Northern State University

What are the graduation rates for students at Northern State University?

Northern State's reported six-year graduation rate is 55% for the applicable first-time undergraduate cohort; its reported four-year rate is 35%. These measures ask whether members of a defined entering group completed within a specified time, not whether every student who attended ultimately earned a degree.

A separate reported overall graduation measure is 49%, reflecting its own reporting definition and cohort. The measures should not be treated as interchangeable, and they do not describe the completion prospects of transfer, part-time, or graduate students in the same way. Northern State's reported student retention rate is 77%, an additional indicator of continuation rather than graduation.

For students planning a four-year budget, the difference between the four- and six-year measures is consequential: additional semesters can change the total price of a degree. A program-specific course plan is more useful for that decision than an institution-wide rate alone.

What is the earning potential for graduates at Northern State University?

Federal College Scorecard field-of-study figures report median earnings for certain federally aided completers measured about one year after graduation. They describe observed earnings for qualifying people with usable records, not a starting salary offered to every graduate.

Reported one-year medians for Northern State programs include $45,902 in accounting, $39,033 in teacher education for specific levels and methods, and $38,996 in business administration and management. The reported figure for sports, kinesiology, and physical education is $32,526. These are program-level measures, not an institution-wide earnings estimate.

One-year figures capture an early career stage. They can be affected by occupation, geography, graduate-school enrollment, and which completers meet federal reporting criteria. Small programs may not have publishable figures. Students comparing programs should also consider licensing, likely debt, career progression, and the kinds of jobs a degree prepares them to seek.