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Vanderbilt UChicago Emory Notre Dame Duke Johns Hopkins Cornell Georgetown Michigan Rice Stanford Loyola| Northwestern University | Washington University in St Louis | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Northwestern | WUSTL | ||
| Location | Evanston, IL | Saint Louis, MO | ||
| Setting | Small City | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 23,203 | 16,500 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #16 | #21 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | northwestern.edu | wustl.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Northwestern | WUSTL | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $64,887 | $61,750 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $64,887 | $61,750 | ||
| Room & Board | $20,334 | $20,778 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $23,341 | $22,440 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $64,463 | $61,036 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 52% | 48% |
Admission |
Northwestern | WUSTL | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 51,769 | 32,240 | ||
| Admitted | 3,703 | 3,855 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 7.2% | 12% | ||
| Enrolled % | 57% | 47.4% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.92 | 3.92 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | Very High | ||
| ACT Range | 33/35 | 33/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1490/1560 | 1500/1570 | ||
| 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, 2026 | Jan 4, 2026 |
Academics |
Northwestern | WUSTL | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 6:1 | 7:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Northwestern | WUSTL | ||
| Graduation Rate | 94% | 93% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $89,800 | $82,800 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 87% | 88% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $19,378 | $19,900 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $200 | $205 |
Diversity |
Northwestern | WUSTL | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 27% | 25% | ||
| % Women | 33% | 25% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 50% | 55% | ||
| % Black | 6% | 6% | ||
| % Hispanic | 12% | 7% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 4% | ||
| % International | 8% | 8% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 2% |
Students |
Northwestern | WUSTL | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 22% | 12% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 67% | 76% | ||
Campus |
Northwestern | WUSTL | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Northwestern University is larger than than WUSTL based on total student enrollment (23,203 students vs. 16,500 students)
Northwestern vs. WUSTL Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Northwestern or WUSTL ?
- Northwestern University is 5.1% more expensive to attend than WUSTL for in-state tuition ($64,887.00 vs. $61,750.00)
- Out of state tuition is 5.1% higher at Northwestern than Washington University in St Louis ($64,887.00 vs. $61,750.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Washington University in St Louis than Northwestern ($22,440 vs. $23,341)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northwestern University are 2.2% lower than costs at Washington University in St Louis ($20,334 vs. $20,778)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Northwestern University than Washington University in St Louis (52% vs. 48%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern University students is 5.6% larger than aid received Washington University in St Louis ($64,463 vs. $61,036)
Northwestern vs. WUSTL Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Northwestern or WUSTL ? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between WUSTL or Northwestern .
- The average SAT score at Washington University in St Louis (1469) is 9 points higher than at Northwestern (1460)
- Incoming Northwestern students have at the same average ACT score (33) as students at WUSTL (33)
- Accepted freshman Northwestern students have at the same average high school GPA (3.92) as students at WUSTL (3.92)
- WUSTL has a higher acceptance rate (12%) than Northwestern (7.2%)
Northwestern vs. WUSTL Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Northwestern or WUSTL ? 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 WUSTL and Northwestern.
- The graduation rate at Northwestern is higher than Washington University in St Louis (94% vs. 93%)
- Graduates from Northwestern University earn on average $7,000 more per year than WUSTL graduates after ten years. ($89,800 vs. $82,800)
- Northwestern University students graduate with a $522 lower median federal student loan debt than WUSTL graduates. ($19,378 vs. $19,900)
- Northwestern graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than WUSTL graduates. ($200 vs. $205)
- More WUSTL graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northwestern students, three years after graduation. (88% vs. 87%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/