Fiscal Year 2026
July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026
NIU’s FY26 budget was presented for NIU Board of Trustee consideration and approved on June 12, 2025. The balanced budget includes $444.8 million in expenses against $444.8 million in anticipated revenues, including state operating support of $103.6 million.
For FY26, NIU shifted away from incremental budgeting and instead used a variant of “zero-based budgeting” to establish a structurally balanced budget.
The FY26 internal spending plan:
- Projects a level of funding for state appropriations at $103.69 million. The state appropriation includes a 3% increase (a guaranteed 1 percent increase over FY25 and an additional 2% available to the university at the discretion of the governor). As of October, it’s important to note that federal actions are very likely to impact Illinois’ revenue and impede the state’s ability to provide NIU with more than the guaranteed 1% increase in appropriated operating funds.
- Assumes a modest increase in overall enrollment consistent with the Fall 2025 ten-day census.
- Reflects approved tuition and fee rates set by the Board of Trustees.
- Maintains planned commitments for financial aid and scholarships for students, including AIM HIGH matching funds.
- Provides resources to support mission-aligned infrastructure investments involving repairs to buildings, utility systems and other campus infrastructure to support a variety of university operations.
- Reflects revised debt service schedules as the result of 2020 and 2021 bond refinancing.