Northwestern vs. Minnesota

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

 Northwestern Minnesota
Location Evanston, IL Minneapolis, MN
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 23,203 54,890
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #16 #150
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website northwestern.edu umn.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Northwestern Minnesota
Tuition (In State) $64,887 $14,496
Tuition (Out of State) $64,887 $34,410
Room & Board $20,334 $13,028
Avg Net Price $23,341 $16,730
Avg Grant Aid $64,463 $11,807
% Receiving Grant Aid 52% 62%

Admission

 Northwestern Minnesota
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 51,769 39,863
Admitted 3,703 30,705
Acceptance Rate 7.2% 77%
Enrolled % 57% 21.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.92 3.75
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Very High
Applicant Competition Extreme
ACT Range 33/35 27/31
SAT Range 1490/1560 1310/1480
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 Jan 1, 2026

Academics

 Northwestern Minnesota
Student to Faculty Ratio 6:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Communication (14%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

 Northwestern Minnesota
Graduation Rate 94% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $89,800 $58,200
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,378 $20,185
Median Loan Payment $200 $208

Diversity

 Northwestern Minnesota
% Men 27% 12%
% Women 33% 16%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 50% 70%
% Black 6% 4%
% Hispanic 12% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 8% 9%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

 Northwestern Minnesota
% In-State 22% 66%
% Out-of-State 67% 26%

Campus

 Northwestern Minnesota
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 Minnesota Twin Cities is larger than than Northwestern based on total student enrollment (54,890 students vs. 23,203 students)

Northwestern vs. Minnesota Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northwestern or Minnesota?

  • Northwestern University is 347.6% more expensive to attend than Minnesota for in-state tuition ($64,887.00 vs. $14,496.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 88.6% higher at Northwestern than University of Minnesota Twin Cities ($64,887.00 vs. $34,410.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Minnesota Twin Cities than Northwestern ($16,730 vs. $23,341)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Minnesota Twin Cities are 56.1% lower than costs at Northwestern University ($13,028 vs. $20,334)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Minnesota Twin Cities than Northwestern University (62% vs. 52%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern University students is 446% larger than aid received University of Minnesota Twin Cities ($64,463 vs. $11,807)

Northwestern vs. Minnesota Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northwestern University (1460) is 172 points higher than at Minnesota (1288)
  • Incoming Northwestern students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Minnesota (29)
  • Accepted freshman Northwestern students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.92) than students at Minnesota (3.75)
  • Minnesota has a higher acceptance rate (77%) than Northwestern (7.2%)

Northwestern vs. Minnesota Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Northwestern is higher than University of Minnesota Twin Cities (94% vs. 70%)
  • Graduates from Northwestern University earn on average $31,600 more per year than Minnesota graduates after ten years. ($89,800 vs. $58,200)
  • Northwestern University students graduate with a $807 lower median federal student loan debt than Minnesota graduates. ($19,378 vs. $20,185)
  • Northwestern graduates are paying $8 less per month on federal student loans than Minnesota graduates. ($200 vs. $208)
  • More Northwestern graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Minnesota 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/