Northwestern vs. BC

Should I go to Northwestern University or Boston College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Northwestern or BC 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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Northwestern University vs. Boston College comparison
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Northwestern University Boston College
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Overview

Northwestern BC
Location Evanston, IL Chestnut Hill, MA
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 23,161 15,287
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #15 #45
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website northwestern.edu bc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northwestern BC
Tuition (In State) $62,391 $62,950
Tuition (Out of State) $62,391 $62,950
Room & Board $19,440 $16,120
Avg Net Price $22,095 $30,559
Avg Grant Aid $61,716 $49,992
% Receiving Grant Aid 50% 40%

Admission

Northwestern BC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 51,261 40,494
Admitted 3,695 6,748
Acceptance Rate 7.2% 16.7%
Enrolled % 55.2% 34.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.92 3.86
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Very High
ACT Range 33/35 33/35
SAT Range 1490/1570 1435/1540
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

Northwestern BC
Student to Faculty Ratio 6:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Communication (14%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Business (24%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • English and Literature (7%)

Outcomes

Northwestern BC
Graduation Rate 94% 91%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $89,800 $90,900
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 90%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,378 $19,000
Median Loan Payment $200 $196

Diversity

Northwestern BC
% Men 46% 45%
% Women 54% 55%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 50% 62%
% Black 6% 4%
% Hispanic 12% 10%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 8% 6%
% Unknown Race 2% 6%

Students

Northwestern BC
% In-State 22% 21%
% Out-of-State 67% 71%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Northwestern University is larger than than BC based on total student enrollment (23,161 students vs. 15,287 students)

Northwestern vs. BC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northwestern or BC?

  • Boston College is 0.9% more expensive to attend than Northwestern for in-state tuition ($62,950.00 vs. $62,391.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.9% higher at BC than Northwestern University ($62,950.00 vs. $62,391.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northwestern University than BC ($22,095 vs. $30,559)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Boston College are 20.6% lower than costs at Northwestern University ($16,120 vs. $19,440)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northwestern University than Boston College (50% vs. 40%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern University students is 23.5% larger than aid received Boston College ($61,716 vs. $49,992)

Northwestern vs. BC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northwestern University (1460) is 80 points higher than at BC (1380)
  • Incoming Northwestern students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at BC (32)
  • Accepted freshman Northwestern students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.92) than students at BC (3.86)
  • BC has a higher acceptance rate (16.7%) than Northwestern (7.2%)

Northwestern vs. BC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Northwestern or BC? 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 BC and Northwestern.

  • The graduation rate at Northwestern is higher than Boston College (94% vs. 91%)
  • Graduates from Boston College earn on average $1,100 more per year than Northwestern graduates after ten years. ($90,900 vs. $89,800)
  • Boston College students graduate with a $378 lower median federal student loan debt than Northwestern graduates. ($19,000 vs. $19,378)
  • BC graduates are paying $4 less per month on federal student loans than Northwestern graduates. ($196 vs. $200)
  • More BC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northwestern students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 87%)

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