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BU Villanova Northeastern UChicago Tufts Notre Dame Duke Babson Vanderbilt Colgate WUSTL Johns Hopkins| Northwestern University | Boston College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
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 | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 6:1 | 12:1 | ||
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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/