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Harvard UChicago Yale Barnard Princeton Notre Dame Duke Vanderbilt WUSTL Johns Hopkins Cornell Georgetown| Northwestern University | Columbia University in the City of New York | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Northwestern | Columbia | ||
| Location | Evanston, IL | New York, NY | ||
| Setting | Small City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 23,161 | 34,782 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #15 | #22 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | northwestern.edu | columbia.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Northwestern | Columbia | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $62,391 | $62,570 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $62,391 | $62,570 | ||
| Room & Board | $19,440 | $16,286 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $22,095 | $22,058 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $61,716 | $61,061 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 50% | 52% |
Admission |
Northwestern | Columbia | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 51,261 | 60,879 | ||
| Admitted | 3,695 | 2,404 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 7.2% | 3.9% | ||
| Enrolled % | 55.2% | 64.1% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.92 | 3.91 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | Extreme | ||
| ACT Range | 33/35 | 34/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1490/1570 | 1490/1580 | ||
| 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 | Columbia | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 6:1 | 6:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Northwestern | Columbia | ||
| Graduation Rate | 94% | 93% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $89,800 | $107,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 87% | 76% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $19,378 | $21,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $200 | $222 |
Diversity |
Northwestern | Columbia | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 46% | 46% | ||
| % Women | 54% | 54% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 50% | 38% | ||
| % Black | 6% | 8% | ||
| % Hispanic | 12% | 13% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 5% | ||
| % International | 8% | 15% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 3% |
Students |
Northwestern | Columbia | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 22% | 19% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 67% | 64% | ||
Campus |
Northwestern | Columbia | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | Yes | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Columbia University in the City of New York is larger than than Northwestern based on total student enrollment (34,782 students vs. 23,161 students)
Northwestern vs. Columbia Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Northwestern or Columbia?
- Columbia University in the City of New York is 0.3% more expensive to attend than Northwestern for in-state tuition ($62,570.00 vs. $62,391.00)
- Out of state tuition is 0.3% higher at Columbia than Northwestern University ($62,570.00 vs. $62,391.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Columbia University in the City of New York than Northwestern ($22,058 vs. $22,095)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Columbia University in the City of New York are 19.4% lower than costs at Northwestern University ($16,286 vs. $19,440)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Columbia University in the City of New York than Northwestern University (52% vs. 50%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern University students is 1.1% larger than aid received Columbia University in the City of New York ($61,716 vs. $61,061)
Northwestern vs. Columbia Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Northwestern or Columbia? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Columbia or Northwestern .
- The average SAT score at Columbia University in the City of New York (1473) is 13 points higher than at Northwestern (1460)
- Incoming Northwestern students have at the same average ACT score (33) as students at Columbia (33)
- Accepted freshman Northwestern students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.92) than students at Columbia (3.91)
- Northwestern has a higher acceptance rate (7.2%) than Columbia (3.9%)
Northwestern vs. Columbia Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Northwestern or Columbia? 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 Columbia and Northwestern.
- The graduation rate at Northwestern is higher than Columbia University in the City of New York (94% vs. 93%)
- Graduates from Columbia University in the City of New York earn on average $17,800 more per year than Northwestern graduates after ten years. ($107,600 vs. $89,800)
- Northwestern University students graduate with a $2,122 lower median federal student loan debt than Columbia graduates. ($19,378 vs. $21,500)
- Northwestern graduates are paying $22 less per month on federal student loans than Columbia graduates. ($200 vs. $222)
- More Northwestern graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbia students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 76%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/