Paying for Northwestern
Undergraduate Tuition & Fees
$68,322
Graduate Tuition & Fees
$54,655
On-campus Living Costs
$24,762
Off-campus Living Costs
$24,762
Undergraduate Tuition per Credit Hour
$7,960
Graduate Tuition per Credit Hour
$7,935
The 2025 tuition & fees of Northwestern University are $68,322 for undergraduate programs. For graduate programs, the tuition & fees are $68,322 for graduate programs.
Compared to Private (not-for-profit), 4-Years Colleges in Illinois, both undergraduate and graduate tuition & fees are very expensive.
Compared to similar schools in rankings such as Dartmouth College and Duke University, tuition & fees of Northwestern University is average where the average tuition & fees of the schools are $67,487.
The average living cost of the school is $24,762 when a student lives in on-campus housing. When a student lives off-campus, the average living cost is $24,762.
*Data Source: 2024-2025 Tuition & Fees - NCES (Last Update: 6/05/2025)
2025 Tuition and Comparison Chart
The following chart visualizes the Northwestern's 2025 tuition & fees and compares to similar schools by school type, level, and location.
2025 Tuition & fees
The 2025 undergraduate tuition & fees at Northwestern University are $68,322 on average over undergraduate programs. The undergraduate tuition & fees have increased by 3.52% from last year.
The 2025 graduate tuition & fees are $54,655 on average. The graduate tuition & fees have increased by 1.46% from last year.
The following table and chart show the 2025 tuition & fees and the tuition trends over the last 5 years.
| Year | Undergraduate | Graduate | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition | Fees | Tuition | Fees | |
| 2021 | $58,227 | $474 | $58,227 | $474 |
| 2022 | $60,276 | $492 | $60,276 | $492 |
| 2023 | $62,391 | $1,077 | $62,391 | $1,077 |
| 2024 | $64,887 | $1,110 | $64,887 | $1,110 |
| 2025 | $67,158 | $1,164 | $67,158 | $1,164 |
Living Costs
The 2025 average on-campus living costs is $24,762 including room & board and other living expenses (a student lives in on-campus housing such as dormitory and school-owned apartment). For students living in off-campus housing, the average living cost is $24,762.
The living cost at the school has increased by 4.89% from last year.
The following table and chart show the living costs changes over the last 5 years.
| Year | On-Campus | Off-Campus | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Room & Board | Other Expenses | Room & Board | Other Expenses | |
| 2021 | $17,616 | $3,304 | $17,616 | $3,304 |
| 2022 | $18,264 | $3,240 | $18,264 | $3,240 |
| 2023 | $19,440 | $4,896 | $19,440 | $4,896 |
| 2024 | $20,334 | $3,273 | $20,334 | $3,273 |
| 2025 | $21,126 | $3,636 | $21,126 | $3,636 |
Books & Supplies Costs Trends Chart
The 2025 average cost for purchasing books & supplies is $1,794 at Northwestern University. The books & supplies cost has increased by 6.41% from last year.
The following table and chart show the 2025 books & supplies costs and the trends over the last 5 years.
| Year | Books & Supplies Costs |
|---|---|
| 2021 | $1,662 |
| 2022 | $1,566 |
| 2023 | $1,590 |
| 2024 | $1,686 |
| 2025 | $1,794 |
Tuition Per Credit Hour
The 2025 undergraduate tuition per credit hour at Northwestern University is $7,960 on average over undergraduate programs. The undergraduate tuition per credit hour has increased by 3.51% from last year.
The 2025 graduate tuition per credit hour is $7,935 on average. The graduate tuition per credit hour has increased by 3.50% from last year.
The following table and chart show the 2025 tuition per credit hour and its trends over the last 5 years.
| Year | Undergraduate | Graduate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $6,901 | $6,649 |
| 2022 | $7,143 | $7,123 |
| 2023 | $7,394 | $7,372 |
| 2024 | $7,690 | $7,667 |
| 2025 | $7,960 | $7,935 |