Northland College
Ashland, Wisconsin · Private Nonprofit · 75.0% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 21/100 · Poor Value
Northland College, a small private-nonprofit in Ashland, Wisconsin, earns an ROI score of 21 out of 100 and lands in the Poor Value tier. The drivers are sobering: median earnings six years after entry sit at just $27,500 and rise only to $44,560 by year ten, while the median debt of $25,450 produces a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.925 -- one of the worst on the scorecard. The projected payback period stretches nearly 30 years, meaning a typical graduate would still be carrying loan-related costs through age 50 or beyond. Sticker tuition is $44,403, and the average net price is $36,119, putting four-year total cost above $144,000. The completion rate of 49.7% is below average, so roughly half of entering students never finish a degree but may leave with debt. The one bright spot is a repayment rate above 77% at three years, suggesting alumni who do find work are servicing loans even on modest incomes. With under 300 students enrolled and an environmentally focused liberal-arts mission, Northland is a niche pick whose financial math currently does not work for most students.
The data raises concerns about Northland College
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score21/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- Payback period29.8 years - Most 4-year schools we track have payback periods of 4-10 years.
Northland College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $44,403/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $44,403/yr |
| Average net price | $36,119/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $144,476 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $44,560 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $27,500 |
| Median debt at graduation | $25,450 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $270 |
| Estimated payback period | 29.8 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 49.7% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 269 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at Northland College is $44,403/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $36,119/year, or roughly $144,476 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $16,842/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $56,889/year.
The median graduate leaves with $25,450 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $270 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $44,560 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.93 - within the recommended range but worth monitoring.
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 | $16,842 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $22,695 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $21,581 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $47,714 |
| $110,001+ | $56,889 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay a net price of $16,842 -- the lowest tier, reflecting solid Pell and institutional aid. Over four years that is around $67,000, against a 10-year median earnings of $44,560. Aid materially helps, but the underlying earnings ceiling and 30-year payback period mean even the best-priced bracket is a stretch unless the student is certain about completing a degree.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families ($48,001-$75,000) pay $21,581 net -- slightly less than the $30,001-$48,000 bracket's $22,695, suggesting a mild aid-cliff anomaly around $30K. Four-year cost lands near $86,000, while median earnings stay in the mid-$40s. The math is hard: middle-income families are paying roughly twice annual graduate earnings for the full degree.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
High-income families face $47,714 in the $75,001-$110,000 band and $56,889 above $110,000 -- numbers that exceed the $44,403 sticker tuition, signaling minimal merit discounting for higher earners. Four-year cost at the top tier exceeds $227,000 against $44,560 in median earnings. For these families Northland is essentially a full-pay private-college decision driven by mission fit, not financial return.
Earnings by Major
Top 2 most popular majors at Northland College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Biology | $45,396 | F |
| Natural Resources Conservation | $25,563 | 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.
Natural Resources Conservation
Natural Resources Conservation is Northland's signature program and a banner draw, but the Scorecard numbers are brutal: $25,563 in first-year earnings against $27,000 in median debt yields a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.056 and an F grade. Conservation jobs (state DNR, federal land agencies, nonprofits) pay modestly early and improve with seniority, so the lifetime picture is better than year one suggests -- but graduates need a clear plan for picking up agency credentials and field experience to escape the entry-wage band.
Biology
Biology shows the same pattern: $24,540 in first-year earnings rising to $45,396 by year four, against $26,500 in median debt (debt-to-earnings 1.08, grade F). With only 13 graduates, the sample is small, but the trajectory matches national biology data -- the degree only pays off with grad school (medical, dental, PA, PhD). Students who plan to finish at the bachelor's level should know the first-year earnings ceiling here is materially below the cost of attendance.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 73.2% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 77.1% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 78.6% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 79.2% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 75.0% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 450-590 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 500-550 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 18-25 |
| Enrollment | 269 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 31.9% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $6,903 |
Northland admits about 75% of applicants, so it is broadly accessible. SAT mid-ranges (Math 450-590, Reading 500-550) and ACT 18-25 confirm a wide academic band. The 49.7% completion rate suggests many admitted students arrive academically underprepared or financially stretched and do not finish. Prepared applicants with clear environmental-science career plans will find the door open; less-prepared students should weigh the high non-completion risk.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Northland's peer set -- Alverno College, Bellin College, Welch College, Cottey College, and Arlington Baptist University -- is a mix of small private-nonprofits with similar enrollment scale. Alverno (a Milwaukee women's college) and Bellin (a Green Bay nursing school) generally outperform on earnings because of professional-program focus, while Welch, Cottey, and Arlington Baptist are religious/values-driven liberal-arts peers that tend to track Northland's low earnings profile. Against that field Northland's 21 score sits at the bottom; nursing-focused Bellin in particular shows what targeted career pipelines do for ROI.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northland College (this school) | 21 | $36,119 | $44,560 |
| Bellin College | 72 | $37,408 | $76,222 |
| Alverno College | 39 | $22,540 | $53,145 |
| Welch College | 23 | $25,263 | $42,198 |
| Cottey College | 22 | $13,805 | $35,422 |
| Arlington Baptist University | 14 | $24,906 | $44,644 |
Who Thrives Here
Northland fits a narrow profile: students passionate about environmental studies, natural resources, and outdoor education who value a 269-student campus on Lake Superior's south shore. Pell rate is 31.9%, so roughly a third of students come from lower-income families and tend to benefit from generous discounting. The enrollment scale signals heavy faculty contact, but also limited program breadth. Strong outcomes are concentrated for students who finish a degree and stay in the Upper Midwest conservation labor market; everyone else faces a tough debt-to-earnings math.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
The financial data raises serious concerns about Northland College. With a net cost of $36,119 per year and median graduate earnings of only $44,560 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds 29.8 years. For most students, the financial return does not justify the cost.
Areas of concern include weak earnings relative to cost and a 49.7% graduation rate and high debt relative to what graduates earn and a long payback period.
Median debt of $25,450 against $44,560 in earnings is reasonable, though major choice matters significantly. Students in higher-earning programs will see better returns.
NewsletterCollege decisions are better with data.
New analyses, updated school profiles, and tools - when there’s 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.