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AU Georgetown UChicago Notre Dame Duke Vanderbilt WUSTL Johns Hopkins Cornell Michigan Stanford Loyola| George Washington University | Northwestern University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
George Washington | Northwestern | ||
| Location | Washington, DC | Evanston, IL | ||
| Setting | Large City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 25,568 | 23,203 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #76 | #16 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | gwu.edu | northwestern.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
George Washington | Northwestern | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $64,700 | $64,887 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $64,700 | $64,887 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,300 | $20,334 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $45,466 | $23,341 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $35,367 | $64,463 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 77% | 52% |
Admission |
George Washington | Northwestern | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 27,094 | 51,769 | ||
| Admitted | 11,798 | 3,703 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 43.5% | 7.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 21.5% | 57% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.81 | 3.92 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Exceptional | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | Extreme | ||
| ACT Range | 31/34 | 33/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1350/1500 | 1490/1560 | ||
| 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 5, 2026 | Jan 1, 2026 |
Academics |
George Washington | Northwestern | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 12:1 | 6:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
George Washington | Northwestern | ||
| Graduation Rate | 81% | 94% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $80,500 | $89,800 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 82% | 87% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $24,962 | $19,378 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $258 | $200 |
Diversity |
George Washington | Northwestern | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 22% | 27% | ||
| % Women | 34% | 33% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 56% | 50% | ||
| % Black | 6% | 6% | ||
| % Hispanic | 8% | 12% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 5% | ||
| % International | 10% | 8% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 5% | 2% |
Students |
George Washington | Northwestern | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 1% | 22% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 88% | 67% | ||
Campus |
George Washington | Northwestern | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- George Washington University is larger than than Northwestern based on total student enrollment (25,568 students vs. 23,203 students)
George Washington vs. Northwestern Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, George Washington or Northwestern?
- Northwestern University is 0.3% more expensive to attend than George Washington for in-state tuition ($64,887.00 vs. $64,700.00)
- Out of state tuition is 0.3% higher at Northwestern than George Washington University ($64,887.00 vs. $64,700.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northwestern University than George Washington ($23,341 vs. $45,466)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at George Washington University are 24.7% lower than costs at Northwestern University ($16,300 vs. $20,334)
- More students receive financial grant aid at George Washington University than Northwestern University (77% vs. 52%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern University students is 82.3% larger than aid received George Washington University ($64,463 vs. $35,367)
George Washington vs. Northwestern Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, George Washington or Northwestern? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Northwestern or George Washington .
- The average SAT score at Northwestern University (1460) is 166 points higher than at George Washington (1294)
- Incoming Northwestern students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at George Washington (29)
- Accepted freshman Northwestern students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.92) than students at George Washington (3.81)
- George Washington has a higher acceptance rate (43.5%) than Northwestern (7.2%)
George Washington vs. Northwestern Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, George Washington 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 George Washington.
- The graduation rate at Northwestern is higher than George Washington University (94% vs. 81%)
- Graduates from Northwestern University earn on average $9,300 more per year than George Washington graduates after ten years. ($89,800 vs. $80,500)
- Northwestern University students graduate with a $5,584 lower median federal student loan debt than George Washington graduates. ($19,378 vs. $24,962)
- Northwestern graduates are paying $58 less per month on federal student loans than George Washington graduates. ($200 vs. $258)
- More Northwestern graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former George Washington students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 82%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/