Real costs by school · Dekalb, IL · Public
At Northern Illinois University, families earning $75,000–$110,000 paid an average of $17,612 per year — the published cost of attendance is $28,851. (Federal College Scorecard data, July 2026 refresh.)
| Household income | Avg net price / yr | ≈ four years* |
|---|---|---|
| Under $30k | $10,126 / yr | $42,681 |
| $30–48k | $9,854 / yr | $41,535 |
| $48–75k | $12,797 / yr | $53,939 |
| $75–110k | $17,612 / yr | $74,235 |
| Over $110k | $21,834 / yr | $92,030 |
*Four-year figures grow each year's price by 3.5% — the same method College Compass uses in a family's plan. "Net price" is what families actually paid after grants and scholarships, as reported to the U.S. Department of Education — not a calculator's estimate. Federal reporting groups every income above $110k into one band; families well above it often pay closer to the full cost.
The brag sheet: what to hand a teacher before asking for a recommendation →
Should your student retake the SAT? The honest math →
| Admit rate | 70% published — federal data |
|---|
Nine questions, then Northern Illinois University's odds for your student with the math shown — plus your income band's price and its deadlines. First three schools free.
Run Northern Illinois University for your student →At $75,000–$110,000 of household income, the distance between Northern Illinois University's published sticker price and what families in that band actually paid is $11,239 a year — a 39% discount off the number on the brochure. That ranks it 3rd lowest of the 6 Illinois schools on this site at that income. Graduates report a median $57,808 10 years out — roughly 78% of the four-year cost at this income band.
Earnings and completion from federal reporting — not the school's own placement survey.
These are averages. Your family isn't average.
Run Northern Illinois University against your student's real GPA, your income band, and your actual high school — odds with the math shown, the paperwork it requires, and its deadlines on one plan. First three schools free.
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