Emory vs. Northwestern

Should I go to Emory University or Northwestern University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Emory or Northwestern is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

UChicago Vanderbilt WUSTL Notre Dame Duke Tulane Johns Hopkins Cornell Georgetown Michigan Stanford Loyola
Emory University vs. Northwestern University comparison
Emory University Northwestern University College 3 College 4
Emory University Northwestern University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Emory Northwestern
Location Atlanta, GA Evanston, IL
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 14,841 23,161
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #24 #15
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website emory.edu northwestern.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Emory Northwestern
Tuition (In State) $57,120 $62,391
Tuition (Out of State) $57,120 $62,391
Room & Board $17,016 $19,440
Avg Net Price $26,680 $22,095
Avg Grant Aid $48,914 $61,716
% Receiving Grant Aid 51% 50%

Admission

Emory Northwestern
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 33,179 51,261
Admitted 3,767 3,695
Acceptance Rate 11.4% 7.2%
Enrolled % 37.8% 55.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.8 3.92
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Extreme
ACT Range 32/34 33/35
SAT Range 1430/1550 1490/1570
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 1, 2025 Jan 1, 2025

Academics

Emory Northwestern
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 6:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (17%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Communication (14%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

Emory Northwestern
Graduation Rate 90% 94%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $81,500 $89,800
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,233 $19,378
Median Loan Payment $178 $200

Diversity

Emory Northwestern
% Men 39% 46%
% Women 61% 54%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 41% 50%
% Black 9% 6%
% Hispanic 8% 12%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 17% 8%
% Unknown Race 3% 2%

Students

Emory Northwestern
% In-State 11% 22%
% Out-of-State 69% 67%

Campus

Emory Northwestern
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Northwestern University is larger than than Emory based on total student enrollment (23,161 students vs. 14,841 students)

Emory vs. Northwestern Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Emory or Northwestern?

  • Northwestern University is 9.2% more expensive to attend than Emory for in-state tuition ($62,391.00 vs. $57,120.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 9.2% higher at Northwestern than Emory University ($62,391.00 vs. $57,120.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northwestern University than Emory ($22,095 vs. $26,680)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Emory University are 14.2% lower than costs at Northwestern University ($17,016 vs. $19,440)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Emory University than Northwestern University (51% vs. 50%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern University students is 26.2% larger than aid received Emory University ($61,716 vs. $48,914)

Emory vs. Northwestern Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Emory or Northwestern? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Northwestern or Emory .

  • The average SAT score at Northwestern University (1460) is 80 points higher than at Emory (1380)
  • Incoming Northwestern students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Emory (31)
  • Accepted freshman Northwestern students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.92) than students at Emory (3.8)
  • Emory has a higher acceptance rate (11.4%) than Northwestern (7.2%)

Emory vs. Northwestern Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Emory or Northwestern? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Northwestern and Emory.

  • The graduation rate at Northwestern is higher than Emory University (94% vs. 90%)
  • Graduates from Northwestern University earn on average $8,300 more per year than Emory graduates after ten years. ($89,800 vs. $81,500)
  • Emory University students graduate with a $2,145 lower median federal student loan debt than Northwestern graduates. ($17,233 vs. $19,378)
  • Emory graduates are paying $22 less per month on federal student loans than Northwestern graduates. ($178 vs. $200)
  • More Northwestern graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Emory students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 80%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/