Acceptance Rate
8%
Avg. SAT
1570
75th percentile
“Northwestern fuses rigorous academics and Big Ten athletics on a chilly Lake Michigan shore, delivering Chicago's energy without the full urban chaos.”
Evanston, IL
Location
Small City
Campus Setting
You arrive at Northwestern in Evanston, a leafy suburb nine miles north of Chicago, where the campus hugs Lake Michigan's edge—think sandy beaches for impromptu Ultimate Frisbee amid brutal Midwestern winters. Founded in 1851 by Chicago businessmen with Methodist roots, it started as a humble 10-acre plot to educate the Northwest Territory's pioneers, evolving into a secular powerhouse that survived the Great Chicago Fire's economic fallout by sheer grit. The school's personality shines as intellectually intense yet playfully competitive: picture students debating policy over deep-dish pizza while cheering Wildcats football. You thrive here if you're ambitious, collaborative, and unfazed by wind-whipped commutes to Chicago internships—but if you crave a tight-knit small-town vibe or endless sunshine, the sprawling 1,000-acre campus and Evanston's dry-town hangover (alcohol sales banned until 1972) might leave you restless.
Photo Gallery
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Admissions
Acceptance Rate
Test Policy
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Average GPA
Application Fee
Academics
Student-Faculty Ratio
Programs Offered
Full-Time Faculty
Women Faculty
Research Spending
Degree Levels Offered
In Northwestern's classrooms, professors lead small seminars where your voice matters—thanks to that stellar 6:1 student-faculty ratio, rarer than at 95% of U.S. universities—and undergrads co-author papers on everything from quantum materials to fake news detection. You dive into standouts like Medill's investigative journalism bootcamp, where students break stories for the Daily Northwestern, or the School of Communication's theater program that launches Broadway careers through hands-on productions in the historic Wirtz Center. Research pulses everywhere, from lakefront neuroscience labs to the massive McCormick engineering projects, but expect fierce grade deflation in pre-med tracks and a workload that demands time management sharper than your Lakefill jogs. Tradeoffs hit hard: stellar opportunities come with Chicago's high living costs and winters that bury outdoor experiments under snow.
Student Body
Total Enrollment
9,399 undergrad • 14,457 grad
Undergraduate
Graduate
International
White
35%
Black / African American
6%
Hispanic / Latino
10%
Asian
16%
Other / Multi-racial
33%
Campus Life
Campus Setting
Evanston, IL
Varsity Athletics
NCAA Athletics
Your week pulses with lakefront runs at dawn, packed 8 a.m. lectures, club meetings in the vibrant student union, and Friday tailgates before football blowouts at Ryan Field—Northwestern's social scene balances Greek life (about 30% participation) with 500-plus clubs, from improv troupes mimicking Chicago's Second City to Model UN plotting global takeovers. Residential life clusters you into one of 11 themed colleges, like the artsy Third Floor or globalist International House, fostering quirky bonds over late-night study breaks, though freshmen endure double dorms in the Brutalist elder statesmen of Willard or Shepard. Traditions like "painting the Rock"—a 98-year ritual where groups claim the campus boulder overnight—add whimsy, but challenges loom: Evanston's suburban quiet amplifies cabin fever during blizzards, and the social ladder feels steep for introverts amid Type-A overachievers. Chicago's museums and nightlife beckon via the Purple Line, turning weekends into urban adventures.
Housing
On-Campus Housing
Housing Capacity
Meal Plan Available
Average Room & Board
Athletics
Athletic Association
Big Ten Conference
ROTC & Veteran Support
Army
No
Navy
Yes
Air Force
No
Veteran’s Programs Available
Yellow Ribbon Program (Post-9/11 GI Bill)
Yes
Recognized student veteran organization
Yes
Cost & Aid
In-State Tuition
Out-of-State Tuition
Room & Board
Estimated Cost
Financial Aid
Students Receiving Aid
Receiving Pell Grants
Average Grant
Average Federal Loan
Net Annual Cost by Household Income
Household Income
Avg. Net Cost
$0 – $30K
$6,377
$30K – $48K
$3,702
$48K – $75K
$6,855
$75K – $110K
$17,336
$110K+
$44,153
Apply for Financial Aid
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Costs shown are before financial aid. Most students receive some form of aid. Complete the FAFSA to see what you qualify for.
Outcomes & Earnings
Retention Rate
98%
4 Years Graduation Rate
87%
6 Years Graduation Rate
96%
Median 10-Year Earnings
$89,363
98% of first-time, full-time students complete their freshman year at Northwestern University and return in the fall. 87% of first-time, full-time students graduate in 4 years, and 96% graduate within 6 years.
Graduation Rate
4-year grads
87%
4-5 years
9%
6-8 years
1%
Non-grad
3%
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Key Statistics
Type
Private
Tuition
$62,391
Acceptance
8%
Undergrads
9,399
4-Year Grad Rate
87%
Endowment
$5.8B
Evanston, IL 60208
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