The real 4-year cost of Northern Illinois University in Illinois
Over the 18 years from 2008 to 2026, published tuition and required fees at Northern Illinois University went from $9,278 to $13,725, an average of -0.2% a year. The 2026–27 figure is the school's own announced rate.
2026–27 rate announced: $13,7252026-2027 flat full-time rate $5,505.39 per term (12+ hours) times 2 for students first enrolled summer 2026 or later; general fee per credit hour billed separately.source
Read with care: this school's history shows a tuition drop or reset, so a smooth projection may not hold.
2008–2030: history and projection
| Year | Published | Projected estimate | Estimate range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | $9,278 | – | – |
| 2009 | $10,180 | – | – |
| 2010 | $10,214 | – | – |
| 2011 | $10,981 | – | – |
| 2012 | $11,728 | – | – |
| 2013 | $12,346 | – | – |
| 2014 | $13,154 | – | – |
| 2015 | $13,999 | – | – |
| 2016 | $14,053 | – | – |
| 2017 | $14,299 | – | – |
| 2018 | $14,631 | – | – |
| 2019 | $14,610 | – | – |
| 2020 | $14,392 | – | – |
| 2021 | $14,738 | – | – |
| 2022 | $12,472 | – | – |
| 2023 | $12,506 | – | – |
| 2026 | $13,725 | $13,725 | – |
| 2027 | – | $13,700 | $12,939–$14,461 |
| 2028 | – | $13,676 | $12,199–$15,237 |
| 2029 | – | $13,651 | $11,501–$16,054 |
| 2030 | – | $13,626 | $10,842–$16,915 |
If you pay full sticker
Projected tuition + fees, entering fall 2026.
| Year 1 | $13,725 |
| Year 2 | $13,700 |
| Year 3 | $13,676 |
| Year 4 | $13,651 |
| 4-year total | $54,752 |
Two aid scenarios
4-year out-of-pocket total.
- $10,000/yr flat scholarship
- $14,752
- Flat aid doesn't grow, so it covers less each year.
- 50%-of-tuition scholarship
- $32,789
- Percentage aid keeps pace with tuition.
On-campus housing & meals
Room & board (housing plus the standard meal plan), on top of tuition.
- Announced 2026–27
- $15,046/ yr
- rising 3.1% / yr
- Projected 4-year add-on
- $63,031
School’s own published rateHousing and food, estimated cost of attendance.source
Books & supplies typically add ~$1,200 a year (national median, not included).
Housing here is rising faster than tuition.
Run your own numbers
Enter your actual scholarship offer to see your real 4-year total.
See my 4-year cost at Northern Illinois University4-year schools with similar prices in Illinois
Closest to Northern Illinois University by published tuition and fees. Similar sticker prices can still compound very differently.
- Western Illinois University$14,085
- St. Augustine College$13,288
- Southern Illinois University-Carbondale$13,244
- Eastern Illinois University$13,124
- National Louis University$14,601
- Chicago State University$12,754
- Hebrew Theological College$14,700
- University of Illinois Springfield$12,472
Use this data
Published figures for Northern Illinois University from federal IPEDS data through 2023, free to download or embed with attribution. The embed stays current as the data updates.