Northern Illinois University Rankings & Recognition
Nationally Ranked Programs
The Master of Public Administration program is ranked fifth nationally in the specialty field of city management and urban policy and 12th in the specialty of public finance and budgeting by U.S. News and World Report.
The College of Business is ranked consistently among the top schools in the country by Businessweek, Crain's Chicago Business and U.S. News & World Report.
The College of Engineering and Engineering Technology is ranked in the top 70 Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs by U.S. News & World Report.
The College of Education's online graduate programs were ranked fourth best in the nation by U.S. News & World Report.
Nationally Recognized for Community Service
NIU was named to the 2013 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll. To be admitted to the Honor Roll, a school must demonstrate that its students, faculty and staff are engaged in meaningful service that achieves measurable results in the community.
NIU faculty and staff helped meet these criteria in a variety of ways through dedication, leadership and collaboration with numerous offices on campus. NIU students played a role by providing hours upon hours of service work during their valuable free time.
Ranked in the Top 150 Universities
NIU is ranked in the top 150 universities according to Washington Monthly's College Guide Rankings in the following categories:
- Social Mobility (recruiting and graduating low-income students),
- Research (producing cutting-edge scholarship and PhDs), and
- Service (encouraging students to give something back to their country).
NIU Education Worth the Money, Survey Shows
NIU ranks in the top third of PayScale.com’s College Return on Investment Package, which measures “what you pay to attend versus what you get back in lifetime earnings.”
Academic Prestige
NIU is a member of the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities (APLU), a non-profit association of public research universities, land-grant institutions, and state university systems. and the Universities Research Association (URA), an international consortium of 86 leading research oriented universities.
NIU is classified by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching in the category of Research Universities (high research activity), a designation reserved for universities that award at least 20 research degrees during the year.
NIU was also awarded an elective classification for Curricular Engagement and Outreach and Partnerships which recognizes institutions of higher education for their collaboration with their larger communities (local, regional/state, national and global).
U.S. News & World Report ranks NIU in its elite "National Universities" category; NIU is ranked third in Illinois in the magazine's High School Counselor Rankings of National Universities.
NIU's academic programs are nationally accredited (in business, engineering, nursing, visual and performing arts, and all teacher certification programs, among others) for meeting the highest standards of academic quality and rigor.
NIU has received thirteen ARRA funded awards, in addition to millions of dollars in outside funding for instruction, research, public service, and other areas.
NIU ranks in the Top 100 colleges in the nation among colleges for awarding bachelors and masters degrees to Hispanic students according to the Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education Magazine
Excellent Choice for Veterans
NIU was ranked in the top 50 "Best for Vets" four-year colleges in the country by Military Times Magazine for 2013.
NIU was named a Military Friendly School for 2013 by G.I. Jobs. Military Friendly Schools are the top 15 percent of schools nationwide that deliver the best experience for military students.
NIU received the 2010 Governor’s Award for Excellence in Veteran’s Education.