Evanston, IL · Private nonprofit · Graduate degree · College Scorecard data · Updated September 10, 2026
| Tuition | Difference | |
|---|---|---|
| Northwestern University (in-state) | $68,322 | — |
| IL average | $18,678 | +266% |
| National average | $18,082 | +278% |
| Per year | Four years | |
|---|---|---|
| In-state | $68,322 | $273,288 |
| Out-of-state | $68,322 | $273,288 |
Tuition only. Housing, books and living costs are not included — most colleges publish a fuller cost-of-attendance figure.
Northwestern University ranks 130 by in-state tuition among the 131 IL colleges that report a rate — lower is cheaper.
| Colleges with a similar price to Northwestern University | In-state tuition |
|---|---|
| University of Chicago | $70,662 |
| Knox College | $57,903 |
| Illinois Wesleyan University | $57,704 |
| School of the Art Institute of Chicago | $56,420 |
In-state tuition at Northwestern University is $68,322 per year; out-of-state students pay $68,322.
Northwestern University in-state tuition is 266% above the IL average of $18,678.
National average in-state tuition is $18,082; Northwestern University is 278% above that.
$68,322 is the official in-state tuition published by College Scorecard for the most recent cohort year.
Four years of tuition at Northwestern University comes to about $273,288 for an in-state student and $273,288 for an out-of-state student at current rates. That is tuition only — it excludes housing, books and living costs.
By in-state tuition, Northwestern University ranks 130 out of the 131 IL colleges that report a rate — lower numbers are cheaper. The five cheapest and five most expensive colleges in the state are listed above.