All schools
PublicTown

Northern Michigan University

Marquette, Michigan 49855-5301

Visit website

Data last updated: May 29, 2026

Campus Vibe

College townGreek life

Known for health sciences — excellent value

Northern Michigan University is a public institution in Marquette with particular strength in health sciences and business.

A mid-sized campus of 6.4K undergraduates with a 18:1 student-faculty ratio. The town location creates a classic college-town feel.

51% of students graduate within four years, and graduates earn a median of $47,107 a decade after enrollment. Net price after aid averages $17,485.

Established
1899
Mascot
Wildcat Willy
Type
Public university
Conference
NCAA's Division II Great Lakes
Division
Division II

Campus Visits

46 upcoming visits · Next: Fri, May 29 · Campus Tour

Plan Your Visit

70%Acceptance
SAT Avg
6,425Students
18:1Student:Faculty
51%Grad Rate
$47,107Earnings 10yr
$17,485Net Price

Admissions

Acceptance Rate70.0%

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard / IPEDS.

Cost & Financial Aid

Sticker Price

Tuition (in-state)$13,304
Tuition (out-of-state)$18,800
Room & Board$12,752
Books & Supplies$720
Total Cost of Attendance$26,206
Average Net Price$17,485
Median Debt at Graduation$21,474
Monthly Payment (10yr)$228

Net Price by Family Income

$0–30K$9,098
$30–48K$11,494
$48–75K$15,948
$75–110K$20,616
$110K+$22,762

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Net price reflects most recent cohort of federally-aided undergraduates.

Debt & Aid Detail

Net Price Trend

Tuition Trend

Graduate w/ Zero Debt

49.0%

Avg Tuition Increase

3.9%/yr

Median Debt at Grad

$13,750

Campus Safety

Total Incidents (2024)

43

Peer Average

37

3-Year Trend

Emergency System

Campus police, emergency alert system, blue-light phones

Incident Breakdown (2024)

9

Burglary

2

Aggravated Assault

1

Robbery

3

Motor Vehicle Theft

5

Sex Offenses

0

Arson

13

Drug Arrests

10

Liquor Arrests

Source: U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety & Security data (Clery Act, 2024 reporting year).

Programs (145)

Student Life

Student Satisfaction

Retention Rate

76%

Mixed

Student Body

Undergrads
6,425
Gender Split
61% / 39%
Women / Men
First Generation
28%
Pell Grant Recipients
27%

Race & Ethnicity

White 85%
Black 1%
Hispanic 4%
Asian 1%
Two+ 4%
Int'l 1%

Outcomes

4-Year Graduation Rate50.8%
Freshman Retention75.8%

Median Earnings After Graduation

6 Years$37,996
10 Years$47,107

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings reflect federally-aided students 6 and 10 years after entry.

More About This School

Varsity Sports

Ice hockey

History & Fun Facts

  • When it opened in 1899, NMU enrolled thirty-two students who were taught by six faculty members in rented rooms in Marquette city hall.
  • Throughout the school's first half-century, education and teacher training was the school's primary focus.
  • Graduate education began in March 1935 when courses at the master's degree level were offered in cooperation with the University of Michigan.

Source: Wikipedia

Location & Lifestyle

Cost of Living

90Average

Estimated from MI state average

Climate (School Year)

Snowfall: 60"Sunny days: 200Rainy days: 125

Nearest Cities

Milwaukeepop. 570K
245 mi(425 min)
Minneapolispop. 430K
303 mi(525 min)
Chicagopop. 2.7M
324 mi(562 min)

Getting There

Nearest Airports

MKE Milwaukee251 mi
MSP Minneapolis-St Paul303 mi
ORD Chicago O'Hare318 mi

Distance to Cities

Boston, MA855 mi · ~24h 42m drive
New York, NY781 mi · ~22h 34m drive
Hartford, CT800 mi · ~23h 7m drive
Providence, RI855 mi · ~24h 42m drive
Albany, NY723 mi · ~20h 53m drive
Syracuse, NY602 mi · ~17h 23m drive
Rochester, NY534 mi · ~15h 26m drive
Buffalo, NY489 mi · ~14h 8m drive
Philadelphia, PA765 mi · ~22h 6m drive
Pittsburgh, PA562 mi · ~16h 14m drive
Harrisburg, PA683 mi · ~19h 44m drive
Newark, NJ773 mi · ~22h 20m drive
Washington, DC745 mi · ~21h 31m drive
Baltimore, MD741 mi · ~21h 24m drive
Atlanta, GA899 mi · ~25h 58m drive
Charlotte, NC854 mi · ~24h 40m drive
Raleigh, NC872 mi · ~25h 11m drive
Miami, FL1491 mi · ~43h 4m drive
Orlando, FL1287 mi · ~37h 11m drive
Tampa, FL1314 mi · ~37h 58m drive
Nashville, TN719 mi · ~20h 46m drive
New Orleans, LA1156 mi · ~33h 24m drive
Richmond, VA805 mi · ~23h 15m drive
Chicago, IL324 mi · ~9h 22m drive
Detroit, MI363 mi · ~10h 29m drive
Minneapolis, MN303 mi · ~8h 45m drive
St. Louis, MO566 mi · ~16h 21m drive
Kansas City, MO630 mi · ~18h 12m drive
Indianapolis, IN473 mi · ~13h 40m drive
Columbus, OH507 mi · ~14h 39m drive
Cleveland, OH450 mi · ~13h drive
Milwaukee, WI245 mi · ~7h 5m drive
Dallas, TX1074 mi · ~31h 2m drive
Houston, TX1237 mi · ~35h 44m drive
Austin, TX1255 mi · ~36h 15m drive
San Antonio, TX1326 mi · ~38h 18m drive
Los Angeles, CA1824 mi · ~52h 42m drive
San Francisco, CA1875 mi · ~54h 10m drive
San Diego, CA1833 mi · ~52h 57m drive
Seattle, WA1631 mi · ~47h 7m drive
Portland, OR1679 mi · ~48h 30m drive
Denver, CO1001 mi · ~28h 55m drive
Phoenix, AZ1578 mi · ~45h 35m drive
Salt Lake City, UT1282 mi · ~37h 2m drive
Honolulu, HI4245 mi · ~122h 38m drive
Northern (cold winters, cool summers)

Visit Planning

Deadline Calendar

Northern Michigan University Application Checklist

Decision Notifications