IIT vs. Northwestern

Should I go to Illinois Institute of Technology or Northwestern University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if IIT 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.
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Illinois Institute of Technology vs. Northwestern University comparison
Illinois Institute of Technology Northwestern University College 3 College 4
Illinois Institute of Technology Northwestern University
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Overview

 IIT Northwestern
Location Chicago, IL Evanston, IL
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 8,563 23,203
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #270 #16
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iit.edu northwestern.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 IIT Northwestern
Tuition (In State) $49,643 $64,887
Tuition (Out of State) $49,643 $64,887
Room & Board $16,528 $20,334
Avg Net Price $25,001 $23,341
Avg Grant Aid $43,437 $64,463
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 52%

Admission

 IIT Northwestern
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,912 51,769
Admitted 4,939 3,703
Acceptance Rate 55.4% 7.2%
Enrolled % 10.8% 57%
Avg High School GPA 3.84 3.92
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Elite
Applicant Competition Low Extreme
ACT Range 25/31 33/35
SAT Range 1180/1410 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 Mar 1, 2026 Jan 1, 2026

Academics

 IIT Northwestern
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 6:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (50%)
  • Architecture (20%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (8%)
  • Business (7%)
  • Biology (4%)
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Communication (14%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

 IIT Northwestern
Graduation Rate 64% 94%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $79,300 $89,800
Making Student Loan Payments 81% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $19,378
Median Loan Payment $279 $200

Diversity

 IIT Northwestern
% Men 37% 27%
% Women 24% 33%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 33% 50%
% Black 6% 6%
% Hispanic 16% 12%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 5%
% International 26% 8%
% Unknown Race 4% 2%

Students

 IIT Northwestern
% In-State 60% 22%
% Out-of-State 29% 67%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Northwestern University is larger than than IIT based on total student enrollment (23,203 students vs. 8,563 students)

IIT vs. Northwestern Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, IIT or Northwestern?

  • Northwestern University is 30.7% more expensive to attend than IIT for in-state tuition ($64,887.00 vs. $49,643.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 30.7% higher at Northwestern than Illinois Institute of Technology ($64,887.00 vs. $49,643.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northwestern University than IIT ($23,341 vs. $25,001)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois Institute of Technology are 23% lower than costs at Northwestern University ($16,528 vs. $20,334)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois Institute of Technology than Northwestern University (100% vs. 52%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern University students is 48.4% larger than aid received Illinois Institute of Technology ($64,463 vs. $43,437)

IIT vs. Northwestern Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northwestern University (1460) is 209 points higher than at IIT (1251)
  • Incoming Northwestern students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at IIT (28)
  • Accepted freshman Northwestern students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.92) than students at IIT (3.84)
  • IIT has a higher acceptance rate (55.4%) than Northwestern (7.2%)

IIT vs. Northwestern Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, IIT 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 IIT.

  • The graduation rate at Northwestern is higher than Illinois Institute of Technology (94% vs. 64%)
  • Graduates from Northwestern University earn on average $10,500 more per year than IIT graduates after ten years. ($89,800 vs. $79,300)
  • Northwestern University students graduate with a $7,622 lower median federal student loan debt than IIT graduates. ($19,378 vs. $27,000)
  • Northwestern graduates are paying $79 less per month on federal student loans than IIT graduates. ($200 vs. $279)
  • More Northwestern graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former IIT students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 81%)

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