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Master of Library and Information Science

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MLIS Tuition & Financial Aid

Tuition rates below are for the 2025-2026 academic year:

Residential MLIS Tuition

Cost per credit = $961
63 credits required for degree
Average annual tuition cost (based on 30+ credits/year over two years) = $30,272
Estimated total cost of degree = $60,543

Online MLIS Tuition

Cost per credit = $961
63 credits required for degree
Average annual tuition cost (based on 21 credits/year over three years) = $20,181
Estimated total cost of degree = $60,543

MLIS Law Tuition

Cost per credit = $961
Average total cost of degree (based on 41-43 credits over 4 quarters) = $39,401 to $41,323

Additional Information

  • Tuition is the same for all students, regardless of residency. (There are no separate rates for in-state and out-of-state tuition.)
  • Tuition is based on the number of credits taken. Students who choose to take more credits than the number needed for the degree will pay more than the total amount listed.
  • These rates are specific to the 2025-2026 academic year. Please take into account that tuition increases each year.  In addition to tuition, students should budget for additional fees.
  • Student fees assessed for the previous academic year can be reviewed here and include a non-refundable registration fee for students in self-sustaining programs ($55 quarterly). These fees tend to increase annually.
  • The MLIS program is fee-based (self-sustaining) and does not qualify for the State Employee Tuition Exemption program.
  • Financial aid awards (loan packages) for Online MLIS students are limited to tuition only (up to 5 credits) and will not cover living expenses. Students who will need a loan package that will cover more than part-time tuition should apply for the Residential program.
  • In order to accept the offer of admission, applicants are required to pay a $250 non-refundable deposit, which will go toward their autumn quarter tuition.

Financial Aid & Scholarships

The structure of financial aid, scholarships and other forms of educational support for graduate students works differently than what you experienced as an undergraduate. The good news: Aid is available for graduate school. The challenge: You need to be more proactive in researching the types of funds available and searching through a variety of funding sources. 

Learn more about the sources available to help fund your education:

Helpful Tips for Finding Aid

Don’t wait until you are admitted to search and apply for funding. Scholarship deadlines tend to be in mid-winter. You may not have your admissions decisions by the time deadlines occur.

Do your research! Look for funding that will match your specific goals, background and interests.

Submit the FAFSA through the Federal Student Aid Office. Most loans are based on the FAFSA, as are some scholarships. The priority deadline to submit the FAFSA for the UW is Jan. 15 each year.

Ask for an adjustment. Financial aid for the first year is based on your income from the previous year. Once you start school, you will probably not have the same income level if you’re no longer working or working fewer hours. When your employment status changes, contact UW Financial Aid and update them on your income. Also, let them know if you need to buy any items (such as a new computer) to support your studies. These items can also help increase your financial aid.

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