Northwestern University Tuition, Fees, Net Price and Financial Aid

Table of Contents

Northwestern University In-State vs Out-of-State Tuition Fees, Costs 2026

Use these cost cards as the first-pass money view before checking the detailed breakdown and official resources.

Keyword match: Northwestern University Tuition. This page uses the matched XLSX title and meta description where available.

Northwestern University Estimated Per-Semester Cost

Many tuition guides break annual costs into fall and spring estimates. The values below divide reported annual College Scorecard cost fields by two, so use them as planning estimates and verify the actual billing schedule with Northwestern University.

Northwestern University Estimated Four-Year Cost

The estimates below multiply current reported annual values by four. They do not include future tuition increases, changes in housing, program fees, financial aid changes or personal expenses.

In-State vs Out-of-State Tuition

Northwestern University is listed as Private nonprofit in the local dataset. In-state tuition is $65,997 and out-of-state tuition is $65,997. The reported in-state and out-of-state tuition values match in this dataset.

International Student and Private College Tuition Note

The local database lists Northwestern University as Private nonprofit. Private colleges commonly report one tuition rate rather than separate resident and nonresident rates. In this dataset, Northwestern University reports $65,997 for out-of-state tuition and $65,997 for in-state tuition. International student billing, visa expenses, health insurance and aid eligibility should be verified directly with the school.

Room and Board / Total Attendance Cost

Separate mandatory fee data is not available in the local College Scorecard-derived table; use tuition, room/board, books, other expenses and attendance cost as the supported cost components.

Average Net Price After Aid

Based on available data, the average student at Northwestern University pays approximately $27,143 per year after grants and aid. This is above the Illinois average of $15,478 and above the national average of $17,506.

Tuition and Cost Breakdown

What Does Northwestern University Cost?

Total cost of attendance vs average net price after grants and aid, based on the local College Scorecard dataset.

Tuition Room and board Books and supplies Other expenses Fees and remainder

Tuition

$65,997

Room and board

$20,334

Books and supplies

$1,686

Other expenses

$3,273

Fees and remainder

$0

Sticker price

$87,804

Average net price

$27,143

Average aid coverage

69%

$60,661 below sticker price on average

Student Outcomes

10-Year Median Earnings - Northwestern University vs Peers

Median earnings 10 years after enrollment. Source: College Scorecard federal dataset.

Northwestern University $89,363

University of Notre Dame - $99,980

Chamberlain University-Illinois $92,405

University of Chicago $91,885

St. John's College-Department of Nursing $86,331

National average $43,639

Northwestern University graduates earn about 2.0x the national average 10 years after enrollment, based on schools with reported earnings data.

Financial Aid and Scholarships

About 18.70% of Northwestern University students receive federal Pell grants, indicating the share of students receiving this need-based aid in the local dataset. 18.77% take federal loans, which helps families understand borrowing patterns alongside net price.

Student Debt and Borrowing

Borrowing metrics help explain how students finance the gap between sticker price, aid and net price. Loans can make a bill payable, but they do not reduce the underlying cost like grants and scholarships.

Debt and payment fields come from federal aid data where reported. Actual borrowing can vary by degree level, dependency status, aid package, family contribution and program costs.

Net Price Calculator

Use the official net price calculator for a personalized estimate. The averages on this page help with comparison, but your final price can change based on residency, aid eligibility, housing, program fees and scholarships.

Financial Aid Application Steps

The sample guide uses step-by-step aid instructions. This version keeps the steps generic and accurate for the database, then points readers to official school and federal resources.

1. 1. Complete the FAFSA when eligible

   Use the federal FAFSA form to start federal student aid eligibility. Some private or selective schools may require additional institutional forms.

   Open resource

2. 2. Check school-specific aid requirements

   Open Northwestern University's official financial aid or admissions site to confirm whether CSS Profile, tax documents or institutional forms are required.

   Open resource

3. 3. Use the net price calculator

   Compare the personalized estimate with the average net price and income-bracket values shown on this page.

   Open resource

4. 4. Review grants, loans and payment deadlines

   Separate grant aid from loan financing and verify billing deadlines directly with the school before committing.

Payment Guide

Use these generic steps to review tuition, aid and billing before making an enrollment decision.

1. 1. Confirm published tuition and fees

   Review Northwestern University's official tuition page and compare it with the tuition and attendance cost fields on this page.

2. 2. Estimate net price after aid

   Use Northwestern University's official net price calculator when available, then compare the estimate with average net price and income-bracket data.

3. 3. Review financial aid and payment options

   Check grants, scholarships, federal loans, payment plans and billing deadlines directly with the school before making enrollment decisions.

Institutional Cost Resources

These institutional context fields help explain how the school appears in the federal dataset beyond student-facing tuition. They are not a bill, but they add useful background for affordability research.

These fields come from federal institutional data and should be read as context, not as student charges.