Northcentral University
San Diego, CA · official site ↗
Private nonprofitDoctoral/Professional UniversityMedium
1
Fin. Resilience
Northcentral University is a private nonprofit institution in San Diego, CA, classified by Carnegie as “Doctoral/Professional University.”
It enrolls about 60 undergraduates and is benchmarked here against 141 peer institutions (Doctoral/Professional University · Private nonprofit).
On Ibex's Financial Resilience score it rates 1 out of 100 within that peer group, a transparent composite of endowment per undergraduate, net tuition revenue per student, and instructional spend per student.
Its strongest standing relative to peers is net-price momentum (cagr) (-11.3%, 1st percentile).
Its weakest is instructional spend / fte ($1,881).
Ibex's cross-metric scan flags: Undergrad enrollment down 55% since 2016.
Peer group
Doctoral/Professional University · Private nonprofit
141 institutions
Undergrad enrollment down 55% since 2016
Policy & demographic exposure
How exposed Northcentral University is to the structural shifts reshaping higher ed: a composite structural-risk index plus the 2025 federal budget law’s endowment excise tax, Grad PLUS elimination, new Parent PLUS borrowing cap and new Workforce Pell short-term-credential opportunity, and the demographic enrollment cliff. Only signals that apply to this institution are shown.
Grad PLUS exposureShare of the school's graduate federal loan dollars that came from Grad PLUS, the program the 2025 budget law eliminates for new borrowers from July 2026 (FSA Direct Loan data). Higher = more graduate borrowing that will disappear above the new caps.
35.7%
Moderate exposureHigher than 72% of schools nationally
AY2025-26 YTD (through Q2, Dec 2025)
Avg Grad PLUS loanAverage Grad PLUS loan per borrower (FSA). The 2025 law caps unsubsidized grad borrowing at $20,500/yr and ends Grad PLUS, this is the average per-student amount that vanishes above the cap. The depth half of the Grad PLUS shock; pair with Grad PLUS exposure (the reliance share).
$31,990
Above the capHigher than 83% of schools nationally
AY2025-26 YTD (through Q2, Dec 2025)
Workforce Pell exposureShare of this school's measured credentials that are undergraduate certificates, the sub-associate tier the 2025 budget law's new Workforce Pell Grant makes Pell-eligible from July 2026 (short-term programs of 150–600 clock hours over 8–15 weeks). An opportunity signal: higher = more of what the school already produces could draw new federal grant aid. Source: College Scorecard Field-of-Study; an upper-bound proxy since the certificate tier spans varying lengths.
0.2%
LimitedHigher than 2% of schools nationally
Enrollment cliff (home state)Projected change in the institution's home-state high-school graduates from 2025 to 2041 (WICHE). The U.S. total falls about 13%; a directional feeder-market signal, not an enrollment forecast.
-27.7%
Severe declineIndicative signals, not forecasts, see each metric’s definition and the methodology. Endowment-tax, Grad PLUS, Parent PLUS and Workforce Pell figures appear only where the institution is actually exposed; “nationally” compares against all schools that report each signal.
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Federal funding mix
Which agencies fund this schoolThe share of this school's federal funding that comes from each awarding agency in FY2024. These are dollars agencies committed (obligations), not dollars the school spent, so the total will not match the audited federal-awards-expended figure elsewhere on this page. Matched to the school by its own SAM.gov Unique Entity ID.
$150,337 obligated · FY2024
Education alone accounts for 100% of it.
Education100.0%
Federal dollars each agency committed to this institution in FY2024, as a share of its total positive obligations (USAspending.gov). Obligations are money committed, not money spent, so this total will not match the audited “Federal awards expended” figure elsewhere on this page. Amounts an agency reclaimed during the year are excluded.
Financial Health
Net tuition revenue / FTETuition revenue per full-time-equivalent student after institutional aid/discounts, what tuition actually nets.
Below peers
$5,701
1st percentile in peer grouppeer median $17,786
2024-25141 peers
Instructional spend / FTESpending on instruction per FTE student, how much of the budget reaches the classroom.
Below peers
$1,881
1st percentile in peer grouppeer median $11,301
2024-25141 peers
Heightened Cash MonitoringOn ED's Heightened Cash Monitoring list (HCM1 documentation, HCM2 reimbursement).
HCM1
Mar 2026 (Federal Student Aid)
The U.S. Department of Education places schools with financial-responsibility or compliance concerns on Heightened Cash Monitoring. HCM1 requires extra documentation before drawing federal aid; HCM2 is the more severe tier, paying the school only by reimbursement after it has disbursed its own funds. Shown only for currently flagged schools; most institutions are not on the list. A red flag for closure or solvency risk.
Grad PLUS exposureShare of the school's graduate federal loan dollars that came from Grad PLUS, the program the 2025 budget law eliminates for new borrowers from July 2026 (FSA Direct Loan data). Higher = more graduate borrowing that will disappear above the new caps.
Moderate exposure
35.7%
2024-25
Share of the institution's graduate federal loan dollars (Grad Unsubsidized + Grad PLUS) that came from Grad PLUS, the program the 2025 budget law eliminates for new borrowers from July 1, 2026, alongside new caps on graduate borrowing. A higher share means more of the school's graduate students rely on borrowing that will no longer exist above the unsubsidized cap. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education / Federal Student Aid Direct Loan Dashboard, primarily award year 2025-26 (year-to-date through Q2, December 2025), the most current federal data; schools not yet reporting Grad PLUS in 2025-26 retain their most recent complete year (2024-25), shown per school. The reliance share is stable across the two vintages. Shown only for schools with Grad PLUS originations; an exposure signal, not a forecast of revenue loss.
Avg Grad PLUS loanAverage Grad PLUS loan per borrower (FSA). The 2025 law caps unsubsidized grad borrowing at $20,500/yr and ends Grad PLUS, this is the average per-student amount that vanishes above the cap. The depth half of the Grad PLUS shock; pair with Grad PLUS exposure (the reliance share).
Above the cap
$31,990
2024-25
Average Grad PLUS loan per recipient (FSA Direct Loan Dashboard, award year 2025-26 year-to-date through Q2, with 2024-25 full-year retained where 2025-26 is not yet reported). The 2025 budget law eliminates Grad PLUS for new borrowers from July 1, 2026 and caps unsubsidized graduate borrowing at $20,500/year, so this is the average per-borrower amount that will no longer be available above that cap. Paired with Grad PLUS exposure (the institution's reliance share), it is the depth axis of the Grad PLUS shock: how much each affected borrower stands to lose. Shown only where Grad PLUS was originated.
Gifts and grants receivedTotal contributions, gifts, and grants received in the filing year (Form 990).
Below peers
$1.1M
4th percentile in peer grouppeer median $12.4M
FY2021 (IRS Form 990 (ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer))120 peers
Total contributions, gifts, and grants the institution received in the filing year, from its Form 990. This is the broadest available measure of philanthropic and grant support reaching the institution, covering alumni giving, foundation grants, and government grants recorded as contributions. Read it against enrollment: strong giving at a small school is a real cushion against tuition dependence. Higher is better. Sourced from the institution's IRS Form 990, matched on the Employer Identification Number it reported in its federal Single Audit. Only private nonprofit institutions file a Form 990: public universities are government units and file none, and for-profit institutions file none. A school with no value did not file, which is not the same as a value of zero.
Tax-exempt bond debtTax-exempt bond liabilities outstanding at year end (Form 990).
$0
19th percentile in peer grouppeer median $47.3M
FY2021 (IRS Form 990 (ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer))120 peers
Tax-exempt bond debt the institution still owed at the end of the filing year. Colleges borrow through municipal bonds to build dormitories, labs, and stadiums, so a large balance is not by itself a warning: it reflects a building programme. It becomes a risk when it is large relative to the institution's net assets, which is what the bond-debt-to-net-assets figure on this page measures. A zero here means the institution reported no tax-exempt bond debt outstanding, which is a genuine, debt-free result. Context metric, not better or worse. Sourced from the institution's IRS Form 990, matched on the Employer Identification Number it reported in its federal Single Audit. Only private nonprofit institutions file a Form 990: public universities are government units and file none, and for-profit institutions file none. A school with no value did not file, which is not the same as a value of zero.
Bond debt vs net assetsTax-exempt bond debt as a share of total net assets. Lower is better.
Low leverage
0%
19th percentile in peer grouppeer median 22.1%
FY2021 (IRS Form 990 (ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer))120 peers
The institution's outstanding tax-exempt bond debt divided by its total net assets. It answers the question the raw debt figure cannot: how heavy is this borrowing relative to what the institution actually owns. A wealthy university with billions in net assets carries a large bond balance comfortably; a tuition-dependent college with thin reserves does not. Above roughly 50% the debt is a material claim on the institution's resources. Shown only where net assets are positive. Lower is better. Sourced from the institution's IRS Form 990, matched on the Employer Identification Number it reported in its federal Single Audit. Only private nonprofit institutions file a Form 990: public universities are government units and file none, and for-profit institutions file none. A school with no value did not file, which is not the same as a value of zero.
Officer pay, share of expensesCompensation of current officers and key employees as a share of total expenses.
0.7%
10th percentile in peer grouppeer median 1.6%
FY2021 (IRS Form 990 (ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer))119 peers
What the institution paid its current officers, directors, trustees, and key employees, as a share of its total functional expenses. At almost every college this is a fraction of one percent, because the denominator includes all faculty and staff salaries. The figure is useful mainly at the extremes and at small institutions, where an unusually high share can indicate a top-heavy cost structure. It is not a measure of executive pay in absolute terms. Context metric, not better or worse. Sourced from the institution's IRS Form 990, matched on the Employer Identification Number it reported in its federal Single Audit. Only private nonprofit institutions file a Form 990: public universities are government units and file none, and for-profit institutions file none. A school with no value did not file, which is not the same as a value of zero.
Federal funding obligatedTotal federal dollars all agencies committed to this institution in FY2024, across grants, contracts, and student aid.
Below peers
$150,337
2nd percentile in peer grouppeer median $6.3M
FY2024 (USAspending.gov)128 peers
Obligations reported to USAspending.gov for FY2024 (Oct 2023 to Sep 2024), summed across every awarding agency. This is money committed, not money spent, so it will not equal the audited 'Federal awards expended' figure and the two should not be subtracted from one another. Negative amounts (agencies reclaiming prior commitments) are excluded.
Federal funding agenciesHow many distinct federal agencies committed money to this institution in FY2024.
1
38th percentile in peer grouppeer median 2
FY2024 (USAspending.gov)128 peers
A count of awarding agencies with positive FY2024 obligations. Neither high nor low is inherently better: a community college funded solely by the Department of Education is behaving normally, while a research university typically draws on ten or more agencies.
Largest funder's shareShare of federal funding that comes from the single largest awarding agency.
100%
100th percentile in peer grouppeer median 96.5%
FY2024 (USAspending.gov)128 peers
The largest agency's FY2024 obligations as a share of the institution's total positive federal obligations. Read it as concentration, not risk: most teaching colleges sit near 100% because nearly all their federal money is Department of Education student aid.
Graduation & completion
Graduation rate · first-time, full-time
–
Not reported, this institution has no first-time, full-time bachelor's-degree cohort, so the graduation rate does not apply. See the all-students completion rate.
Completion rate · all students
43.7%
43.7% earned a degree or certificate within 8 years (IPEDS Outcome Measures)
The broader cohort, also counts part-time entrants and transfer-ins, and any credential. More inclusive, so it can run higher than the graduation rate.
Why two numbers? They measure different students over different windows, so they are not directly comparable. The graduation rate is the standard federal headline but tracks only first-time, full-time students through a bachelor's; the all-students completion rate adds the part-time and transfer students it leaves out, over a longer window. Read each for what it covers. Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS Graduation Rates & Outcome Measures, via College Scorecard.
Enrollment & Pipeline
Undergraduate enrollmentNumber of degree-seeking undergraduates (IPEDS fall headcount). A size measure, not a quality signal.
60
4th percentile in peer grouppeer median 2,214
2024-25139 peers
Pell recipient shareShare of undergraduates on a federal Pell Grant, a proxy for the share from lower-income families.
37.8%
69th percentile in peer grouppeer median 30.6%
2024-25138 peers
Completion rate (all students · 8-yr)Of ALL entering degree-seeking undergraduates, full- and part-time, first-time and transfer-in, the share who earned a degree or certificate at this institution within eight years (IPEDS Outcome Measures). Broader than the graduation rate, which counts only first-time, full-time students, so the two are measured on different students and are not directly comparable.
Below peers
43.7%
8th percentile in peer grouppeer median 62.6%
2024-25139 peers
Share of ALL entering degree-seeking undergraduates, full- and part-time, first-time and transfer-in, who earned a degree or certificate at this institution within eight years (IPEDS Outcome Measures, via College Scorecard). Broader and more inclusive than the graduation-rate figures, which count only first-time, full-time students entering a bachelor's program, so the two are measured on different groups of students and are not directly comparable.
First-generation studentsShare of undergraduates who are the first in their family to attend college.
44.4%
92nd percentile in peer grouppeer median 29.9%
2024-25135 peers
Share of undergraduates who are first-generation college students (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). An access signal, not a measure of quality: a higher share often reflects a stronger commitment to serving students whose parents did not attend college.
Adult learners (25+)Share of undergraduates aged 25 or older.
90.8%
100th percentile in peer grouppeer median 11.1%
2024-25138 peers
Share of undergraduates aged 25 or older (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). Read as context on the student mix: schools serving many working adults look different on persistence and part-time measures than traditional-age campuses, and neither is inherently better.
Part-time undergraduatesShare of undergraduates enrolled part-time.
85%
99th percentile in peer grouppeer median 7.1%
2024-25138 peers
Share of undergraduates enrolled part-time (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). Context, not quality: a high part-time share is common at community and commuter institutions and affects graduation-rate comparisons, which are based only on full-time, first-time students.
Median family incomeMedian family income of students at this institution.
$21,114
6th percentile in peer grouppeer median $52,163
2024-25138 peers
Median family income of students at this institution (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). An affordability and access signal, not a measure of quality: a lower figure typically means the school enrolls more students from modest-income families.
Low-income students (under $30K)Share of students from families earning under about $30,000 a year.
63.3%
94th percentile in peer grouppeer median 31.6%
2024-25138 peers
Share of students whose families earn under roughly $30,000 a year (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). A direct low-income access signal: a higher share usually reflects a school enrolling more students from modest-income households, and pairs naturally with the Pell recipient share.
Women (share of undergraduates)Share of undergraduates who are women.
78.3%
96th percentile in peer grouppeer median 60.5%
2024-25139 peers
Share of undergraduates who are women (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). Reported as context on the student mix, not a measure of quality.
8-year completion (all students)Share of all entering students, including part-time and transfer-in, who earn an award within 8 years. Higher is better.
Below peers
43.7%
8th percentile in peer grouppeer median 62.6%
2024-25139 peers
Share of ALL entering students, full-time and part-time, first-time and transfer-in, who complete an award within eight years (College Scorecard Outcome Measures, FY2024-25). It is a broader, more representative completion signal than the first-time-full-time graduation rates, because it counts the part-time and returning students those rates exclude. Higher is better.
Program concentration (HHI)How concentrated a school's annual completions are across academic fields, as a Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (10,000 = one field, lower = many). Higher means more reliance on a few fields; lower means a diversified program portfolio.
Highly concentrated
2,552
2022-23
How concentrated the institution's degree and certificate output is across academic fields (CIP 2-digit families), as a Herfindahl-Hirschman Index on the latest year's completions: 10,000 means every completion is in one field; lower means output is spread across many. A higher value means the school leans on fewer fields and is more exposed to demand shifts in them; a lower value reflects a broad program portfolio. Shown for institutions reporting at least 100 annual completions. A structural-diversification signal, not a measure of quality.
12-month FTE enrollmentFull-time-equivalent enrollment over the full year, the denominator for per-student finance measures.
6,926
84th percentile in peer grouppeer median 3,433
2022-23141 peers
Full-time-equivalent enrollment over the full 12-month year (IPEDS 12-month enrollment, 2022-23). Counts part-time students at their fractional load, so it runs above fall full-time headcount and is the denominator used for per-student finance measures.
Student-faculty ratioStudents per instructional faculty member, lower usually means smaller classes and more contact.
1:1
1st percentile in peer grouppeer median 12:1
fall 2023138 peers
Students per instructional faculty member (IPEDS, fall 2023). Lower generally means smaller classes and more faculty contact, though the measure mixes undergraduate and graduate teaching and is institution-reported.
Fully online studentsShare of students enrolled exclusively in distance-education (online) courses.
100%
100th percentile in peer grouppeer median 18%
2024-25141 peers
Share of students enrolled exclusively in distance-education courses (IPEDS, Fall 2023). Describes delivery model, not quality; online-heavy institutions look different on residential measures.
Applicant-pool diversity shiftProjected change in the non-white share of the home state's public high-school graduating class, class of 2025 to 2037.
+5%
WICHE 2024 (11th ed.)
Percentage-point change in the non-white share of the institution's home-state public high-school graduating class between the class of 2025 (the national peak) and 2037 (WICHE, Knocking at the College Door, 11th ed., public-school race detail). A forward look at who the future applicant pool will be: a positive value means the state's graduating class is projected to grow more racially diverse. Strategic recruiting context, not a forecast of any one school's enrollment, and a college recruits from many states.
Hybrid (some online) enrollmentShare of students enrolled in some but not all courses online (hybrid), Fall 2023.
0%
4th percentile in peer grouppeer median 26%
Fall 2023141 peers
Share of all students taking some, but not all, of their courses at a distance (IPEDS, Fall 2023). This is the hybrid middle ground between the fully online share and the fully in-person share, and it signals how far a school has moved coursework online without going exclusively remote. Context metric, not better or worse. Banded against the school's peer group.
Transfer-in share (undergraduate)Transfer-in students as a share of undergraduate enrollment, Fall 2023.
12.2%
80th percentile in peer grouppeer median 6.8%
Fall 2023138 peers
Transfer-in students as a share of all undergraduates (IPEDS, Fall 2023). A high share means the school depends on transfer pipelines rather than first-time freshmen, which changes both recruitment strategy and melt/retention risk. Context metric, not better or worse. Banded against the school's peer group.
Graduate share of enrollmentGraduate students as a share of total enrollment, Fall 2023.
99.1%
98th percentile in peer grouppeer median 35.1%
Fall 2023141 peers
Graduate students as a share of total headcount enrollment (IPEDS, Fall 2023). It separates research-intensive universities with large graduate bodies from undergraduate-focused institutions. Context metric, not better or worse. Banded against the school's peer group.
Direct competitors within 100 miNumber of same-type institutions (same Carnegie class and control) within 100 miles.
Average
3
61st percentile in peer grouppeer median 3
2024-25141 peers
How many institutions of the same type (same Carnegie classification and control, i.e. the schools competing for the same students) sit within roughly 100 miles. A higher count means a more crowded local market and a harder yield fight, which matters most as the regional pool of high school graduates shrinks; a low count means the school has its catchment largely to itself. Distance is straight-line from campus coordinates. Banded against the school's peer group. Fewer is better for recruiting leverage.
Metro-area unemployment rateUnemployment rate in the school's metro area, ACS 2019-23.
Below peers
6.2%
83rd percentile in peer grouppeer median 5%
ACS 2019-23139 peers
The civilian unemployment rate in the school's metropolitan or micropolitan area (US Census ACS 2019-23, mapped by the school's federal CBSA code). It is a proxy for local labor demand: a lower rate means a tighter job market, a stronger near-term destination for graduates and a smaller pool of working adults to recruit. It describes the local economy, not the school. Schools outside any metro area are not scored. Banded against the school's peer group.
Enrollment cliff (home state)Projected change in the institution's home-state high-school graduates from 2025 to 2041 (WICHE). The U.S. total falls about 13%; a directional feeder-market signal, not an enrollment forecast.
Severe decline
-27.7%
2024-25
Projected change in the number of high-school graduates in the institution's HOME STATE from the class of 2025 (the national peak) to 2041, per WICHE's Knocking at the College Door, 11th Edition (Dec 2024). The 'enrollment cliff' is the post-2008 birth decline reaching college age; the U.S. total is projected to fall about 13% over this window. A college recruits from many states, so its home-state projection is an indicative directional signal of feeder-market pressure, not a forecast of that institution's own enrollment.
Workforce Pell exposureShare of this school's measured credentials that are undergraduate certificates, the sub-associate tier the 2025 budget law's new Workforce Pell Grant makes Pell-eligible from July 2026 (short-term programs of 150–600 clock hours over 8–15 weeks). An opportunity signal: higher = more of what the school already produces could draw new federal grant aid. Source: College Scorecard Field-of-Study; an upper-bound proxy since the certificate tier spans varying lengths.
Limited
0.2%
2024-25
Share of the institution's measured credentials that are undergraduate certificates, the sub-associate tier that the 2025 budget law's new Workforce Pell Grant makes Pell-eligible from July 1, 2026. Workforce Pell extends the Pell Grant to short-term workforce programs of 150 to 600 clock hours offered over 8 to 15 weeks, subject to state-workforce-board and accreditor approval and to job-placement, completion and earnings-value guardrails. This is an opportunity signal: a higher share means more of what the school already produces could draw new federal grant aid, and the upside is greatest where Pell reliance (shown separately) is also high. Computed as undergraduate-certificate completions divided by all credential completions in the College Scorecard Field-of-Study file (most recent release). Scorecard's 'Undergraduate Certificate' level spans certificates of varying length, so the statutory 150-600 clock-hour window is a subset of this tier, read this as an upper-bound exposure proxy, not a count of qualifying programs. Shown only for institutions that confer such certificates above a minimum completions floor.
Scholarly works publishedLifetime indexed scholarly works (OpenAlex).
962
26th percentile in peer grouppeer median 2,528
2024 (OpenAlex)122 peers
From OpenAlex, an open catalog of the world's scholarly works. Counts the institution's lifetime indexed research works (papers, datasets, books and other outputs). It separates research-intensive universities from teaching-focused peers and signals scholarly capacity; reported only where OpenAlex has a confident match to this school. Context metric, not better or worse. Banded against the school's peer group.
Research citationsLifetime citations to the institution's works (OpenAlex).
12,791
19th percentile in peer grouppeer median 52,025
2024 (OpenAlex)122 peers
From OpenAlex, an open catalog of the world's scholarly works. Counts the institution's lifetime indexed citations received by its scholarly works. It separates research-intensive universities from teaching-focused peers and signals scholarly capacity; reported only where OpenAlex has a confident match to this school. Context metric, not better or worse. Banded against the school's peer group.
Institutional h-indexInstitutional h-index (OpenAlex): h works each cited ≥ h times.
54
19th percentile in peer grouppeer median 96
2024 (OpenAlex)122 peers
From OpenAlex. The institution has an h-index of h when h of its works have each been cited at least h times: a single figure blending output and impact. Reported only where OpenAlex has a confident match. Context metric, not better or worse. Banded against peers.
Wikipedia pageviews (monthly)Average monthly English-Wikipedia pageviews, trailing 12 months.
1,722
18th percentile in peer grouppeer median 3,286
trailing 12 mo (Wikipedia)
Average monthly views of the institution's English-Wikipedia article over the trailing 12 months (Wikimedia REST API). A top-of-funnel public-attention proxy: how often people look the school up. Reported only where a matching Wikipedia article exists. Context metric, not better or worse. Banded against the school's peer group.
Year foundedYear the institution was founded (Wikidata).
1996
100th percentile in peer grouppeer median 1904
Wikidata95 peers
The year the institution was founded, from Wikidata (the structured-data sister project of Wikipedia). An establishment and legacy signal; reported only where Wikidata records a founding date for a matched institution. Context, not better or worse. Banded against the school's peer group, so an earlier year ranks as more established.
In-state HS graduatesPublic + private high-school graduates in the school's state, class of 2025.
469,214
100th percentile in peer grouppeer median 104,008
Class of 2025 (WICHE)138 peers
The size of the school's home-state high-school graduating class in 2025 (WICHE Knocking at the College Door, public and private combined). It is the near-term in-state feeder market, the complement to the enrollment-cliff projection, which shows the direction that market is heading. Context metric, not better or worse. Banded against the school's peer group.
Enrollment momentum (CAGR)Enrollment momentum (CAGR).
Below peers
-9.5%
3rd percentile in peer grouppeer median -1.8%
2024-25138 peers
Compound annual growth rate of undergraduate enrollment over the years the tool tracks (College Scorecard, roughly 2016-2024). Positive means the school is growing; negative means it is shrinking, the leading indicator of demand stress ahead of the demographic cliff. Banded against the school's peer group.
Net-price momentum (CAGR)Net-price momentum (CAGR).
Strong
-11.3%
1st percentile in peer grouppeer median 1.1%
2024-25141 peers
Compound annual growth rate of net tuition revenue per full-time-equivalent student over the tracked years. A high positive rate means the school's real net price is climbing faster than peers, which can strain affordability and yield. Banded against the school's peer group. Lower is better.
Enrollment forecast (5-yr)Projected change in total enrollment about five years out, from the school's own trend.
Strong
33.7%
94th percentile in peer grouppeer median -12.2%
2024-2029 projection139 peers
Projected cumulative change in total enrollment roughly five years out, modeled by a least-squares log-linear fit on the school's own enrollment history (2016-2024). It uses the full multi-year series, so a single shock year (such as 2020) does not drive the result. This is a naive trend extrapolation, not a demographic model, and is capped at plus or minus 60 percent; treat it as direction-of-travel, not a precise count. Banded against the school's peer group; higher means projected growth.
Student body
Undergraduate race & ethnicity
IPEDS 2024-25
White45.0%
Black21.7%
Hispanic/Latino15.0%
Unknown10.0%
Two or more races5.0%
Asian1.7%
American Indian/Alaska Native1.7%
Undergraduate enrollment by race and ethnicity, as reported to IPEDS (College Scorecard). “International” denotes nonresident students; “Unknown” means race/ethnicity was not reported.
Student Outcomes & Risk
Median earnings (10 yr)Median earnings of former students ten years after first enrolling (working, federally-aided students).
Below peers
$48,414
20th percentile in peer grouppeer median $57,051
2024-25138 peers
Median debt at graduationMedian federal loan debt graduates carry at the point they complete.
Strong
$12,500
1st percentile in peer grouppeer median $24,247
2024-25137 peers
3-yr cohort default rateShare of borrowers who default within three years of entering repayment. Lower is better.
Average
5.6%
60th percentile in peer grouppeer median 4.8%
FY2017 cohort140 peers
Share of borrowers who defaulted within three years of entering repayment (U.S. Dept. of Education official cohort default rate). Shown for the FY2017 borrower cohort, the most recent cohort whose full three-year default window closed before the 2020-23 federal student-loan payment pause. More recent cohorts are reported by the College Scorecard at essentially 0%, but that reflects the payment pause (no payments were due, so almost no one could default), not borrower health, so the pre-pause cohort is the last meaningful reading. Lower is better.
Share taking federal loansShare of students taking out federal loans, a borrowing-reliance signal.
44.9%
41st percentile in peer grouppeer median 49.2%
2024-25138 peers
Debt-to-earnings ratioMedian graduate debt divided by median earnings, how heavy the debt load is versus what graduates earn. Lower is better.
Strong
0.26×
5th percentile in peer grouppeer median 0.40×
2024-25137 peers
Loan repayment rate (3-yr)
32.8%
3rd percentile in peer grouppeer median 64.1%
2024-25138 peers
Share of student-loan borrowers who had repaid at least $1 of their loan principal within three years of entering repayment (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). Read it as context, not a simple good/bad score: a low rate can mean borrowers are struggling, but it can also mean many graduates have postponed payments while enrolled in graduate or professional school, which is common at selective schools and pushes their rate down. Unlike the cohort default rate, it is not distorted by the 2020-23 federal payment pause. Reported only where enough borrowers exist.
Working 10 years after entryShare of the no-longer-enrolled cohort who are working ten years after entering.
Below peers
77.2%
22nd percentile in peer grouppeer median 87.6%
2024-25138 peers
Share of students who are working (not still enrolled) ten years after entering this institution, of those whose employment status is known (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). A coarse employment signal; it does not capture earnings level or job quality.
Loan repayment rate (5-yr)Share of borrowers who repaid at least $1 of principal within five years of entering repayment.
Below peers
35.2%
1st percentile in peer grouppeer median 69.6%
2024-25138 peers
Share of student-loan borrowers who had repaid at least $1 of their loan principal within five years of entering repayment (College Scorecard, FY2024-25), a longer-horizon companion to the three-year repayment rate. As with the three-year figure, a low rate can reflect graduates deferring payments while in further schooling rather than financial distress.
Median earnings (6 yr)Median earnings of working former students six years after they first enrolled.
Average
$46,759
43rd percentile in peer grouppeer median $49,550
2024-25138 peers
Median earnings of former students who are working and were federally aided, measured six years after they first enrolled (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). A shorter-horizon companion to the ten-year earnings figure; early-career pay tends to run below the ten-year mark, so read the two together rather than in isolation.
Median debt (did not complete)Median federal loan debt of students who left without completing. Lower is better.
Strong
$3,675
1st percentile in peer grouppeer median $8,750
2024-25137 peers
Median federal loan debt carried by students who withdrew from this institution without completing a credential (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). The counterpart to debt at graduation, and often the higher-risk group: borrowing with no degree to show for it. Lower is better, but compare it against the school's completion and withdrawal rates rather than on its own.
Loan repayment rate (1-yr)Share of borrowers who repaid at least $1 of principal within one year of entering repayment.
Below peers
24.1%
1st percentile in peer grouppeer median 58.5%
2024-25138 peers
Share of student-loan borrowers who had repaid at least $1 of their loan principal within one year of entering repayment (College Scorecard, FY2024-25), the earliest point on the repayment curve. As with the longer-horizon rates, a low figure can reflect borrowers deferring payments while in further schooling rather than financial distress.
Median debt (first-generation students)Median federal loan debt of students who are the first in their family to attend college. Lower is better.
Strong
$9,430
3rd percentile in peer grouppeer median $18,500
2024-25137 peers
Median cumulative federal loan debt carried by first-generation students, those whose parents did not complete college (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). Read it beside the all-students median debt: a gap between the two is an equity signal about who shoulders the borrowing. Lower is better, but weigh it against completion and earnings.
Median debt (Pell recipients)Median federal loan debt of Pell Grant recipients, the lowest-income aided students. Lower is better.
Strong
$11,040
5th percentile in peer grouppeer median $19,193
2024-25137 peers
Median cumulative federal loan debt carried by Pell Grant recipients (College Scorecard, FY2024-25), the lowest-income federally-aided students at the school. Compare it with the all-students median debt and the Pell share: it shows how much the neediest students borrow to attend. Lower is better.
Loan repayment rate, completers (3-yr)Share of borrowers who COMPLETED and had paid down at least $1 of principal within 3 years. Higher is better.
Below peers
53.5%
7th percentile in peer grouppeer median 75.3%
2024-25138 peers
Three-year loan repayment rate among borrowers who completed their program (College Scorecard, FY2024-25): the share who, three years after entering repayment, are not in default and have paid down at least a dollar of principal. Read it beside the all-borrower loan repayment rate and the non-completer rate: completers almost always repay at higher rates, so a low figure here is a strong warning sign. Higher is better.
Loan repayment rate, non-completers (3-yr)Share of borrowers who LEFT WITHOUT a credential and had paid down at least $1 of principal within 3 years. Higher is better.
Below peers
28.2%
3rd percentile in peer grouppeer median 53%
2024-25138 peers
Three-year loan repayment rate among borrowers who left WITHOUT completing (College Scorecard, FY2024-25), the group at the highest risk of default since they carry debt without the credential. Pair it with the non-completer median debt: together they show how heavily a school's dropouts are burdened. Higher is better.
Median earnings, low-income students (10-yr)Median earnings 10 years after entry for students who came from families earning under ~$30,000. Higher is better.
Below peers
$38,906
7th percentile in peer grouppeer median $52,206
2024-25134 peers
Median earnings ten years after entering, measured only for students who came from the lowest family-income tier, under about $30,000 a year (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). Read it beside the overall median earnings: a school whose low-income students go on to earn near the all-student figure is delivering real upward mobility, while a large gap signals the payoff is not reaching its neediest students. Higher is better.
Median earnings, middle-income students (10-yr)Median earnings 10 years after entry for students who came from families earning roughly $30,000 to $75,000. Higher is better.
Average
$59,520
57th percentile in peer grouppeer median $58,389
2024-25134 peers
Median earnings ten years after entering, measured only for students from middle-income families, roughly $30,000 to $75,000 a year (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). It is the middle rung of the earnings-by-family-income ladder: read it beside the low-income (under ~$30K) and high-income (over ~$75K) figures to see whether the school's payoff is even across backgrounds or tracks who students were when they arrived. Higher is better.
Median earnings, high-income students (10-yr)Median earnings 10 years after entry for students who came from families earning over ~$75,000. Higher is better.
Average
$61,082
44th percentile in peer grouppeer median $63,174
2024-25134 peers
Median earnings ten years after entering, measured only for students from higher-income families, over about $75,000 a year (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). It is the top rung of the earnings-by-family-income ladder: the gap between this and the low-income figure shows how much the school's earnings payoff depends on family background. A narrow gap signals strong upward mobility. Higher is better.
Debt-to-earnings rateMedian program-level debt-to-earnings rate (annual loan payment / earnings).
Below peers
1%
93rd percentile in peer grouppeer median 0.8%
Scorecard FoS (indicative)131 peers
The school's median program-level debt-to-earnings rate: the annual payment on graduates' median loan debt as a share of their median earnings, the core measure in the Department of Education's gainful-employment framework (a program is flagged above 8%). This is INDICATIVE: it applies ED's methodology to public College Scorecard field-of-study data because ED has not yet published its official determinations. Computed where the school has at least three evaluated programs. Lower means debt is smaller relative to earnings. Banded against peer group.
Field-demand outlook (10-yr)Employment-weighted 10-year BLS job-growth projection for the occupations this school's program mix feeds (U.S. all-occupations benchmark +3.1%). An indicative broad-field demand signal, not a program-specific or placement guarantee.
Outpaces job-market average
+3.9%
21st percentile in peer group
BLS EP 2024-34140 peers
Projected 10-year (2024-34) change in U.S. employment for the occupations this institution's degrees and certificates feed, blended across its program mix. Built by mapping each CIP 2-digit field to its occupations via the NCES CIP-SOC crosswalk, taking the employment-weighted average of each occupation's BLS-projected percent change, then weighting fields by the institution's latest-year completions. The U.S. all-occupations benchmark is 3.1%, so a higher value means the school's graduates concentrate in faster-growing labor markets. An INDICATIVE field-level signal at broad-field granularity, not a program-specific or graduate-specific projection, and not a placement or earnings guarantee. Shown where at least 50% of completions fall in fields with a coherent occupational mapping and the school reports 100+ annual completions.
Programs below earnings benchmarkShare of program completions in fields whose graduate earnings currently fall below the state earnings benchmark used by the 2025 budget law's earnings-premium test.
Below peers
64.6%
98th percentile in peer grouppeer median 4.9%
2024-25134 peers
Share of this school's measured program completions in programs whose median earnings four years after completion fall below the state benchmark (a high-school graduate's earnings for undergraduate credentials, a bachelor's for graduate credentials). This is the same early-warning screen behind our OBBBA Compliance Watchdog leaderboard, computed on public College Scorecard Field-of-Study data, not the official federal determination. Shown only where at least four programs report earnings. Lower is less exposure.
Net-value indexComposite 0-100 of earnings, completion, net price and debt vs peers.
Below peers
42.0
29th percentile in peer grouppeer median 50.0
2024-25139 peers
A 0-100 composite of student value relative to the peer group: the average of peer percentile ranks for median earnings ten years out, graduation rate, net price (lower counts as better value) and median debt (lower is better). Built only where at least two components are reported. Higher means more outcome per dollar. Banded against the school's peer group.
Earnings spread
Earnings 10 years after entry: the middle 50%
Working, federally-aided former students · Scorecard 2024-25
25th percentile$24,212
Median$48,414
75th percentile$73,253
Annual earnings of working former students measured ten years after they first enrolled (College Scorecard), shown as a range rather than a single number. The middle half of this school’s graduates earn between the 25th- and 75th-percentile figures; the Median bar matches the headline earnings figure. A wider gap means more variation in how graduates fare. Bars are scaled to the highest value shown.
Top fields of study (bachelor's)
Northcentral University’s largest fields by completions, with graduate earnings (4 years out) and debt benchmarked against the same field at its peer group. Sparklines show the 8-year completions trend.
| Field | Completions / yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs out | Median debt | Earnings premium | Risk score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business, Management & Marketing | 40 | – | $22,750 35th pct · 128 peers | – | Low · 0 |
| Psychology | 16 | – | $11,962 2th pct · 123 peers | – | High · 75 |
| Legal Professions & Studies | 11 | – | – | – | – |
| Education | 8 | – | – | – | High · 88 |
Earnings-premium status is an indicative estimate: median graduate earnings four years out vs the CA state median earnings of a high-school graduate (undergraduate credentials) or a bachelor’s-degree holder (graduate credentials) from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2022 ACS 5-year). The official U.S. Department of Education determination uses its own cohort definition and may differ.
The risk score (0–100) is an indicative blend of earnings-premium margin and the five-year completions trend, higher means a field pays closer to (or below) the benchmark and is shrinking. A directional screen, not an official determination.
Major-level detail (CIP 4-digit)
Business, Management & Marketing – 1 CIP program (4-digit), 0 with earnings
| Major (CIP 4-digit) | Compl./yr | Earn 4yr | Earn 1yr | % > threshold | Median debt | Debt/earn | Earnings premium | 2 of 3 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and OperationsCIP 5202 › | 40 | – | – | 91.3% 5yr | $22,750 | – | – | – |
Major-level earnings, debt and threshold pass-rates are reported by College Scorecard only where enough graduates exist to protect privacy, so 0 of 1 major shows an earnings figure; the rest read “–”. % > threshold is ED’s own share of graduates out-earning the federal earnings threshold (the do-no-harm pass rate), drawn from the best available measurement window (4-, 5- or 1-year) pooled across all nine College Scorecard Field-of-Study releases; a small chip marks any figure not on the 4-year window, and hovering names the cohort size and source release. 2 of 3 yrs flags fields below the earnings-premium benchmark in two of the latest three reported cohort-years, the statutory trigger under the 2025 test (effective July 1, 2026). Indicative; the Department of Education’s official determination may differ. Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard Field of Study (2014–15 through 2022–23 cohorts + most-recent snapshot), accessed March 2026.
Psychology – 1 CIP program (4-digit), 0 with earnings
| Major (CIP 4-digit) | Compl./yr | Earn 4yr | Earn 1yr | % > threshold | Median debt | Debt/earn | Earnings premium | 2 of 3 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Psychology, GeneralCIP 4201 › | 16 | – | – | 77.3% 5yr | $11,962 | – | – | – |
Major-level earnings, debt and threshold pass-rates are reported by College Scorecard only where enough graduates exist to protect privacy, so 0 of 1 major shows an earnings figure; the rest read “–”. % > threshold is ED’s own share of graduates out-earning the federal earnings threshold (the do-no-harm pass rate), drawn from the best available measurement window (4-, 5- or 1-year) pooled across all nine College Scorecard Field-of-Study releases; a small chip marks any figure not on the 4-year window, and hovering names the cohort size and source release. 2 of 3 yrs flags fields below the earnings-premium benchmark in two of the latest three reported cohort-years, the statutory trigger under the 2025 test (effective July 1, 2026). Indicative; the Department of Education’s official determination may differ. Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard Field of Study (2014–15 through 2022–23 cohorts + most-recent snapshot), accessed March 2026.
Legal Professions & Studies – 1 CIP program (4-digit), 0 with earnings
| Major (CIP 4-digit) | Compl./yr | Earn 4yr | Earn 1yr | % > threshold | Median debt | Debt/earn | Earnings premium | 2 of 3 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legal Support ServicesCIP 2203 › | 11 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
Major-level earnings, debt and threshold pass-rates are reported by College Scorecard only where enough graduates exist to protect privacy, so 0 of 1 major shows an earnings figure; the rest read “–”. % > threshold is ED’s own share of graduates out-earning the federal earnings threshold (the do-no-harm pass rate), drawn from the best available measurement window (4-, 5- or 1-year) pooled across all nine College Scorecard Field-of-Study releases; a small chip marks any figure not on the 4-year window, and hovering names the cohort size and source release. 2 of 3 yrs flags fields below the earnings-premium benchmark in two of the latest three reported cohort-years, the statutory trigger under the 2025 test (effective July 1, 2026). Indicative; the Department of Education’s official determination may differ. Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard Field of Study (2014–15 through 2022–23 cohorts + most-recent snapshot), accessed March 2026.
Education – 1 CIP program (4-digit), 0 with earnings
| Major (CIP 4-digit) | Compl./yr | Earn 4yr | Earn 1yr | % > threshold | Median debt | Debt/earn | Earnings premium | 2 of 3 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Education, GeneralCIP 1301 › | 8 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
Major-level earnings, debt and threshold pass-rates are reported by College Scorecard only where enough graduates exist to protect privacy, so 0 of 1 major shows an earnings figure; the rest read “–”. % > threshold is ED’s own share of graduates out-earning the federal earnings threshold (the do-no-harm pass rate), drawn from the best available measurement window (4-, 5- or 1-year) pooled across all nine College Scorecard Field-of-Study releases; a small chip marks any figure not on the 4-year window, and hovering names the cohort size and source release. 2 of 3 yrs flags fields below the earnings-premium benchmark in two of the latest three reported cohort-years, the statutory trigger under the 2025 test (effective July 1, 2026). Indicative; the Department of Education’s official determination may differ. Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard Field of Study (2014–15 through 2022–23 cohorts + most-recent snapshot), accessed March 2026.
See the interactive dashboard for all fields and credential levels (associate through doctoral). Source: College Scorecard Field of Study.
Frequently asked
What is Northcentral University's student-faculty ratio?
Northcentral University reports a student-faculty ratio of 1:1 (IPEDS, fall 2023) – that is, about 1 students for every instructional faculty member.
How much do Northcentral University graduates earn?
Median earnings ten years after entry are $48,414 (College Scorecard), measured across students who received federal aid.
Which schools are Northcentral University's peers?
Northcentral University is benchmarked against 141 institutions in the Doctoral/Professional University · Private nonprofit peer group; all percentiles and medians on this page are computed within that group.
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Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard & IPEDS (most recent releases), with the U.S. Census Bureau (ACS), the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Employment Projections, field-demand outlook) and WICHE (enrollment-cliff projections). Figures lag the current academic year by roughly two to three years. Percentiles and medians are computed within the institution's peer group. Financial Resilience is a transparent composite, see each component above. Compiled by Ibex Insights.