When Dianna McIntire, a third-year psychology major, opened her annual tuition statement for the 2024-25 academic year, she was shocked. 

“Are you serious? Oh my god, that’s crazy,” McIntire said.

McIntire is not alone in her reaction. Northeastern, once considered a “safety” school for many, broke a new tuition threshold for the 2024-25 academic year, totaling more than $90,000 before aid for a full year for students living on-campus. As tuition reaches a record high, many students say they are surprised and disappointed by the price tag of their education.

“I felt a little guilty about [the cost of tuition],” said Sam Goff, a second-year psychology major. “I was supposed to go to school in Scotland and it’s way cheaper there.” 

This year’s bill, which totals $90,250 for two semesters, accounts for $64,990 in tuition; $1,172 in fees; an estimated $12,688 in housing and $8,600 for a meal plan; and $2,800 in indirect costs not billed by Northeastern. Last academic year, tuition and fees were around $87,000, marking an increase of 3.7% as they steadily rose to their current peak.

From guilt to shock to anger, students say they and their peers suffer the financial reality of Northeastern’s rising costs. 

“It makes it harder for people to be able to go to school,” McIntire said. “I feel like that shouldn’t be something that they have to worry about when they’re wanting to get a degree. Finances shouldn’t be getting in the way of that; and that number is just so unrealistic.”

While surpassing the $90,000 mark has become somewhat standard among elite private universities, students generally believe this is an unreasonable amount to pay for school. 

“I knew it was expensive, but I just feel like it’s silly,” Goff said.

Northeastern’s price has more than doubled over the past decade, reaching $42,534 for a full year in 2014. Such increases from private universities like Northeastern have “significantly outpaced inflation,” said David Canaski, president of Financial Aid Experts. 

“By the time you factor in room and board and everything else, you’re getting close to half a million dollars for four years,” Canaski said. “That’s just not affordable for the average family with an income even of $100,000 or $150,000.”

Canaski characterized Northeastern’s annual tuition hike as “tuition discounting,” or raising the tuition of those who can afford it to subsidize scholarships and aid for those who can’t. In the interest of economic diversity, this is how private universities like Northeastern become accessible to low-income families, Canaski said.

According to a September article by university-run media outlet Northeastern Global News, the university spent a record $470 million on financial aid for the 2024-25 academic year and is “committed to meeting the full demonstrated financial need for every student who attends the university.”

The current average net price of enrollment for Northeastern students after receiving financial aid and scholarships is $28,521 annually, the article reads, and 61% of undergraduate students at the university receive some type of financial aid. However, financial aid is dependent on each student, with outliers on both ends of the need-based spectrum. 

Even with the majority of students receiving some form of financial aid, many said they’re still concerned about the annual increases in the cost of attendance. 

“When I decided I was going to apply here, it wasn’t as high as it is now,” said Tori Frangella, a second-year pharmacy major. “When I applied, [tuition] was around $75,000, which is still a lot, but much less than it is now.”

Some believe the university makes up for its massive price tag through its revered co-op program. However, even with extensive career opportunities and resources the university provides, the cost weighs on students’ minds.

“I’m in a five-year program to get my master’s degree, and the co-op opportunities are really nice, but it’s just a lot of money,” Frangella said.

Others are acutely aware of the price and question if it is reflected in their Northeastern experience, telling The News the school should have “better food” and “more libraries.”

“I don’t know if the amount you pay is justified,” said Ryan Schmitt, a first-year philosophy, politics, and economics major.

Students pursuing arts degrees also say they have to confront the reality that they may be paying more for their degree than what their job will earn them in the future.

“Generally, the response is just sort of plug your ears and keep going and pray that your degree is going to be worth something, especially as someone in the arts and design,” said Lain Orndorff, a second-year design major. “I do wonder about the value of an arts degree, especially as prices go up, and seeing other people in the field and where they got their degrees, and what their degrees are compared to how much they paid.”

Northeastern is just one of many private schools in the Boston area that is breaking the $90,000 threshold. Wellesley College, Boston University and Tufts University all exceed the number in annual tuition and fees for this year, according to their respective websites. 

Despite concerns, students say Northeastern still offers what many of these schools do not — an opportunity to work full-time in a job that aligns with students’ majors. Having a consistent salary and a leg up in an increasingly competitive job market diminishes some doubt surrounding the price. 

“One thing that I appreciate about Northeastern is the modularity of its price tag — if you don’t want to be in a classroom for four years paying for that, you don’t have to,” Orndorff said. “You can go to two or even three co-ops and still have a four-year degree at the end of the day, which is helpful to understand the cost of the Northeastern student experience.”

Though current students describe the cost as “unrealistic” and “unjustifiable,” Northeastern continues to receive record-breaking numbers of applicants each year. 

“I know that tuition is high, but I feel like you get a lot out of it.” Frangella cited the university’s high rate of employment for post-grads – according to Northeastern’s career outcomes website, 97% of graduates are employed or in graduate school within nine months of graduation.

Even with the opportunities offered by the university and future job prospects, students across socioeconomic backgrounds agree the number can be jarring.

“It’s definitely a little nerve-wracking to know that that’s the number,” Orndorff said.