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Harvard Princeton UChicago Columbia Notre Dame Duke Stanford Vanderbilt Brown WUSTL Johns Hopkins Cornell| Yale University | Northwestern University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Yale | Northwestern | ||
| Location | New Haven, CT | Evanston, IL | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 15,081 | 23,203 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #5 | #16 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | yale.edu | northwestern.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Yale | Northwestern | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $64,700 | $64,887 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $64,700 | $64,887 | ||
| Room & Board | $19,180 | $20,334 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $26,044 | $23,341 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $59,076 | $64,463 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 54% | 52% |
Admission |
Yale | Northwestern | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 51,803 | 51,769 | ||
| Admitted | 2,332 | 3,703 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 4.5% | 7.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 70.4% | 57% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.95 | 3.92 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | Extreme | ||
| ACT Range | 33/35 | 33/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1500/1580 | 1490/1560 | ||
| 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 2, 2026 | Jan 1, 2026 |
Academics |
Yale | Northwestern | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 6:1 | 6:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Yale | Northwestern | ||
| Graduation Rate | 97% | 94% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $118,400 | $89,800 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 84% | 87% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $13,500 | $19,378 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $139 | $200 |
Diversity |
Yale | Northwestern | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 25% | 27% | ||
| % Women | 30% | 33% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 47% | 50% | ||
| % Black | 7% | 6% | ||
| % Hispanic | 11% | 12% | ||
| % Native American | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 6% | 5% | ||
| % International | 11% | 8% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 2% |
Students |
Yale | Northwestern | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 6% | 22% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 81% | 67% | ||
Campus |
Yale | Northwestern | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | Yes | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Northwestern University is larger than than Yale based on total student enrollment (23,203 students vs. 15,081 students)
Yale vs. Northwestern Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Yale or Northwestern?
- Northwestern University is 0.3% more expensive to attend than Yale for in-state tuition ($64,887.00 vs. $64,700.00)
- Out of state tuition is 0.3% higher at Northwestern than Yale University ($64,887.00 vs. $64,700.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northwestern University than Yale ($23,341 vs. $26,044)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Yale University are 6% lower than costs at Northwestern University ($19,180 vs. $20,334)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Yale University than Northwestern University (54% vs. 52%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern University students is 9.1% larger than aid received Yale University ($64,463 vs. $59,076)
Yale vs. Northwestern Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Yale or Northwestern? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Northwestern or Yale .
- The average SAT score at Yale University (1498) is 38 points higher than at Northwestern (1460)
- Incoming Yale students have at the same average ACT score (33) as students at Northwestern (33)
- Accepted freshman Yale students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at Northwestern (3.92)
- Northwestern has a higher acceptance rate (7.2%) than Yale (4.5%)
Yale vs. Northwestern Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Yale 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 Yale.
- The graduation rate at Yale is higher than Northwestern University (97% vs. 94%)
- Graduates from Yale University earn on average $28,600 more per year than Northwestern graduates after ten years. ($118,400 vs. $89,800)
- Yale University students graduate with a $5,878 lower median federal student loan debt than Northwestern graduates. ($13,500 vs. $19,378)
- Yale graduates are paying $61 less per month on federal student loans than Northwestern graduates. ($139 vs. $200)
- More Northwestern graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Yale students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 84%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/