UIC vs. Northwestern

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

UIC Northwestern
Location Chicago, IL Evanston, IL
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 33,747 23,161
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #234 #15
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uic.edu northwestern.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UIC Northwestern
Tuition (In State) $10,970 $62,391
Tuition (Out of State) $25,578 $62,391
Room & Board $14,400 $19,440
Avg Net Price $10,384 $22,095
Avg Grant Aid $13,813 $61,716
% Receiving Grant Aid 73% 50%

Admission

UIC Northwestern
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 23,562 51,261
Admitted 18,541 3,695
Acceptance Rate 78.7% 7.2%
Enrolled % 22.9% 55.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.92
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme
ACT Range 24/30 33/35
SAT Range 1110/1340 1490/1570
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 Feb 1, 2025 Jan 1, 2025

Academics

UIC Northwestern
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 6:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Communication (14%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

UIC Northwestern
Graduation Rate 54% 94%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $61,900 $89,800
Making Student Loan Payments 68% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,750 $19,378
Median Loan Payment $193 $200

Diversity

UIC Northwestern
% Men 44% 46%
% Women 56% 54%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 34% 50%
% Black 8% 6%
% Hispanic 28% 12%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 2% 8%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

UIC Northwestern
% In-State 88% 22%
% Out-of-State 5% 67%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Illinois at Chicago is larger than than Northwestern based on total student enrollment (33,747 students vs. 23,161 students)

UIC vs. Northwestern Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UIC or Northwestern?

  • Northwestern University is 468.7% more expensive to attend than UIC for in-state tuition ($62,391.00 vs. $10,970.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 143.9% higher at Northwestern than University of Illinois at Chicago ($62,391.00 vs. $25,578.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Illinois at Chicago than Northwestern ($10,384 vs. $22,095)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Illinois at Chicago are 35% lower than costs at Northwestern University ($14,400 vs. $19,440)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Illinois at Chicago than Northwestern University (73% vs. 50%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern University students is 346.8% larger than aid received University of Illinois at Chicago ($61,716 vs. $13,813)

UIC vs. Northwestern Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northwestern University (1460) is 368 points higher than at UIC (1092)
  • Incoming Northwestern students have a 9 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at UIC (24)
  • Accepted freshman Northwestern students have a 0.51 point higher average high school GPA (3.92) than students at UIC (3.41)
  • UIC has a higher acceptance rate (78.7%) than Northwestern (7.2%)

UIC vs. Northwestern Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Northwestern is higher than University of Illinois at Chicago (94% vs. 54%)
  • Graduates from Northwestern University earn on average $27,900 more per year than UIC graduates after ten years. ($89,800 vs. $61,900)
  • University of Illinois at Chicago students graduate with a $628 lower median federal student loan debt than Northwestern graduates. ($18,750 vs. $19,378)
  • UIC graduates are paying $7 less per month on federal student loans than Northwestern graduates. ($193 vs. $200)
  • More Northwestern graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UIC students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 68%)

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