Northwestern vs. Lawrence

Should I go to Northwestern University or Lawrence University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Northwestern or Lawrence 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. Lawrence University comparison
Northwestern University Lawrence University College 3 College 4
Northwestern University Lawrence University
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Overview

Northwestern Lawrence
Location Evanston, IL Appleton, WI
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 23,161 1,426
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #15 #207
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website northwestern.edu lawrence.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northwestern Lawrence
Tuition (In State) $62,391 $53,667
Tuition (Out of State) $62,391 $53,667
Room & Board $19,440 $11,520
Avg Net Price $22,095 $26,368
Avg Grant Aid $61,716 $40,089
% Receiving Grant Aid 50% 100%

Admission

Northwestern Lawrence
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 51,261 2,943
Admitted 3,695 2,127
Acceptance Rate 7.2% 72.3%
Enrolled % 55.2% 17.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.92 3.52
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Very High
Applicant Competition Extreme Low
ACT Range 33/35 27/32
SAT Range 1490/1570 1210/1460
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 15, 2025

Academics

Northwestern Lawrence
Student to Faculty Ratio 6:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Communication (14%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (26%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)

Outcomes

Northwestern Lawrence
Graduation Rate 94% 77%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $89,800 $45,600
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 76%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,378 $27,350
Median Loan Payment $200 $282

Diversity

Northwestern Lawrence
% Men 46% 46%
% Women 54% 54%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 50% 70%
% Black 6% 3%
% Hispanic 12% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 8% 10%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

Northwestern Lawrence
% In-State 22% 22%
% Out-of-State 67% 68%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Northwestern University is larger than than Lawrence based on total student enrollment (23,161 students vs. 1,426 students)

Northwestern vs. Lawrence Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northwestern or Lawrence?

  • Northwestern University is 16.3% more expensive to attend than Lawrence for in-state tuition ($62,391.00 vs. $53,667.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 16.3% higher at Northwestern than Lawrence University ($62,391.00 vs. $53,667.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northwestern University than Lawrence ($22,095 vs. $26,368)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lawrence University are 68.8% lower than costs at Northwestern University ($11,520 vs. $19,440)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Lawrence University than Northwestern University (100% vs. 50%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern University students is 53.9% larger than aid received Lawrence University ($61,716 vs. $40,089)

Northwestern vs. Lawrence Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Northwestern students have a 0.4 point higher average high school GPA (3.92) than students at Lawrence (3.52)
  • Lawrence has a higher acceptance rate (72.3%) than Northwestern (7.2%)

Northwestern vs. Lawrence Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Northwestern is higher than Lawrence University (94% vs. 77%)
  • Graduates from Northwestern University earn on average $44,200 more per year than Lawrence graduates after ten years. ($89,800 vs. $45,600)
  • Northwestern University students graduate with a $7,972 lower median federal student loan debt than Lawrence graduates. ($19,378 vs. $27,350)
  • Northwestern graduates are paying $82 less per month on federal student loans than Lawrence graduates. ($200 vs. $282)
  • More Northwestern graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Lawrence 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/