Northwestern vs. Michigan

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

Northwestern Michigan
Location Evanston, IL Ann Arbor, MI
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 23,161 51,225
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #15 #50
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website northwestern.edu umich.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northwestern Michigan
Tuition (In State) $62,391 $16,404
Tuition (Out of State) $62,391 $55,002
Room & Board $19,440 $13,171
Avg Net Price $22,095 $19,318
Avg Grant Aid $61,716 $15,121
% Receiving Grant Aid 50% 67%

Admission

Northwestern Michigan
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 51,261 84,289
Admitted 3,695 14,914
Acceptance Rate 7.2% 17.7%
Enrolled % 55.2% 47.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.92 3.88
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Extreme Very High
ACT Range 33/35 31/34
SAT Range 1490/1570 1350/1530
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 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

Northwestern Michigan
Student to Faculty Ratio 6:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Communication (14%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Engineering (15%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

Northwestern Michigan
Graduation Rate 94% 90%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $89,800 $74,400
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,378 $20,103
Median Loan Payment $200 $207

Diversity

Northwestern Michigan
% Men 46% 48%
% Women 54% 52%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 50% 62%
% Black 6% 4%
% Hispanic 12% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 8% 7%
% Unknown Race 2% 6%

Students

Northwestern Michigan
% In-State 22% 51%
% Out-of-State 67% 44%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Michigan is larger than than Northwestern based on total student enrollment (51,225 students vs. 23,161 students)

Northwestern vs. Michigan Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northwestern or Michigan?

  • Northwestern University is 280.3% more expensive to attend than Michigan for in-state tuition ($62,391.00 vs. $16,404.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 13.4% higher at Northwestern than University of Michigan ($62,391.00 vs. $55,002.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Michigan than Northwestern ($19,318 vs. $22,095)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Michigan are 47.6% lower than costs at Northwestern University ($13,171 vs. $19,440)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Michigan than Northwestern University (67% vs. 50%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern University students is 308.1% larger than aid received University of Michigan ($61,716 vs. $15,121)

Northwestern vs. Michigan Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northwestern University (1460) is 76 points higher than at Michigan (1384)
  • Incoming Northwestern students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Michigan (31)
  • Accepted freshman Northwestern students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.92) than students at Michigan (3.88)
  • Michigan has a higher acceptance rate (17.7%) than Northwestern (7.2%)

Northwestern vs. Michigan Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Northwestern is higher than University of Michigan (94% vs. 90%)
  • Graduates from Northwestern University earn on average $15,400 more per year than Michigan graduates after ten years. ($89,800 vs. $74,400)
  • Northwestern University students graduate with a $725 lower median federal student loan debt than Michigan graduates. ($19,378 vs. $20,103)
  • Northwestern graduates are paying $7 less per month on federal student loans than Michigan graduates. ($200 vs. $207)
  • More Northwestern graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Michigan students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 78%)

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