National Louis University — ROI, Cost & Payback
National Louis University charges a net price of $12,641/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $50,564. Median earnings ten years after entry are $45,799, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, National Louis University does not clear its cost — it ranks #56 of 116 Illinois colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $12,641/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $50,564 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $45,799 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$2,561/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $19,750 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$101,784 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on National Louis University's own numbers. Net price $12,641 × 4 years = $50,564 total. Median earnings $45,799 fall $2,561 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $50,564 bill in about 5.1 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do National Louis University students graduate with?
A median $19,750 in federal loans among completers, or 43% of the $45,799 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of National Louis University students graduate?
30% finish their degree — 70% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $50,564 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $168,547 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is National Louis University expensive compared with other Illinois colleges?
Its $12,641 net price runs $1,109 below the $13,750 median across the 116 Illinois colleges we profile, and $4,436 less across the full degree.