International Business (Bachelor's Degree) at Northwood University

Est. Earnings (1yr)

$58,746

Est. from MI median (3 programs)

Est. Median Debt

$25,000

Est. from national median (33 programs)

Analysis

Northwood's estimated first-year earnings of $58,746 land right at Michigan's median for international business programs, suggesting graduates enter a reasonably strong regional market. With typical debt of $25,000, the 0.43 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates would need less than six months of gross income to cover their borrowing—well within manageable territory and close to the national median for this field.

The challenge here is uncertainty. These figures come from just three Michigan programs, and we don't know whether Northwood's outcomes lean toward Wayne State's $59,350 or Eastern Michigan's concerning $31,476. The school's 84% admission rate and business-focused curriculum suggest it serves a broad student base, but without actual graduate data, you're essentially betting that Northwood performs like the state average rather than falling to the lower end.

What makes this particularly tricky is that international business programs vary wildly based on institutional connections and recruitment pipelines. If you're considering Northwood, dig into their corporate partnerships, study-abroad integration, and placement track record—these will matter more than estimated figures. The debt load appears reasonable, but only if those earnings materialize. Given the data limitations, this program warrants more scrutiny than typical, especially around where graduates actually land jobs and at what salaries.

Where Northwood University Stands

Earnings vs. debt across all international business bachelors's programs nationally

Compare to Similar Programs in Michigan

International Business bachelors's programs at peer institutions in Michigan (18 total in state)

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School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)*	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt*	Debt/Earnings
Northwood UniversityMidland	$33,000	$58,746*	—	$25,000*	—
Wayne State UniversityDetroit	$14,297	$59,350*	$72,684	$23,472*	0.40
Grand Valley State UniversityAllendale	$14,628	$58,746*	$72,435	$24,397*	0.42
Eastern Michigan UniversityYpsilanti	$15,510	$31,476*	—	$25,330*	0.80
National Median	—	$49,890*	—	$23,472*	0.47

* Estimated from similar programs

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with international business graduates

Chief Executives

Determine and formulate policies and provide overall direction of companies or private and public sector organizations within guidelines set up by a board of directors or similar governing body. Plan, direct, or coordinate operational activities at the highest level of management with the help of subordinate executives and staff managers.

$105,350/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Chief Sustainability Officers

Communicate and coordinate with management, shareholders, customers, and employees to address sustainability issues. Enact or oversee a corporate sustainability strategy.

$105,350/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

General and Operations Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate the operations of public or private sector organizations, overseeing multiple departments or locations. Duties and responsibilities include formulating policies, managing daily operations, and planning the use of materials and human resources, but are too diverse and general in nature to be classified in any one functional area of management or administration, such as personnel, purchasing, or administrative services. Usually manage through subordinate supervisors. Excludes First-Line Supervisors.

$105,350/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Business Teachers, Postsecondary

Teach courses in business administration and management, such as accounting, finance, human resources, labor and industrial relations, marketing, and operations research. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

$83,980/yrJobs growth:

Business Operations Specialists, All Other

All business operations specialists not listed separately.

Business Continuity Planners

Develop, maintain, or implement business continuity and disaster recovery strategies and solutions, including risk assessments, business impact analyses, strategy selection, and documentation of business continuity and disaster recovery procedures. Plan, conduct, and debrief regular mock-disaster exercises to test the adequacy of existing plans and strategies, updating procedures and plans regularly. Act as a coordinator for continuity efforts after a disruption event.

Sustainability Specialists

Address organizational sustainability issues, such as waste stream management, green building practices, and green procurement plans.

Online Merchants

Conduct retail activities of businesses operating exclusively online. May perform duties such as preparing business strategies, buying merchandise, managing inventory, implementing marketing activities, fulfilling and shipping online orders, and balancing financial records.

Security Management Specialists

Conduct security assessments for organizations, and design security systems and processes. May specialize in areas such as physical security or the safety of employees and facilities.

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 Northwood University, approximately 25% 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 3 similar programs in MI. Actual outcomes may vary.