Public Accountability Report

Northern Illinois University (NIU) is a student-centered, nationally recognized public research university with expertise that benefits its region and spans the globe in a wide variety of fields, including the sciences, humanities, arts, business, engineering, education, health, and law. NIU provides all students with experiences tailored to who they are today and who they will be in the future. The university offers high-quality academic programs in more than 100 areas of study, from STEM fields to the visual and performing arts.

NIU works to match talent with success, ensuring that students from all walks of life have the opportunity to climb the ladder of success. The university has developed innovative approaches to financial aid and scholarships that create opportunities for students from underserved communities and traditionally underrepresented groups. The Wall Street Journal and CollegeNET recognize NIU as a leading institution nationally for social mobility. Students at NIU are motivated by achieving personal excellence and by making a positive impact in their home communities upon graduation. As a Carnegie Engaged Institution, NIU offers multiple opportunities for students, faculty, and staff to engage with community partners, bringing the university’s public mission to life through a variety of civic and community-engaged courses and activities. 

NIU students are taught by outstanding faculty members who combine personal attention and hands-on learning experiences that they provide while also conducting leading-edge research and artistry in their fields. The university is recognized among Carnegie-classified R2 universities for “high research activity,” and research funding has climbed 113% in just the last decade, reaching a record high of $35 million in fiscal year 2025.  

Those external grant awards allow faculty to provide training to doctoral, graduate, and undergraduate students; facilitate innovative research and development activities; and help the university continue to attract and retain star faculty and students. NIU faculty research is resulting in patents, licenses, and widely cited papers while also preparing our students to excel after graduation.

In addition to its impressive accomplishments in teaching, learning, research, artistry, and community engagement, NIU provides a significant return on investment to the State of Illinois. NIU has nearly 260,000 alumni, with the vast majority living, working, and leading in Illinois. The annual economic impact Northern Illinois University has on its region is nearly $1 billion, which is approximately 10 times the institution’s annual state appropriation.