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#15 Best Colleges in America

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois

 1 Reviews

Overview

Enrollment

23,161
Northwestern University overview
Location Evanston, Illinois
Online northwestern.edu
School Type Private 4 Year
Setting Small City
Northwestern University overview
Size Large
Status Non-profit
On Campus Housing Yes
Level of Study Undergrad/Graduate
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Northwestern University, situated in Evanston, Illinois, offers a scenic campus environment on the shores of Lake Michigan just north of Chicago. Established in 1851, this private research institution boasts a rich tradition of academic excellence and operates campuses in Evanston, Chicago, and Doha, Qatar. Known for its competitive admissions process, Northwestern is a selective school that offers a broad array of undergraduate and graduate programs. The university is particularly recognized for its schools of management, law, engineering, and journalism. With a commitment to intellectual growth and research, Northwestern maintains on-campus housing options for students. The university's athletic teams, the Wildcats, compete in NCAA Division I as part of the Big Ten Conference and are especially noted for their football and women's lacrosse programs.

In the most recent statistical year 51,261 prospective students applied, and 3,695 were granted admission.  Of those admitted 2,038 enrolled in the school.  19,264 students are enrolled on a full time basis, and 3,897 attend part time. In-state tuition for 2022/2023, excluding room and board, is $62,391 plus fees of $1,077. Northwestern is ranked 15 nationally in the CollegeSimply.com 2024 U.S. Colleges Ranking.

Ratings

10/10

Overall

10/10

Academics

10/10

Resources

10/10

Outcomes

10/10

Value

Northwestern is rated within the top 4% of four-year colleges nationally and earns a CollegeSimply grade of 10 out of 10. Learn how ratings are calculated

Rankings

Rankings for Northwestern University within the 2024 CollegeSimply Best Colleges Lists.

View the CollegeSimply ranking methodology.

Getting In

Admission Standards

Exceptional
Northwestern University overview
SAT 1490/1570
ACT 33/35
Estimated GPA 3.92

Applications Accepted

7.2% 
Northwestern University overview
Applications Due Jan 1, 2025
Applicant Competition Extreme
Application Fee $75

Explore admissions requirements

Annual Cost to Attend

Tuition

$62,391
Costs for Northwestern University
Fee Cost
Books and Supplies$1,590
Other Fees$1,077
Room and Board $19,440
Budget for Other Expenses$4,896
Total One Year Cost$89,394

Tuition and financial aid details

Outcomes

Average Salary After 10 Years

$89,800 per year

Bachelor's Degree Graduation Rate

94% within 6 years

Explore Post Graduation Outcomes

Popular Areas of Study

Popular subjects studied by Northwestern University students
Subject Percent of Class
Social Sciences 25%
Communication 14%
Engineering 11%
Visual and Performing Arts 9%
Psychology 8%

View All 91 Majors

Other Colleges to Consider 

Students considering Northwestern are frequently interested in these similar colleges.

Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=147767 IPEDS survey data for Northwestern University.

Current students may use the Northwestern University GPA calculator to determine their current college GPA.

Last updated February 24, 2024