NIU provides information about the performance of our teacher candidates on state-mandated licensure tests. We also make available an estimate of the additional costs incurred by candidates as they complete licensure programs. Please find this information below.
Obtaining a first professional certificate or license in any profession takes a great deal of training and education. There are some very real costs associated with it as well. Becoming a teacher requires multiple expenditures throughout your program of study, and we want you to be aware of them to help you plan and achieve your goal of becoming a teacher.
The total costs are not trivial, but they are a required part of the overall expense of joining the profession. While we cannot predict all contingencies (having to take a test multiple times, needing more than one criminal background check, etc.), to the best of our ability, these are the estimated costs associated with becoming a teacher in Illinois:
Time Frame | Requirement | Expected Cost |
---|---|---|
Sophomore Year | One criminal background check (CBC) (ISBE-mandated) | $75 (average fee, although these fees vary widely) |
One tuberculosis test (TB test), at University Health Services | $17 (if you opt for your own insurance plan or use student insurance; costs higher if obtained elsewhere) | |
Junior Year | Illinois State Board of Education, content test (paid to Pearson/NCS) | $135, computer-based administration |
Two criminal background checks (CBC) (ISBE-mandated) | $75 (average fee)/total: $150 | |
One tuberculosis test (TB test), at University Health Services | $17 | |
Senior Year | Illinois State Board of Education, additional content test for additional endorsement area or second field (paid to Pearson/NCS) | $135, computer-based administration |
One tuberculosis test (TB test), at University Health Services | $17 | |
Teacher Performance Assessment (TBD) | TBD | |
One criminal background check (CBC) (ISBE-mandated) | $75 (average fee) | |
One physical (from provider of your choice) | $30-$70 (average fee) | |
End of Program | Teaching license registration fee | Once you have graduated and/or completed your program, you will have to pay the ISBE $100 to activate your teaching license. |
Total Costs | $716 over three years |
If you have any questions about these costs, please speak to your program advisor, to the Financial Aid Office, or to the University Office of Educator Licensure and Preparation.
Note: While we have included four criminal background checks in our estimates, some programs are structured so that students may be required to have as many as 10, adding an additional $390. All costs for CBCs are estimates only and vary widely by placement sites.
Data reported for academic year 2023-2024.
Completer effectiveness and employer satisfaction are measured by performance evaluations of graduates in their first year of employment.
96% of initial and advanced NIU graduates employed in Illinois public schools were rated at proficient or higher by their employers in their first year of teaching.
Performance Evaluation | Initial (Undergraduate) | Advanced (Graduate) |
---|---|---|
Excellent | 27.55% | 47.7% |
Proficient | 67.35% | 50% |
Upon program completion, 515 candidates received endorsements linked to professional educator licenses issued.
Candidate competency at completion is measured by performance on state tests.
First Attempt | Best Attempts | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
N | N Pass | % Pass | N | N Pass | % Pass | |
Statewide | 16,349 | 12,217 | 75% | 16,248 | 14,392 | 89% |
Northern Illinois University | 757 | 601 | 79% | 722 | 676 | 94% |
The passing score for all Illinois Content Area Tests is 240. The table below indicates the average scores for candidates at NIU and at the state level.
Program Level | Passing Score | NIU Average | State Average |
---|---|---|---|
All | 240 | 261 | 252 |
Initial | 240 | 261 | 249 |
Advanced | 240 | 262 | 257 |
Candidate placement in Illinois public schools:
For specific information regarding each licensure program, please see the Illinois Educator Preparation Profile (IEPP). The IEPP has been developed as a tool for "accountability, continuous improvement, and transparency to strengthen teacher preparation statewide in the long term." To that end, in the IEPP, information is organized across four scored domains: Candidate Selection and Completion; Knowledge and Skills for Teaching; Performance as Classroom Teachers; and Contribution to State Needs. A domain may have up to four indicators, each of which has a minimum standard and a state target on a 100-point scale.
The public portal of the IEPP can be located at Illinois Educator Preparation Profile (ISBE).