Northwestern Michigan College Tuition & Completion (2026)

Last updated: June 29, 2026 Source: College Scorecard

Northwestern Michigan College is a public community college in Traverse City, Michigan, serving roughly 2,813 students. The college offers associate degrees, career certificates, and transfer pathways to four-year universities. Typical net price after grant aid is about $6,231 for students who receive it, compared with published tuition near $5,860. Student demographics in federal data include White (76.8%) and Race/ethnicity unknown (9.0%) among the largest enrollment groups.

Key Facts

  • 2024 Undergraduate Tuition: $5,860
  • 2024 Average Net Price: $6,231 After Financial Aid
  • 2024 Acceptance Rate: N/A Moderate Selectivity
  • 2024 Enrolled Students: 2,813 43.2% Full-Time
  • 2024 Graduation Rate: 24.84%
  • Carnegie Classification: Master's Colleges and Universities: Larger Programs
  • First-Generation Students: 38.1%
  • Tuition trend: In-state tuition increase of 3.3% from 2022 to 2023 (College Scorecard).
  • Net price trend: Average net price increase of 16.0% from 2022 to 2023 (College Scorecard).
  • Full-Time Faculty: 42.5%
  • Undergraduate Enrollment: 4,047
  • Room & Board: $10,600 annual estimate

Northwestern Michigan College: what the data shows

Common questions about Northwestern Michigan College, answered from College Scorecard and IPEDS in this repository.

Where is Northwestern Michigan College?

Northwestern Michigan College is located in Traverse City, MI (ZIP 49686).

NCES locale classification: Town.

Is Northwestern Michigan College public or private?

Northwestern Michigan College is a Public institution.

How much does Northwestern Michigan College cost?

Published tuition: $5,860 in-state, $13,476 out-of-state.

Average net price after aid: $6,231.

Family income bandAvg. net price
Family income $0–$30,000$5,237
$30,001–$48,000$3,168
$48,001–$75,000$7,568
$75,001–$110,000$8,909
$110,001+$11,630

Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $23,440.

How big is Northwestern Michigan College?

Total enrollment: 2,813 students.

Undergraduate enrollment: 4,047 students.

About 43% enroll full-time in our extract.

What is the graduation rate at Northwestern Michigan College?

150%-time completion rate: 24.84%.

First-year retention: 84.4%.

What do graduates of Northwestern Michigan College earn?

Median earnings: $34,918 six years after entry; $38,167 ten years after entry (College Scorecard).

How much debt do students have?

Median federal loan debt among completers: $12,500.

30.01% of students receive Pell grants.

What is Northwestern Michigan College known for?

Largest IPEDS program completions at this institution:

See ROI & Programs for more.

Is Northwestern Michigan College a good school?

We do not score schools on opinion. Federal data in our extract show completion rate 24.84%; median earnings $38,167 at 10 years; net price $6,231. Compare these figures to your cost, aid, and career goals.

Tuition & Cost

Tuition Costs

$5,860
2024 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2024, the cost of tuition at Northwestern Michigan College was $5,860.

Tuition comparison with similar institutions.

Average Net Price

$6,231
2024 Value

In 2024 Northwestern Michigan College had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $6,231.

Average net price comparison with similar institutions.

Total Cost of Attendance

$24,924 Estimated 4-Year Total Cost

$6,231 Average Annual Net Price (after aid)

$23,440 4-Year In-State Tuition

$53,904 4-Year Out-of-State Tuition

$10,600 Room & Board (annual, on-campus estimate)

$300 Books & Supplies (annual estimate)

$16,760 Estimated Annual Sticker (tuition + room/board + books)

$67,040 Estimated 4-Year Sticker (before aid)

4-year total cost breakdown for Northwestern Michigan College.

Financial Aid by Income Level

30.01% Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

21.39% Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

Financial aid distribution by income level.

Student Loan Default Rate

0.00%
3-year cohort default rate (College Scorecard)

The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Northwestern Michigan College was 0.00%.

Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.

Tuition tracker

Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Northwestern Michigan College in that year.

Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).

Year In-state tuition & fees Out-of-state tuition & fees Average net price
2013$2,724$6,436$8,333
2014$3,017$6,994$8,295
2015$3,330$7,902$9,166
2016$3,582$8,501$9,186
2017$4,106$9,425$9,773
2018$4,174$9,611$9,109
2019$4,504$10,491$9,563
2020$4,504$10,491$6,874
2021$4,640$10,816$5,839
2022$5,180$12,048$4,520
2023$5,350$12,762$5,243

Sticker tuition and net price over time

Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.

College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).

Net price by family income

Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).

Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.

Acceptance Rate & Admissions

Acceptance Rate

Acceptance rate data is not available for this institution.

Acceptance rate compared to national average.

Test Scores

Test score data is not available for this institution.

Average SAT and ACT scores for admitted students.

Academic Requirements

GPA requirements are not published by this institution. Contact the admissions office for specific academic requirements.

Estimated GPA and test score ranges.

Enrollment & Student Demographics

Northwestern Michigan College reported total enrollment of about 2,813 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 50% male and 50% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes White (76.8%), Race/ethnicity unknown (9.0%), and Hispanic or Latino (5.4%). About 30.01% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 38.1% of students are first-generation college students.

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

43.2% Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Northwestern Michigan College in 2024 is 2,813 students.

Undergraduate enrollment is about 4,047 students.

Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.

Retention Rate over Time

84.4%
2024 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.

Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

The largest enrollment share in our College Scorecard extract is White at 76.8%.

Shares are for total enrollment (undergraduate and graduate combined when reported).

College Scorecard student demographics.

Graduates & Outcomes

Time to Complete

35.29% 100% Completion Time

24.84% 150% Completion Time

In 2024, 35.29% of students graduating from Northwestern Michigan College completed their program within 100% "normal time".

Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.

Completions by Sex (Top Programs)

  • Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies: 38% male / 62% female
  • Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse: 11% male / 89% female
  • Marine Science/Merchant Marine Officer: 98% male / 2% female

IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).

Completions by Race & Ethnicity

Combined IPEDS award counts across reported programs; largest group: White.

Summed across program completion records in our extract.

ROI & Programs

Financial value and program information for Northwestern Michigan College.

Return on Investment

$12,500 Median Student Debt

$38,167 Median Annual Earnings (10 years)

32.75% Debt-to-Earnings Ratio

1431.34% Return on Investment

3.3 years Estimated Payback Period

Financial value analysis for Northwestern Michigan College.

Top Programs by Completions

10 largest programs by IPEDS completions (of 38 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).

1. Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies: 201 completions

2. Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse: 62 completions

3. Marine Science/Merchant Marine Officer: 41 completions

4. Airline/Commercial/Professional Pilot and Flight Crew: 32 completions

5. General Studies: 21 completions

6. Dental Assisting/Assistant: 21 completions

7. Business Administration and Management, General: 18 completions

8. Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration: 15 completions

9. Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse Training: 14 completions

Most popular programs at Northwestern Michigan College.

Employment Outcomes

Employment outcome data is not available for this institution.

Earnings outcomes for Northwestern Michigan College graduates.

Operations

Instructional staffing and expenditure indicators for Northwestern Michigan College from College Scorecard (not a full IPEDS finance statement).

Instructional Resources

  • Full-time faculty share: 42.5%
  • Average faculty salary (Scorecard): $10,057
  • Instructional expenditure per FTE: $12,899

Endowment and detailed non-instructional staff counts require IPEDS Finance/HR surveys and are not in this extract.

Scorecard instructional metrics where reported.

About

Northwestern Michigan College is a public institution located in Traverse City, MI, classified as Master's Colleges and Universities: Larger Programs. In the latest IPEDS completions in our extract, the largest programs by awards were Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies, Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse, Marine Science/Merchant Marine Officer. Enrollment is approximately 2,813 students. Student body composition includes White (76.8%), Race/ethnicity unknown (9.0%), Hispanic or Latino (5.4%). The 150%-time completion rate is 24.84%. Approximately 30.01% of students receive Pell Grants. About 38.1% of students are first-generation college students.

Institution Type

Public

Carnegie Classification: Master's Colleges and Universities: Larger Programs

Location

Traverse City, MI 49686

Region: Great Lakes

Insights and Analysis

Graduation Rate Considerations: The 24.84% graduation rate at Northwestern Michigan College falls below the national average. Prospective students should carefully consider factors such as academic preparation, support services, and career outcomes when evaluating this institution.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Northwestern Michigan College located?

Northwestern Michigan College is located in Traverse City, MI.

How much does Northwestern Michigan College cost?

Reported tuition is $5,860 and average net price is $6,231 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $10,600 annually.

What is the student body demographics at Northwestern Michigan College?

Northwestern Michigan College reports undergraduate enrollment of about 4,047 students, White (76.8%), Race/ethnicity unknown (9.0%) in federal College Scorecard data.

How many first-generation students attend Northwestern Michigan College?

About 38.1% of students at Northwestern Michigan College are first-generation college students.

What do graduates of Northwestern Michigan College earn?

Median earnings are $34,918 six years after entry and $38,167 ten years after entry.

What is the graduation rate at Northwestern Michigan College?

The 150%-time completion rate is 24.8% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.

How much debt do Northwestern Michigan College students have?

Median federal loan debt among completers is $12,500.

Is Northwestern Michigan College public or private?

Northwestern Michigan College is a public institution located in Traverse City, MI.

Is Northwestern Michigan College an HBCU?

No. Northwestern Michigan College is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.

Is Northwestern Michigan College a tribal college?

No. Northwestern Michigan College is not flagged as a tribal college in IPEDS.

Is Northwestern Michigan College a Hispanic-serving institution (HSI)?

Using a 25% Hispanic enrollment threshold on College Scorecard demographics, Northwestern Michigan College does not meet that proxy (reported share 5.4%).

Is Northwestern Michigan College religiously affiliated?

No religious affiliation is reported for Northwestern Michigan College in IPEDS institutional characteristics.

Data Sources

This page uses data from the following sources:

  • Michigan trade schools profile
  • Great Lakes regional profile
  • All state profiles
  • Regional profiles
  • National benchmarks
  • School directory
  • All schools in Michigan

    • Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.

    Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.

    Methodology

    Data for this profile is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard dataset, which provides comprehensive information on institutions of higher education in the United States.

    All financial figures are adjusted for inflation and represent the most recent available data. Graduation rates and completion times are calculated according to federal standards.