Attending a four year university is expensive, and graduate school adds extra financial pains. If you're going to shell out for tuition (then pay back an average of $37,000 in loans afterward) it isn't a bad idea to consider the average salary for graduates coming out of your school.
PayScale, a Seattle-based company that provides information about salaries and benefits, recently took a look at the earning potential of US university graduates. They ranked undergraduate schools and graduate school degree programs based off their average career pay and average mid-career pay (plus included the percent of students majoring in STEM fields, which average higher salaries overall).
Of course, this is just one metric--PayScale didn't include information on financial aid packages or average debt students accrue, which impacts earnings. It does indicate what students can make out of school, and what they can earn as they continue on in their career.
Best Illinois undergraduate universities ranked by salary potential: Note: Based off bachelor's degrees
University of Chicago
- Average early career pay: $53,000
- Average mid-career pay: $115,000
- Percentage of degrees earned in STEM: 32 percent
- PayScale overall rank: 22
Illinois Institute of Technology
- Average early career pay: $59,900
- Average mid-career pay: $105,000
- Percentage of degrees earned in STEM: 70 percent
- PayScale overall rank: 43
Northwestern University
- Average early career pay: $56,800
- Average mid-career pay: $102,000
- Percentage of degrees earned in STEM: 30 percent
- PayScale overall rank: 49 (tie)
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
- Average early career pay: $58,102
- Average mid-career pay: $102,000
- Percentage of degrees earned in STEM: 35 percent
- PayScale overall rank: 49 (tie)
University of Illinois at Chicago
- Average early career pay: $51,500
- Average mid-career pay: $85,400
- Percentage of degrees earned in STEM: 31 percent
- PayScale overall rank: 217
See the full list here.
Best Illinois graduate schools ranked by salary potential:
University of Chicago Booth School of Business (MBA)
- Average early career pay: $112,000
- Average mid-career pay: $172,000
- PayScale overall rank: 13
Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management (MBA)
- Average early career pay: $122,000
- Average mid-career pay: $167,000
- PayScale overall rank: 16
John Marshall Law School (JD)
- Average early career pay: $66,000
- Average mid-career pay: $155,000
- PayScale overall rank: 28
Illinois Institute of Technology (JD)
- Average early career pay: $61,000
- Average mid-career pay: $153,000
- PayScale overall rank: 31
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (PhD)
- Average early career pay: $92,000
- Average mid-career pay: $139,000
- PayScale overall rank: 67
See the full list here.
