The magnetic susceptibility has been measured for a number of NiAl compounds, ranging from 46.1 to 59.2 at.% Ni. The results were found to fit the expression, &khgr; = (A/T) +Bbetween 6° and 300°K. Calculations of the temperature independent term fit the observed composition dependence up to 50 at.% Ni, but the composition dependence of that term is much higher for Ni contents above the equiatomic composition. Similarly, the value of A remains close to zero up to 50 at.% Ni and then rises over a small composition range to a large, composition independent value. The results above 50 at.% Ni are attributed to Ni&sngbnd;Ni nearest neighbors, which cause short‐range magnetic order.