum. If your child is considering speech-language pathology or audiology and plans to pursue a master's degree afterward, this provides a cost-effective foundation with better-than-typical undergraduate earnings during that gap year many students take between degrees.