by our College Data Analytics TeamHere are the current tuition and fee figures for Northern Illinois University, along with how those costs compare to other schools and how they have changed.
Most-recent tuition and fees at Northern Illinois University ran $13,248 a year for undergraduate students. This rate applies regardless of state residency.
Required fees account for were $3,018; the balance is base tuition.
| Most Recent Reported Year | |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $10,230 |
| Fees | $3,018 |
| Total | $13,248 |
The amounts shown cover one academic year and does not include room and board.
Note that plenty of students are eligible for financial aid and scholarships that lower what they actually pay. The figures here are the published sticker price.
What does Northern Illinois University charge if you go part time? See the Cost Per Credit Hour page to find out.
To see where that lands, here is how Northern Illinois University tuition and fees compare to other colleges. Each label reflects how the school sits versus the average of that group.
| Nationwide | In IL | Similar Colleges | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & Fees | Inexpensive | Inexpensive | Average |
Against the nationwide average, Northern Illinois University comes in lower than most schools.
Keep in mind that sticker price is only part of the story — aid can change what you actually pay. Review the Northern Illinois University Financial Aid page for specifics.
Here’s how tuition at Northern Illinois University has tracked across the last few reported years.
| Year | Tuition |
|---|---|
| Three Years Ago | $9,606 |
| Two Years Ago | $9,790 |
| One Year Ago | $9,790 |
| Most Recent Year | $10,230 |
The chart here shows how tuition at NIU has changed across the reported years.
Year over year, tuition climbed 4.5%. Holding that rate for one more year would put tuition + fees near $13,843 for the coming year.
Most schools raise tuition gradually each year, so expect the price in later years to be higher than today’s figure.
See answers to frequently asked questions about college tuition and fees for more background.
Tuition and fees rose at an average annual pace of 2.03%, putting next year’s cost near $13,516.
If that pace holds, here is what tuition and fees could look like over the next five years:
| Academic Year | Tuition & Fees |
|---|---|
| Next Year | $13,516 |
| In 2 Years | $13,790 |
| In 3 Years | $14,069 |
| In 4 Years | $14,354 |
| In 5 Years | $14,645 |
Plan around the full four-year total, not just a single year — projecting four years of out-of-state tuition and fees at this rate gives roughly $55,729.
Tuition is only one piece of the cost picture — financial aid can sharply lower the real price a family pays.
For details on financial aid availability at Northern Illinois University, see the Northern Illinois University Financial Aid page.
