Tuition & Financial Aid
Tuition is billed quarterly at The Graduate School’s part-time or full-time rate. Tuition for full-time enrollment beginning Fall 2025 is $22,973 per quarter (for 3 credits) or $20,432.50 (for 2.5 credits). Tuition for part-time enrollment (0.5-2.5 courses) is $8,173 per course unit.
The Master of Science in Health Services & Outcomes Research (HSOR) requires 10.5 course credits. It can be completed in one year of full-time study or two years of part-time study. FY2025-2026 tuition for the full-time, one-year master of science (including the Capstone) is approximately $83,400; part-time is $85,400.
Each graduate certificate in HSOR is comprised of 4.5 course credits. Certificates are part-time and self-paced. FY2024-2025 tuition for a certificate is approximately $36,000.
Students are required to have a laptop computer to connect to class remotely, complete assignments and participate in software labs. Required textbooks and software cost approximately $350 to $450.
Internal Reduced Tuition Rates
Northwestern-affiliated medical undergraduates, residents and fellows are eligible for special reduced tuition through the Feinberg School of Medicine. Faculty and staff at Northwestern University have access to reduced Northwestern tuition through their employee benefits. The categories below present estimated total tuition for benefit-eligible students starting the program in 2025. Contact the program for quarterly billing details for the totals listed.
Northwestern-Affiliated Residents & Fellows
- Master of science (completed in one year): $33,600*
- Graduate certificate: $14,400
- Non-degree coursework: $3,200 per credit, $1600 per half credit
*This includes the capstone (HSR 500).
Feinberg Medical Students
- Master of science (completed in one year): $33,600*
*This includes the capstone (HSR 500).
Northwestern Employee Reduced Tuition
Northwestern Employee Reduced Tuition is up to $12,000 per year (January-December) for full-time, benefits-eligible employees.
- Master of science (completed in three years): $37,548,50
- Master of science (completed in four years): $25,548.50
- Graduate Certificate: price varies depending on what courses are taken and when
For a more comprehensive breakdown of the costs for full-time, benefits-eligible faculty and staff, click here. Please be advised that tuition costs are subject to change each year.
Please note: the Employee Reduced Tuition Plan is subject to income tax with holdings of up to 37.6% of the value of the tuition you incur over $5,250 per calendar year. Learn more here.
Northwestern Employee Enhanced Reduced Tuition
Northwestern Employee Enhanced Reduced Tuition is available to those with more than three years of service and annual salary less than $100,000.
- Master of science (completed in three years): $8556.85
For a more comprehensive breakdown of the costs for full-time, EER-eligible faculty and staff (making under $100,000), click here. Please be advised that tuition costs are subject to change each year.
Please note: the Employee Reduced Tuition Plan is subject to income tax withholdings of up to 37.6% of the value of the tuition you incur over $5,250 per calendar year. Learn more here.
For NU Administrators and Coordinators
This section is intended for coordinators and administrators at Northwestern University who manage tuition payments for students enrolled in the HSOR master’s, certificate, or non-degree programs. Please note the following:
Our 2-year, part-time course plan for the master’s degree is recommended for students funded under NIH grants at Northwestern University, as tuition is capped at $16,000 a year. The part-time schedule was fashioned with this in mind, ensuring students’ tuition is fully covered. You can view a cost breakdown, which details what the HSOR tuition scholarship will cover vs. what the grant is expected to cover on a part-time plan, here.
We highly encourage coordinators and administrators to touch base with the HSOR program coordinator, Elizabeth Wolfson, prior to the start of the student’s first enrollment quarter, to confirm course schedules and discuss preferred payment methods. In addition, please expect quarterly reach-outs from Elizabeth 1-2 months prior to the start of any given term, in which she will:
- Confirm chartstrings (for Northwestern departments and programs)
- Provide invoices and payment expectations (for Lurie departments and programs)
Any additional tuition questions can be directed to Elizabeth at any time during the school year.
Financial Aid
Students in the HSOR program finance their education in a variety of ways. Funding can come from education and training grants, institutional or departmental sponsorship, fellowships, scholarships or loans. Most students rely on a combination of two or more funding sources.
Scholarships
Each year the program awards several scholarships of up to $20,000 to admitted master's students from outside Northwestern. All external applicants are automatically considered for a scholarship during review of their application and will be notified of any award in their letter of admission.
Travel Stipends
The program provides a travel stipend of up to $750 per trip to campus (up to $3,000 per year) to students who will travel from outside of Chicago for the quarterly on campus sessions. The stipend is available to both master's degree and certificate students.