Admit rate has ranged 7%–9% over the last 5 years. Source: IPEDS via Urban Institute.
Acceptance & SAT from Common Data Set / IPEDS; net price, earnings & graduation from the U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~1–2 years — verify with the school.
Northwestern University blends rigorous academics with Big Ten spirit, offering a rare mix of elite scholarship and Big Ten athletics. Its lakeside Evanston campus provides a picturesque setting just outside Chicago, fostering a culture where students balance intense academics with vibrant extracurriculars. Known for powerhouse programs in journalism, theater, and engineering, Northwestern attracts driven students who thrive in its collaborative yet competitive environment.
Admission requirements
Test-optional — scores considered if submitted
Required
High school transcript
Letters of recommendation
College-prep program
TOEFL (non-native English)
Considered (not required)
Grade point average
Class rank
Test scores (SAT/ACT)
Source: IPEDS Admissions survey (2022) via Urban Institute. Covers formal factors only — it does not reflect essays, extracurriculars, or other holistic criteria.
More details
Undergrad enrollment
9,201
In-state tuition
$68,322
Out-of-state tuition
$68,322
Location
Evanston, IL (12 miles from Chicago)
Notable Alumni
Stephen Colbert, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Meghan Markle
Acceptance Rate
7-8%
Student-Faculty Ratio
6:1
6-Year Graduation Rate
97%
Post-Grad Employment Rate
72%
Average Financial Aid Package
$67,785
Outcomes & value
Outcomes & value
Median earnings (10 yr)
$89,363
Value (earnings ÷ net price)
3.1×
Median debt at graduation
$15,000
Graduation rate
95%
First-year retention
98%
Reducing loan balance (3 yr)
87%
Pell (lower-income) share
44%
First-generation share
15%
Endowment / student
$1,193,486
Financial health
2.2 / 3.0Meets the federal financial-responsibility standard
U.S. Dept. of Education Financial Responsibility Composite Score (FY2022-23). Scale −1.0 to 3.0; ≥1.5 meets the standard. Reported for private nonprofit & for-profit institutions only — public universities are state-backed and not scored, so this is a stability signal, not a ranking.
Top-earning majors
Median earnings by field of study (highest credential), ~2 years after completion.
Computer Science$98,403
Computer Engineering$85,918
Information Science/Studies$83,546
Industrial Engineering$79,849
Chemical Engineering$79,688
Human Resources Management and Services$76,995
Campus & location
Campus safety
On-campus violent crimes (2024)
6
Per 1,000 students
0.65
On-campus criminal offenses classed as violent (murder/non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) for the most recent reported year. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Campus Safety and Security (Clery Act). Counts reflect what’s reported to the school, and urban campuses often report more partly due to non-student incidents nearby — read alongside campus size and setting, not as a standalone safety verdict.
Climate
Pleasant days / yr
90
Summer high
79°F
Winter low
22°F
Annual rain
43"
Annual snow
33.8"
Natural-hazard risk
Very High
Pleasant days counts days per year with a mean temperature of 55–75°F, a high at or below 90°F, a low at or above 45°F, and little precipitation — a transparent comfort measure, not a weighting we invented. Computed from Open-Meteo ERA5 daily history (2019–2023). Natural-hazard risk is the county’s composite rating from the FEMA National Risk Index.
Deep dive — research, future-scholar output & economic mobility▾
Research output
Institutional h-index
1,442
Scholarly works
260,599
Institutional research volume and impact from OpenAlex. The h-index reflects large research universities and will be low for teaching-focused liberal-arts colleges — not a measure of undergraduate quality.
Future-scholar output
Science & engineering PhDstop 47 nationally
Humanities & social-science PhDstop 30 nationally
Share of this school’s graduates who go on to earn research doctorates (2010–20), by national rank and per-capita yield (NSF institutional-yield ratio). A signal of a research-oriented student culture — not a causal promise, since it partly reflects who enrolls. Only top producers appear. Source: NSF NCSES, Baccalaureate Origins of U.S. Research Doctorate Recipients.
Economic mobility
Mobility rate
Quick answers
What is the acceptance rate at Northwestern University?
Northwestern University's acceptance rate is approximately 8% (Evanston, IL), based on the most recent figures we compiled from public and primary sources.
What SAT score do you need for Northwestern University?
Admitted students at Northwestern University typically score 1510–1570 on the SAT (the middle-50% range). Scores outside this band are still admitted, especially with strong applications.
How much does Northwestern University cost?
At Northwestern University, the average net price (after aid) is about $29,167 per year. Actual cost varies with financial aid and residency.
How many undergraduates attend Northwestern University?
Northwestern University enrolls approximately 9,201 undergraduate students.
Where is Northwestern University located?
Northwestern University is located in Evanston, IL.
Admissions
Northwestern's admissions process is fiercely selective, with Acceptance rateThe share of applicants a college admits in a given year. A 10% acceptance rate means it admits about 1 in 10 applicants. hovering around 7-8% in recent years. For the Class of 2029, only about 3,710 students were admitted from over 53,000 applicants. Early Decision applicants have a slight edge, with historical data showing ED acceptance rates roughly double the regular rate (about 26.5% for ED vs. 8.47% overall in 2018-2019). The middle 50% SAT range for admitted students is 1510–1560, while ACT scores typically fall between 34–35. Northwestern practices Holistic admissionsA review that weighs the whole applicant — grades, essays, activities, and context — rather than relying on test scores and GPA alone., weighing academic rigor, essays, recommendations, and extracurricular impact equally with test scores.
Earnings = median of students working ~10 years after entry; debt = median of graduates. Value divides 10-yr earnings by one year’s net price — read it as earnings per dollar of annual cost, not a full lifetime ROI; it favors lower-cost schools. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~2 years and reflect all students, not your intended major.
Biomedical/Medical Engineering
$76,460
Mathematics$75,518
Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings). Figures cover graduates who received federal aid and lag ~2 years; not all programs report data.
1.7%
Bottom → top quintile
55%
From bottom quintile
3%
Mobility rate = the share of students who both start in the bottom household-income quintile and reach the top quintile; bottom → top is that chance conditional on starting at the bottom. Source: Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Cards (Chetty, Friedman, Saez, Turner & Yagan). Reflects 1980–82 birth cohorts, so it’s directional, not current.
Northwestern's academic structure encourages intellectual exploration across six undergraduate schools: Weinberg College of Arts & Sciences, McCormick School of Engineering, Medill School of Journalism, Bienen School of Music, School of Communication, and School of Education & Social Policy. The university emphasizes interdisciplinary study, with popular joint-degree programs like MMSS (Mathematical Methods in Social Sciences) and ISP (Integrated Science Program). Standout departments include journalism (home to the prestigious Medill Innocence Project), theater (with alumni like Stephen Colbert and Julia Louis-Dreyfus), and materials science engineering. A distinctive quarter system keeps the academic pace brisk, with students typically taking 3-4 courses per 10-week term.
Life at Northwestern strikes a balance between academic intensity and Big Ten revelry. The campus divides socially between 'North Campus' (home to STEM majors and quieter dorms) and 'South Campus' (where arts and humanities students cluster near frat rows). Over 500 student organizations range from the nation's oldest college radio station (WNUR) to competitive a cappella groups like the Treblemakers. The lakefront location fuels outdoor traditions like the polar plunge and Dillo Day, an annual music festival. While some complain about Evanston's early-closing cafes and harsh winters, Chicago's cultural offerings are just a 30-minute L ride away. Greek life influences social scenes (about 30% participation), but non-Greek options abound through theater productions, research symposia, and niche clubs like the Medieval Fighting Guild.
Northwestern's outcomes are among the strongest in the nation, with a 95-97% six-year graduation rate. Within six months of graduation, 72% of alumni are employed (notably at companies like Google, McKinsey, and NBCUniversal), while 24% pursue graduate studies at institutions like Harvard Medical School or Yale Law. Median early-career earnings hover around $73,331, climbing to $109,275 at the mid-career mark. The university's Chicago connections YieldThe share of admitted students who actually choose to enroll. Colleges watch it closely, which is why some weigh how interested you seem. robust opportunities in finance (via Chicago Mercantile Exchange), media (through Medill's alumni network), and healthcare (affiliated with Northwestern Memorial Hospital). About 86% of graduates eventually outearn peers with only high school diplomas.
For 2023-2024, Northwestern's sticker price exceeds $90,000 annually, but the university meets 100% of demonstrated need without loans for domestic students. The average financial aid package totals $67,785, reducing the Net priceWhat a family actually pays after grants and scholarships are subtracted from the sticker price — usually far less than the published cost. to about $23,341 for aided students. About 44% of undergraduates receive Need-based aidFinancial aid awarded based on your family's ability to pay, as measured by forms like the FAFSA, rather than on achievements., with scholarships covering tuition for families earning under $100,000. The aid calculator suggests a family making $150,000 with typical assets might pay around $30,000 annually. Northwestern also offers merit scholarships like the Stamps Scholarship (full ride plus enrichment funds) to top applicants, though these are exceptionally rare.
Northwestern occupies a unique niche as the only top-10 national university with Division I sports, offering the intellectual firepower of an Ivy with the school spirit of a Big Ten powerhouse. Its location provides the best of both worlds: a self-contained campus with Big Ten football games and a cappella shows, plus easy access to Chicago's internships and cultural institutions. The quarter system fosters academic experimentation (students often complete multiple majors), while programs like the Cherub summer institute for high school journalists cement its reputation in specialized fields. Unlike hyper-urban peers, Northwestern offers sprawling lakeside quads and a tight-knit residential college system, creating what students describe as a 'work-hard, play-hard' culture where ambition meets Midwestern friendliness.
Northwestern University logo · sourceExplore Northwestern's Great Location | University of Northwestern, St. Paul · sourceEvanston and Chicago: Northwestern University · sourceWhat Is Northwestern Known For? · source
