Evanston, Illinois · Private Non-Profit ·City
Northwestern University
At a glance
Basics
- Type
- Private Non-Profit
- Setting
- City
- Enrollment
- 9,201 students
- Women / Men
- 54.3% / 45.7%
Admissions
- Acceptance rate
- 7.7%
- SAT (mid 50%)
- 1510–1570
- ACT (mid 50%)
- 33–35
Cost
- Avg net price
- $29,167
- Sticker price
- $91,250
- Tuition (in-state)
- $68,322
- Tuition (out-of-state)
- $68,322
Outcomes
- Graduation rate
- 95.1%
- Retention rate
- 98.1%
- Median earnings (10y)
- $89,363
- Median debt
- $15,000 (~$163/mo)
Financial aid
- On Pell grants
- 18.6%
- Take federal loans
- 17.1%
All majors at Northwestern University
145 programs listed in federal data. Every row opens a school-specific page; listings without a positive program signal stay available for users but out of Google's index.
Cost & ROI
Is Northwestern University worth it?
Pay $29,167/yr after aid. Graduates earn a median of $89,363 ten years out — about 3.1× the annual cost. Value grade: B.
- Avg net price
- $29,167/yr
- Median earnings
- $89,363/yr (10y out)
- Median debt
- $15,000~$163/mo
- 4-year est. cost
- $116,668net of aid
Frequently asked questions
What is Northwestern University's acceptance rate?
Northwestern University admits 7.7% of applicants — highly competitive on admissions, compared to the national average of 72.3%. Most admitted students score in the 1510–1570 range on the SAT.
How much does Northwestern University cost per year?
The average annual net price — what students actually pay after grants and scholarships — is $29,167. The sticker price before any aid is $91,250, so most students receive substantial discounts. Over four years that net cost adds up to roughly $116,668.
How much debt do Northwestern University graduates have?
Graduates leave Northwestern University with a median federal student loan balance of $15,000, which works out to about $163 per month on a standard 10-year repayment plan. About 17.1% of students take federal loans.
Is Northwestern University worth the cost?
Ten years after enrolling, Northwestern University graduates earn a median of $89,363 per year (national median: $50,834). That's about 3.1× the annual net price. EduGradify assigns Northwestern University a value grade of B.
What SAT score do you need for Northwestern University?
Admitted students score 1510–1570 on the SAT (middle 50% range, out of 1600). That means a quarter of admits scored above the high end of that range, and a quarter scored below it.
What is the graduation rate at Northwestern University?
95.1% of full-time undergraduates graduate from Northwestern University within six years of enrolling — national average is 49.9%. First-year retention is 98.1%.
What are the most popular majors at Northwestern University?
145 programs are listed in federal data; 118 have positive share data. The largest reported major at Northwestern University is Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (17.2%), followed by Radio, Television, and Digital Communication (7.1%).
What percent of Northwestern University students receive financial aid?
18.6% of Northwestern University students receive a federal Pell Grant — the main need-based federal aid program. 17.1% take federal student loans.
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