Northern Michigan University
Marquette, Michigan · Public · 84.0% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 40/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Northern Michigan University scores 40 (Below Benchmark), held back primarily by weak ten-year earnings of $47,107 against a $21,474 debt load. The 0.671 debt-to-earnings ratio and 16.2-year payback period are the structural problem: students borrow modestly but the Upper Peninsula labor market doesn't reward the bachelor's premium enough to clear it quickly. The 6,556-student enrollment skews toward in-state Michiganders staying close to home. NMU shows real strength in nursing, construction management, accounting, and finance - all clearing B-grade ROI. But heavy enrollment in biology (107 grads), kinesiology, psychology, fine arts, and natural-resources programs drags the aggregate. As of 2024-2025 Scorecard data, NMU is a fine value for students who pick the right major and a poor one for everyone else.
How Northern Michigan University scores under our methodology
These are the College Scorecard measures that pull this school's CampusROI score down. They describe the published figures, not the quality of the education, and they are our reading of the data. Check them against your own aid offer and intended major.
- ROI Score40/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period16.2 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Northern Michigan University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $14,277/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $19,773/yr |
| Average net price | $14,085/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $56,340 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $47,107 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $32,000 |
| Median debt at graduation | $21,474 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $228 |
| Estimated payback period | 16.2 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 52.1% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 6,556 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $14,277/year ($19,773/year out-of-state), which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $14,085/year, or roughly $56,340 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $7,697/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $22,268/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $21,474, which works out to about $228 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($32,000) and comes to 0.67, under 1.0, meaning median debt is less than a full year of those earnings.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $7,697 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $7,185 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $11,051 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $16,324 |
| $110,001+ | $22,268 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30K pay $7,697, and the $30K-$48K band actually pays slightly less at $7,185 - a mild inverted bracket worth flagging. Both bands get strong Pell+state aid stacking and the value math holds easily for nursing, accounting, and construction management graduates. Low-income arts or kinesiology majors face structural earnings problems.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $48K-$75K band pays $11,051 and the $75K-$110K band jumps sharply to $16,324 - a steep aid cliff. Middle-income Michigan families face $44K-$65K in four-year out-of-pocket cost, manageable for high-earning majors and risky for the heavy enrollment in biology, psychology, and kinesiology where graduate earnings sit below $30K.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110K pay $22,268 net per year - more than the in-state tuition sticker, indicating limited or no aid. For high-income families, the four-year cost approaches $89K. That math fundamentally requires a high-earning professional major (nursing, accounting, engineering tech) to clear; otherwise NMU is overpriced relative to the earnings ceiling its location creates.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Northern Michigan University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Biology | $43,698 | D |
| Registered Nursing | $77,670 | B |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $59,390 | C |
| Psychology | $43,349 | D |
| Teacher Education, Subject-Specific | $46,002 | C |
| Natural Resources Conservation | $50,300 | D |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $49,202 | C |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $36,228 | F |
| Teacher Education | $45,008 | D |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $47,613 | F |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Registered Nursing
Nursing is NMU's strongest program: 89 graduates with $68,846 first-year earnings, $28,000 debt, and a 0.407 D/E ratio for a B grade. NMU nurses staff hospitals across the Upper Peninsula and northern Wisconsin where the labor market is supply-constrained. Reliable, license-protected earnings make this the clearest positive-ROI path on campus.
Construction Management
Construction Management produces 36 graduates with $75,226 first-year earnings, $23,656 debt, and a 0.314 D/E ratio (B+ grade). One of NMU's hidden gems - the program pipelines directly into Michigan and Wisconsin construction firms during a sustained building cycle. Higher first-year earnings than any other major and lower debt than nursing.
Biology
Biology produces 107 graduates with $26,818 first-year earnings, $25,166 debt, and a 0.938 D/E ratio (D grade). The classic pre-med problem at a small regional public: the bachelor's alone is weak. Students choosing biology here should have a concrete plan for graduate study.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal Justice enrolls 67 graduates with $38,518 first-year earnings, $23,687 debt, and a 0.615 D/E ratio (C grade). The bachelor's clears modestly above payment thresholds but lacks the upside of a professional license.
Teacher Education, Subject-Specific
Teacher Education enrolls 60 graduates with $43,443 first-year earnings, $27,000 debt, and a 0.622 D/E ratio (C grade). Michigan's teacher salary scale supports modest positive ROI but the debt level is high relative to starting pay. Strong fit only for students with concrete plans to teach in higher-paying districts or move into administration.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 63.2% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 69.6% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 61.2% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 68.8% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Northern Michigan University’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 84.0% |
| Enrollment | 6,556 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 28.0% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $9,306 |
NMU admits 84% of applicants, effectively open access for Michigan and Upper Peninsula students. The university does not report SAT or ACT mid-ranges in current Scorecard data, consistent with its test-optional policy.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Michigan University (this school) | 40 | $14,085 | $47,107 |
| Central Michigan University | 51 | $17,597 | $55,874 |
| Eastern Michigan University | 42 | $15,407 | $51,793 |
| Dalton State College | 41 | $5,012 | $40,251 |
| University of North Alabama | 38 | $12,170 | $45,415 |
| Idaho State University | 38 | $12,193 | $45,608 |
Who Thrives Here
With 27.9% Pell rate and 6,556 students, the campus is small enough to deliver individual attention. Strong fit for prospective nurses, accountants, construction managers, and outdoor-recreation students drawn to Marquette's Lake Superior location.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Northern Michigan University scores 40/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $14,085 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $47,107 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 16.2 years. In our view that makes the financial case a hard one to make on the numbers alone, but those numbers are averages: your major, your aid package and what you want from a degree all change the picture, so run your own numbers before you commit.
What to keep an eye on: its 52.1% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.67 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 69.6% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $21,474 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $32,000 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.67. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. Your major - and how much you borrow - really matters.
Northern Michigan University: Common Questions
Is Northern Michigan University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Northern Michigan University scores 40/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $14,085 a year after aid against $47,107 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 16.2 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Northern Michigan University cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $14,085 a year, or roughly $56,340 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Northern Michigan University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $47,107 ten years after enrolling, roughly $5,307 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off Northern Michigan University?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 16.2 years for Northern Michigan University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Northern Michigan University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $21,474, against average earnings of $32,000 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.67. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. How much you borrow really matters.
What is the graduation rate at Northern Michigan University?
The six-year graduation rate is 52.1%. The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
NewsletterCollege decisions are better with data.
From CampusROI, when there is something worth acting on.
Rankings & Links
Guides & Tools
Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.