10-yr median earnings
$54,794
Federal aid recipients only
Private Nonprofit · Rockford, Illinois
Rockford University
Rockford University is a private nonprofit institution in Rockford, Illinois. as a private nonprofit, published Scorecard outcomes cover federal-aid recipients at this campus — endowment and sticker price sit outside those cohort fields.
- $54,794
- 10-yr median earnings
- 92.9%
- Acceptance rate
- $22,436
- Avg net price / yr
- 42.9%
- 150%-time completion
The verdict
Rockford University pairs top-quartile former-student earnings with open admission.
According to the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
- Top 22%
- former-student earnings, US
- 92.9%
- acceptance rate
- 42.9%
- 150%-time completion
- +20%
- earnings, 6→10 yrs
City: Midsize
Carnegie: Master's (S)
Institution data retrieved July 2026; field-of-study data retrieved March 2026.
How to read this Rockford University profile
Figures above come from IPEDS institution records published through the College Scorecard (retrieved July 2026 for institution fields; March 2026 for field-of-study). Peer groups and cost cohorts follow IPEDS ownership sector, Carnegie class ("Master's Colleges & Universities: Small Programs"), and locale, not an editorial shortlist.
Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for full-time, first-time undergraduate Title IV recipients. It is a defined cohort average, not a personalized price; income-band fields add context but do not replace the school's current net-price calculator.
Earnings use Treasury-linked records for federally aided former students who were working and not enrolled in the measurement year (completers and noncompleters). IPEDS completion and retention use separate first-time, full-time cohorts, so those denominators are not the earnings cohort. Read cost, completion, and earnings as distinct historical measures, not a causal verdict or individual forecast.
College Value Score
D
College Value Score
44/100
Rockford University
A 6-metric composite of earnings, cost, and completion outcomes benchmarked against every reporting US college, not a ranking of teaching quality, campus life, or fit for any individual student. See the full methodology.
Earnings B+
$54,794
10-year median former-student earnings
Net Price F
$22,436
Average annual cost after grants and aid
Completion Rate F
42.9%
Completion within 150% of normal time
Debt F
$22,274
Median federal debt at graduation
Loan Repayment B
69.6%
Borrowers repaying loans within 3 years
Retention F
65.3%
First-year students returning for year two
Each axis is the percentile score shown in the breakdown at left; the shape shows this school's overall profile at a glance.
Avg net price
$22,436
After grants and scholarships
150%-time completion
42.9%
Full-time, first-time cohort
150%-time completion vs portal median (57.1%) 42.9%
Four-year-institution cohort
College ROI Quadrant - Rockford University vs peers
Each dot is a college plotted by 10-year median earnings (x-axis) vs average net price (y-axis), colored by completion within 150% of normal time. Bottom-right = high earnings/lower price; top-left = lower earnings/higher price.
How Rockford University ranks nationally
Where this school's former-student earnings fall within the full national distribution of every US college that reports to the College Scorecard, not just its peer set.
Rockford University: former-student earnings vs. every US college
10-year median earnings, College Scorecard
$54,794 Top 22% higher than 78% of 5,103 US colleges
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US colleges. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard · Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals
| Metric | Rockford University | National rank | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-yr median earnings | $54,794 | #1121 of 5103 | 78th |
| Average net price | $22,436 | #3542 of 5020 | 29th (lower is better) |
| 150%-time completion | 42.9% | #3462 of 4858 | 29th |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 972 | #2207 of 5462 | 60th |
National ranks count every operating US college reporting each metric to the College Scorecard, separate from the earnings histogram above.
Quick Facts
972
Undergraduate enrollment
92.9%
Acceptance rate
956
SAT average
42.9%
150%-time completion
$54,794
10-yr median earnings
65.3%
First-year retention
How Rockford University ranks in Illinois
State rank among 189 reporting Illinois colleges with College Scorecard data, a separate lens from the national distribution above.
| Metric | Rockford University | State rank | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-yr median earnings | $54,794 | #47 of 189 | 75th |
| Average net price | $22,436 | #144 of 179 | 20th (lower is better) |
| 150%-time completion | 42.9% | #130 of 171 | 24th |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 972 | #90 of 201 | 55th |
Highest former-student earnings in Illinois
| # | School | 10-yr earnings | Net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chamberlain University-Illinois | $92,405 | $31,837 |
| 2 | University of Chicago | $91,885 | $14,860 |
| 3 | Northwestern University | $89,363 | $29,167 |
| 4 | St. John's College | $86,331 | - |
| 5 | Lakeview College of Nursing | $84,522 | - |
| 6 | Illinois Institute of Technology | $82,592 | $18,425 |
| 7 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | $81,054 | $14,355 |
| 8 | Saint Anthony College of Nursing | $77,709 | - |
| 9 | Rush University | $75,194 | - |
| 10 | Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing | $72,850 | - |
| 11 | Blessing Rieman College of Nursing and Health Sciences | $72,430 | - |
| 12 | Loyola University Chicago | $71,530 | $36,079 |
| 47 | Rockford UniversityThis school | $54,794 | $22,436 |
Admissions
| Admission Rate | 92.9% |
| SAT Average | 956 |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 400 – 535 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 450 – 535 |
| ACT Average | 21 |
| ACT (25th-75th) | 17 – 23 |
Costs & Financial Aid
Net price by family income at Rockford University
Average annual net price after grants; Title IV recipient cohort by income bracket
- $0 – $30k
$0 – $30k
$20,877 net price / yr
- $30k – $48k
$30k – $48k
$20,841 net price / yr
- $48k – $75k
$48k – $75k
$22,987 net price / yr
- $110k+
$110k+
$27,097 net price / yr
What this shows Need-based aid pulls net price down at lower brackets at Rockford University - compare the bar for your income band, not the overall average alone.
Tuition & Net Price
| In-State Tuition | $37,780 |
| Out-of-State Tuition | $37,780 |
| Average Net Price | $22,436 |
48.4%
Pell Grant Rate
57.1%
Federal Loan Rate
$22,274
Median Debt
$236/mo
Monthly Payment
Net price at Rockford University swings rather than trends
Across 11 reported years between 2013 and 2023, the average net price here has ranged from $20,601 to $27,551 without settling into a rise or a fall. Comparing only the first and last years would read as +2.3%, but the years in between do not follow that line, so the honest summary is the range rather than a trend. Budget against the upper end, not the average.
Lowest year
$20,601
Highest year
$27,551
Most recent (2023)
$23,066
11 reported years. Nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation.
2013 · $22,5442023 · $23,066
Over the same years, enrollment went -0.7% (963 → 956 students).
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, per-year fields (2013–2023). Net price is the average cost after grant and scholarship aid for federally-aided undergraduates.
Student Demographics
Race & ethnicity
Student body at a glance
57.0%
Female
41.8%
First Generation
Outcomes
65.3%
Retention Rate
$45,847
Median Earnings (6yr)
71.0%
Earning Over $25K
69.6%
Loan Repayment, Completers (3yr)
Outcomes & debt snapshot
| Measure | Cohort / horizon | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Completion within 150% of normal time | First-time, full-time | 42.9% |
| First-year retention | First-time, full-time freshmen | 65.3% |
| Median earnings | 6 years after entry | $45,847 |
| Median earnings | 10 years after entry | $54,794 |
| Share earning over $25,000 | Working, not enrolled | 71.0% |
| Loan repayment rate | Completers, 3 years after leaving | 69.6% |
| Median federal student debt | At completion | $22,274 |
| Estimated monthly payment | Standard 10-year plan | $236/mo |
Programs & Earnings
Field-of-study summary by credential
| Credential | Programs | Award count | Avg earnings | Top earnings | Avg debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 8 | 133 | $56,823 | $70,537 | $26,083 |
| Master's | 3 | 76 | $90,776 | $90,776 | $32,450 |
Top programs at Rockford University by completer earnings
Median earnings of program completers, College Scorecard field-of-study file
- Business Administration, M…
Business Administration, Management and Operations
$90,776 median earnings
- Registered Nursing, Nursin…
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
$70,537 median earnings
- Business Administration, M…
Business Administration, Management and Operations
$63,331 median earnings
- Teacher Education and Prof…
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
$46,780 median earnings
- Teacher Education and Prof…
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
$46,642 median earnings
What this shows The highest-earning programs at a school are not necessarily its most popular ones - a small specialized program can post strong median earnings without reflecting the outcome most students here actually see.
| Program | Credential | Completers | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Master's | 46 | $90,776 | $32,450 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Bachelor's | 48 | $70,537 | $26,980 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Bachelor's | 30 | $63,331 | $20,000 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | Bachelor's | 28 | $46,780 | $26,600 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | Bachelor's | 0 | $46,642 | $30,750 |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | Master's | - | - | - |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | Master's | 30 | - | - |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | Bachelor's | 0 | - | - |
| Biology, General | Bachelor's | 7 | - | - |
| Psychology, General | Bachelor's | 20 | - | - |
| Social Sciences, General | Bachelor's | 0 | - | - |
Nearby Schools
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Educators of Beauty College of Cosmetology-Rockford
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Rock Valley College
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Explore Data-Matched Colleges
Independent Scorecard matches among reporting colleges — not recommendations from the institution or a counselor.
Similar Enrollment and Sector
Other Private Nonprofit institutions closest in reported enrollment, preferring the same Carnegie classification.
Similar Reported Net Price
Other Private Nonprofit institutions with the nearest reported average net price.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the acceptance rate at Rockford University? ▼
Rockford University is a private nonprofit institution in Rockford, Illinois. The acceptance rate is 92.9%. The average SAT score is 956. Undergraduate enrollment is 972 students.
How much do Rockford University former students earn? ▼
Federally aided former students at Rockford University who were working and not enrolled had median earnings of $54,794 ten years after entry; the cohort is not limited to graduates. Six years after entry, the corresponding median is $45,847.
How much does Rockford University cost? ▼
The average net price at Rockford University is $22,436. In-state tuition is $37,780 and out-of-state tuition is $37,780. Median student debt at graduation is $22,274.
What is the graduation rate at Rockford University? ▼
Rockford University has a 42.9% completion rate within 150% of normal time at a four-year institution (typically six years for a bachelor’s program). The first-year retention rate is 65.3%.
Is Rockford University worth the student debt? ▼
The median student debt at Rockford University is $22,274, while former students earn a median of $54,794 ten years after enrollment. That debt represents about 41% of those annual earnings. Among borrowers who completed their program, 69.6% are repaying their loans within 3 years. Estimated monthly loan payment is $236.
Sources & methodology
Private-nonprofit profiles emphasize Scorecard cost-after-aid and completion alongside IPEDS Carnegie class. Endowment, gifts, and sticker price are not Scorecard fields on this page.
Figures are the Mar–Jul 2026 federal retrievals. Nonprofit campuses vary widely in aid practice — net price here is the Title-IV-recipient cohort average, not an individual award letter. Read the full methodology for how the data is sourced, computed, and verified.
- College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education - former-student earnings, cost & completion (collegescorecard.ed.gov).
- IPEDS, National Center for Education Statistics - enrollment, admissions, Carnegie class & demographics (nces.ed.gov/ipeds).
- U.S. Treasury / IRS earnings linkage - median earnings 6 & 10 years after enrollment for federal-aid recipients (irs.gov).
- College Scorecard, Field of Study - program-level (credential) earnings & debt (collegescorecard.ed.gov).
- Federal Student Aid (Title IV / NSLDS) - U.S. Department of Education - net price, student debt & aid-recipient repayment outcomes (studentaid.gov).
Where to go next from Rockford University
- Compare Rockford University against schools with similar outcomes at a lower average net price.Find similar schools that cost less
- Browse every reporting college in Illinois side by side.Browse Illinois
- See how fields of study differ on former-student earnings and debt.Explore programs
Nonprofit Scorecard medians describe federal-aid recipients who were working and not enrolled — they are not sticker-price ROI and not advice.
Every figure on PlainCollege is rendered directly from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard data, no number is typed in by an editor. Private-nonprofit profiles compile Scorecard net-price and earnings cohorts with IPEDS structure fields — no editor-typed figures. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error on this page. Review the public data changelog. Data current as of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals.