More selective than 29% of Michigan colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $27,841. College Scorecard.
Higher than 44% of Michigan colleges we cover and 46% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 25% of Michigan colleges we cover and 32% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
Northern Michigan University acceptance rate & admissions
Of 6,922 applicants, Northern Michigan University admitted 4,842 and 1,551 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class).
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
Northern Michigan University tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for Michigan residents who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (in-state, federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
What Northern Michigan University costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of Northern Michigan University took 4.5 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in Michigan. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $7,697 | $34,329 | 2.5 years |
| $30–48k | $7,185 | $32,045 | 2.3 years |
| $48–75k | $11,051 | $49,287 | 3.6 years |
| $75–110k | $16,324 | $72,805 | 5.3 years |
| $110k+ | $22,268 | $99,315 | 7.3 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.5 years, the average time graduates took (33% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($47,107) minus $33,411 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MI (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $13,696 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.
Northern Michigan University majors, earnings & careers
Northern Michigan University offers 76 bachelor's majors across 11 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 15
- Science & Math · 13
- Business & Finance · 10
- Health & Medicine · 8
- Humanities & Languages · 8
- Arts & Design · 5
- Engineering · 5
- Education · 4
- Technology & Computing · 4
- Communications & Media · 3
- Trades & Applied Technology · 1
Highest-earning majors at Northern Michigan University
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Construction Management | $91,682 | $23,656 |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $90,337 | — |
| Construction Engineering Technology / Technician | $88,881 | — |
| Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies / Technicians | $82,326 | — |
| Nursing | $77,670 | $28,000 |
| Marketing | $68,157 | $23,000 |
| Medical Laboratory Science | $67,522 | $28,873 |
| Finance | $63,730 | $19,219 |
Quick list of all 76 majors
- Accounting$62,901
- Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech)—
- Anthropology—
- Area Studies—
- Behavioral Sciences$57,325
- Biochemistry—
- Biology$43,698
- Broadcasting / Digital Media—
- Business Administration$49,202
- Chemistry—
- Communications$47,875
- Computer and Information Sciences$90,337
- Construction Engineering Technology / Technician$88,881
- Construction Management$91,682
- Criminal Justice$59,390
- Dance—
- Data Analytics—
- Data Science—
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology—
- Economics$52,179
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)$45,008
- Education (Subject Teaching)$46,002
- Education, Other—
- Electrical / Electronic Engineering Technologies / Technicians—
- English—
- Entrepreneurship$50,236
- Environmental Science / Conservation$50,300
- Ethnic / Gender Studies—
- Film and Photography—
- Finance$63,730
- Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management—
- Geography—
- Geology / Earth Science—
- History$34,318
- Hospitality Management$45,797
- Human Development and Family Studies—
- Human Resources—
- Industrial Production Technologies / Technicians—
- Information Technology—
- Intelligence, Command Control and Information Operations—
- International Relations—
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science$47,613
- Legal Studies / Paralegal—
- Legal Support Services—
- Liberal Arts / General Studies—
- Management Information Systems—
- Marketing$68,157
- Mathematics—
- Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies / Technicians$82,326
- Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering—
- Medical Laboratory Science$67,522
- Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions—
- Microbiological Sciences and Immunology—
- Music—
- Neuroscience—
- Nursing$77,670
- Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies$40,825
- Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration—
- Philosophy—
- Physics—
- Physiology—
- Political Science$50,520
- Pre-Med / Pre-Health—
- Psychology$43,349
- Psychology (Research)—
- Public Administration—
- Public Relations and Advertising—
- Social Work$54,836
- Sociology—
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
- Special Education—
- Speech-Language Pathology / Communication Disorders$57,165
- Studio Art$36,228
- Theatre—
- Writing$39,982
- Zoology / Animal Biology—
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Nursing → Registered nurse
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 5.6% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Biology → Biological technician
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 7.4% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Marquette
2 bedrooms $1,199.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 32 inches of rain a year, 102 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: winter weather (relatively high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Marquette County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Marquette County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare Northern Michigan University with similar schools
Similar public colleges in Michigan by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Michigan University | 84% | $14,085 | 52% | $47,107 | This school |
| Saginaw Valley State University | 72% | $10,775 | 48% | $51,955 | |
| Ferris State University | 91% | $8,624 | 47% | $54,735 | |
| Michigan Technological University | 92% | $14,182 | 68% | $78,198 | |
| Eastern Michigan University | 80% | $15,407 | 46% | $51,793 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Northern Michigan University would cost you $3,310 more per year than Saginaw Valley State University, on average.
- Higher sticker price at Northern Michigan University, mostly from higher tuition & fees (+$1,347).
- Saginaw Valley State University gives aided families $405 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Michigan resident | Northern Michigan University | Saginaw Valley State University | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $14,277 | $12,930 | +$1,347 |
| Books & supplies | $720 | $1,120 | −$400 |
| Housing & meals | $12,752 | $11,700 | +$1,052 |
| Personal & travel | $2,148 | $1,220 | +$928 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$2,056 | −$2,034 | −$22 |
| Sticker price | $27,841 | $24,936 | +$2,905 |
| Average grants | −$13,756 | −$14,161 | +$405 |
| You pay | $14,085 | $10,775 | +$3,310 |
“+” means Northern Michigan University costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about Northern Michigan University
What is the Northern Michigan University acceptance rate?
Northern Michigan University accepts 84% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 4,842 of 6,922 applicants were admitted.
How much does Northern Michigan University cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $27,841 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $14,085 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $7,697 and families earning $110k+ pay $22,268.
How much do Northern Michigan University graduates earn?
Former Northern Michigan University students earn a median $47,107 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the Northern Michigan University graduation rate?
52% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 78% return for their second year.
How long does a Northern Michigan University degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at Northern Michigan University costs about $49,287 after grants ($11,051 a year for 4.5 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $47,107 ten years after starting, $13,696 more than high school graduates in Michigan ($33,411), so the cost is repaid in 3.6 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Northern Michigan University: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/northern-michigan-university (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).