Northwood University
Midland, Michigan · Private Nonprofit · 64.5% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 63/100 · Fair Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Northwood University, a private nonprofit business-focused institution in Midland, Michigan, posts an ROI score of 63 - Fair Value tier. Northwood enrolls 1,974 students at its main campus and operates a free-market philosophy curriculum centered on business and entrepreneurship. Sticker tuition is $34,400 with net price of $27,232 producing a $108,928 four-year all-in. Six-year average earnings are $45,700, climbing to a median $63,075 by year ten - a strong long-run ramp. The 8.9-year payback period is excellent. The strongest sub-score is debt-to-earnings (81) at a low 0.456 ratio, supported by modest median debt of $20,842. Completion rate of 63.3% is solid for a regional private. The major weak spot is repayment rate (30) - the 66.4% three-year repayment rate suggests many graduates struggle with early-career repayment despite reasonable long-run earnings. Northwood's program portfolio is heavily business-focused: Marketing, Finance, Accounting, and the volume Business Administration program (302 graduates per year, by far the largest) are the institution's bread and butter. Most programs post C+ to B grades.
Northwood University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $34,400/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $34,400/yr |
| Average net price | $27,232/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $108,928 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $63,075 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $45,700 |
| Median debt at graduation | $20,842 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $221 |
| Estimated payback period | 8.9 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 63.3% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,974 |
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: $34,400/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $27,232/year, or roughly $108,928 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 $25,700/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $28,224/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $20,842, which works out to about $221 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($45,700) and comes to 0.46, which in our view is comfortably manageable.
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 | $25,700 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $25,913 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $25,906 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $26,016 |
| $110,001+ | $28,224 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning $0-$30,000 face a net price of $25,700. Aid leverage is meaningful relative to sticker but absolute cost remains substantial. The four-year cost of about $103,000 against $45,700 six-year earnings makes the math difficult.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $30,001-$48,000 bracket pays $25,913, $48,001-$75,000 pays $25,906, $75,001-$110,000 pays $26,016 - net prices remarkably flat across the middle three brackets, suggesting institutional aid policy that doesn't differentiate strongly by need within this range.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
The $110,001-plus bracket pays $28,224 - a moderate step up from middle brackets but still below sticker. Higher-income families lose modest aid leverage.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Northwood University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $68,679 | C+ |
| Accounting | $64,405 | C+ |
| Finance and Financial Management | $67,477 | B |
| Marketing | $62,860 | C |
| Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations | $77,647 | B |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $50,699 | D |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | $54,298 | - |
| International Business | $62,720 | - |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | $55,020 | C+ |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | $68,008 | C+ |
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.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration is Northwood's volume engine with 302 graduates - by far the institution's largest program. First-year earnings of $51,943 climb to $68,679 by year four. Median debt of $26,593 produces a 0.512 ratio and C+ grade. The strong four-year ramp suggests graduates advance steadily into mid-career management and operations roles, particularly in Michigan's automotive and manufacturing sectors. Northwood's free-market business philosophy attracts a self-selected, career-focused student body.
Accounting
Accounting graduates 65 students with first-year earnings of $45,217 climbing to $64,405 by year four. Median debt of $23,850 produces a 0.527 ratio and C+ grade.
Finance and Financial Management
Finance graduates 57 students with first-year earnings of $56,940 climbing to $67,477 by year four. Median debt of $23,250 produces a 0.408 ratio and B grade. The strong first-year wages indicate Northwood finance graduates land in solid corporate finance, banking, and wealth management roles. This is one of Northwood's clearest value-delivery programs.
Marketing
Marketing graduates 57 students with first-year earnings of $40,297 climbing to $62,860 by year four. Median debt of $25,169 produces a 0.625 ratio and C grade. Northwood's automotive marketing concentration drives meaningful Detroit-metro placement; the four-year ramp suggests successful career progression for graduates who land at major auto employers.
Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations
Specialized Sales/Marketing Operations graduates 35 students with the institution's strongest first-year earnings at $64,100, climbing to $77,647 by year four. Median debt of $27,000 produces a 0.421 ratio and B grade. This program likely encompasses Northwood's renowned automotive marketing and aftermarket programs, with strong Detroit auto-industry placement.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 60.5% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 66.4% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 63.1% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 65.7% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Northwood 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 | 64.5% |
| Enrollment | 1,974 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 25.7% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $8,840 |
Northwood's admission rate is 64.5% - moderately selective. SAT and ACT mid-ranges are not reported in current Scorecard data. The 63% completion rate aligns roughly with admission selectivity, suggesting the institution does adequate retention work. Northwood's automotive and athletic recruiting (it has a competitive automotive marketing program and Division II athletics) brings in students with varied academic profiles.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northwood University (this school) | 63 | $27,232 | $63,075 |
| Albion College | 65 | $14,301 | $58,799 |
| Augustana University | 63 | $23,894 | $59,217 |
| Cumberland University | 62 | $18,759 | $57,687 |
| Vanguard University of Southern California | 61 | $21,241 | $59,541 |
| Adrian College | 39 | $25,368 | $55,504 |
Who Thrives Here
Northwood enrolls 1,974 students with a Pell Grant rate of 25.7% - a moderate-need student body. The fit case is a student aimed at business careers (especially marketing, finance, automotive marketing - a Northwood specialty), drawn to the small-school environment and free-market academic philosophy, and either receiving merit aid or able to absorb the $108,000 four-year cost. Northwood's automotive marketing concentration is unique and produces particularly strong outcomes for students aimed at Detroit-metro auto industry careers.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
Northwood University is a fair-value bet, but how well it pays off depends a lot on you. At $27,232 a year after aid ($108,928 over four years), with the typical graduate earning $63,075 a decade out, the cost takes about 8.9 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
What it has going for it: manageable debt relative to earnings. What to keep an eye on: a three-year loan repayment rate of 66.4% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%).
Median debt of $20,842 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $45,700 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.46, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
Northwood University: Common Questions
Is Northwood University worth it?
In our view, it's a fair-value bet - whether Northwood University is worth it depends a lot on your major and aid package. It scores 63/100 on our ROI scale. At $27,232 a year after aid ($108,928 over four years) against $63,075 in typical earnings a decade out, the cost takes about 8.9 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does Northwood 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 $27,232 a year, or roughly $108,928 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 Northwood University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $63,075 ten years after enrolling, roughly $21,275 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 Northwood 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 8.9 years for Northwood University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Northwood University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $20,842, against average earnings of $45,700 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.46. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at Northwood University?
The six-year graduation rate is 63.3%. 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.
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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.