Northwestern vs. NYU

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

Northwestern NYU
Location Evanston, IL New York, NY
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 23,161 59,144
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #15 #38
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website northwestern.edu nyu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northwestern NYU
Tuition (In State) $62,391 $55,384
Tuition (Out of State) $62,391 $55,384
Room & Board $19,440 $20,272
Avg Net Price $22,095 $29,499
Avg Grant Aid $61,716 $47,096
% Receiving Grant Aid 50% 45%

Admission

Northwestern NYU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 51,261 100,662
Admitted 3,695 12,539
Acceptance Rate 7.2% 12.5%
Enrolled % 55.2% 49.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.92 3.79
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 1470/1570
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

Academics

Northwestern NYU
Student to Faculty Ratio 6:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Communication (14%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Business (19%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (18%)
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Communication (9%)

Outcomes

Northwestern NYU
Graduation Rate 94% 86%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $89,800 $76,000
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,378 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $200 $240

Diversity

Northwestern NYU
% Men 46% 41%
% Women 54% 59%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 50% 34%
% Black 6% 5%
% Hispanic 12% 12%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 8% 17%
% Unknown Race 2% 8%

Students

Northwestern NYU
% In-State 22% 26%
% Out-of-State 67% 52%

Campus

Northwestern NYU
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

  • New York University is larger than than Northwestern based on total student enrollment (59,144 students vs. 23,161 students)

Northwestern vs. NYU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northwestern or NYU?

  • Northwestern University is 12.7% more expensive to attend than NYU for in-state tuition ($62,391.00 vs. $55,384.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 12.7% higher at Northwestern than New York University ($62,391.00 vs. $55,384.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northwestern University than NYU ($22,095 vs. $29,499)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northwestern University are 4.3% lower than costs at New York University ($19,440 vs. $20,272)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northwestern University than New York University (50% vs. 45%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern University students is 31% larger than aid received New York University ($61,716 vs. $47,096)

Northwestern vs. NYU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northwestern University (1460) is 100 points higher than at NYU (1360)
  • Incoming Northwestern students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at NYU (31)
  • Accepted freshman Northwestern students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.92) than students at NYU (3.79)
  • NYU has a higher acceptance rate (12.5%) than Northwestern (7.2%)

Northwestern vs. NYU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Northwestern is higher than New York University (94% vs. 86%)
  • Graduates from Northwestern University earn on average $13,800 more per year than NYU graduates after ten years. ($89,800 vs. $76,000)
  • Northwestern University students graduate with a $3,872 lower median federal student loan debt than NYU graduates. ($19,378 vs. $23,250)
  • Northwestern graduates are paying $40 less per month on federal student loans than NYU graduates. ($200 vs. $240)
  • More Northwestern graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NYU students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 77%)

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