Northwestern vs. MCAD

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

 Northwestern MCAD
Location Evanston, IL Minneapolis, MN
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 23,161 821
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #15
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website northwestern.edu mcad.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Northwestern MCAD
Tuition (In State) $62,391 $42,110
Tuition (Out of State) $62,391 $42,110
Room & Board $19,440 $7,290
Avg Net Price $22,095 $28,443
Avg Grant Aid $61,716 $26,025
% Receiving Grant Aid 50% 100%

Admission

 Northwestern MCAD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 51,261 668
Admitted 3,695 380
Acceptance Rate 7.2% 56.9%
Enrolled % 55.2% 42.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.92 3.29
Typical High School Grades A- B
Admissions Standards Elite Challenging
Applicant Competition Extreme Low
ACT Range 33/35 19/27
SAT Range 1490/1570 1170/1380
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 Apr 1, 2025

Academics

 Northwestern MCAD
Student to Faculty Ratio 6:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Communication (14%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (73%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Communications Technology (9%)
  • Precision Production Trades (3%)
  • Communication (3%)

Outcomes

 Northwestern MCAD
Graduation Rate 94% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $89,800 $41,500
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,378 $25,750
Median Loan Payment $200 $266

Diversity

 Northwestern MCAD
% Men 46% 31%
% Women 54% 69%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 50% 59%
% Black 6% 4%
% Hispanic 12% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 8% 3%
% Unknown Race 2% 16%

Students

 Northwestern MCAD
% In-State 22% 61%
% Out-of-State 67% 34%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Northwestern University is larger than than MCAD based on total student enrollment (23,161 students vs. 821 students)

Northwestern vs. MCAD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northwestern or MCAD?

  • Northwestern University is 48.2% more expensive to attend than MCAD for in-state tuition ($62,391.00 vs. $42,110.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 48.2% higher at Northwestern than Minneapolis College of Art and Design ($62,391.00 vs. $42,110.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northwestern University than MCAD ($22,095 vs. $28,443)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Minneapolis College of Art and Design are 166.7% lower than costs at Northwestern University ($7,290 vs. $19,440)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Minneapolis College of Art and Design than Northwestern University (100% vs. 50%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern University students is 137.1% larger than aid received Minneapolis College of Art and Design ($61,716 vs. $26,025)

Northwestern vs. MCAD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northwestern University (1460) is 364 points higher than at MCAD (1096)
  • Incoming Northwestern students have a 9 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at MCAD (24)
  • Accepted freshman Northwestern students have a 0.63 point higher average high school GPA (3.92) than students at MCAD (3.29)
  • MCAD has a higher acceptance rate (56.9%) than Northwestern (7.2%)

Northwestern vs. MCAD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Northwestern is higher than Minneapolis College of Art and Design (94% vs. 70%)
  • Graduates from Northwestern University earn on average $48,300 more per year than MCAD graduates after ten years. ($89,800 vs. $41,500)
  • Northwestern University students graduate with a $6,372 lower median federal student loan debt than MCAD graduates. ($19,378 vs. $25,750)
  • Northwestern graduates are paying $66 less per month on federal student loans than MCAD graduates. ($200 vs. $266)
  • More Northwestern graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MCAD students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 74%)

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