Northwestern vs. ONU

Should I go to Northwestern University or Ohio Northern University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Northwestern or ONU 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

UChicago Notre Dame Duke Vanderbilt WUSTL Johns Hopkins Cornell Georgetown Michigan Stanford Loyola Penn
Northwestern University vs. Ohio Northern University comparison
Northwestern University Ohio Northern University College 3 College 4
Northwestern University Ohio Northern University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Northwestern ONU
Location Evanston, IL Ada, OH
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 23,203 3,042
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #16 #231
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website northwestern.edu onu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northwestern ONU
Tuition (In State) $64,887 $36,500
Tuition (Out of State) $64,887 $36,500
Room & Board $20,334 $13,200
Avg Net Price $23,341 $26,396
Avg Grant Aid $64,463 $26,120
% Receiving Grant Aid 52% 96%

Admission

Northwestern ONU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 51,769 4,537
Admitted 3,703 3,328
Acceptance Rate 7.2% 73.4%
Enrolled % 57% 17.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.92 3.78
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Difficult
Applicant Competition Extreme Low
ACT Range 33/35 25/29
SAT Range 1490/1560 1173/1376
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, 2026 Aug 15, 2026

Academics

Northwestern ONU
Student to Faculty Ratio 6:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Communication (14%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Business (19%)
  • Engineering (16%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Education (7%)

Outcomes

Northwestern ONU
Graduation Rate 94% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $89,800 $71,200
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 82%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,378 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $200 $279

Diversity

Northwestern ONU
% Men 27% 6%
% Women 33% 9%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 50% 84%
% Black 6% 3%
% Hispanic 12% 1%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 8% 4%
% Unknown Race 2% 3%

Students

Northwestern ONU
% In-State 22% 83%
% Out-of-State 67% 16%

Campus

Northwestern ONU
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 ONU based on total student enrollment (23,203 students vs. 3,042 students)

Northwestern vs. ONU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northwestern or ONU?

  • Northwestern University is 77.8% more expensive to attend than ONU for in-state tuition ($64,887.00 vs. $36,500.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 77.8% higher at Northwestern than Ohio Northern University ($64,887.00 vs. $36,500.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northwestern University than ONU ($23,341 vs. $26,396)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Ohio Northern University are 54% lower than costs at Northwestern University ($13,200 vs. $20,334)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Ohio Northern University than Northwestern University (96% vs. 52%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern University students is 146.8% larger than aid received Ohio Northern University ($64,463 vs. $26,120)

Northwestern vs. ONU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northwestern University (1460) is 302 points higher than at ONU (1158)
  • Incoming Northwestern students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at ONU (26)
  • Accepted freshman Northwestern students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.92) than students at ONU (3.78)
  • ONU has a higher acceptance rate (73.4%) than Northwestern (7.2%)

Northwestern vs. ONU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Northwestern is higher than Ohio Northern University (94% vs. 65%)
  • Graduates from Northwestern University earn on average $18,600 more per year than ONU graduates after ten years. ($89,800 vs. $71,200)
  • Northwestern University students graduate with a $7,622 lower median federal student loan debt than ONU graduates. ($19,378 vs. $27,000)
  • Northwestern graduates are paying $79 less per month on federal student loans than ONU graduates. ($200 vs. $279)
  • More Northwestern graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ONU students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 82%)

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