A+
Overall Niche Grade
How are grades calculated?
  1. Academics
    A+
  2. Value
    A+
  3. Diversity
    A
  4. Campus
    B+
  5. Athletics
    A+
  6. Party Scene
    A-
  7. Professors
    A+
  8. Location
    B+
  9. Dorms
    C
  10. Campus Food
    B+
  11. Student Life
    A+
  12. Safety
    B
View Full Report Card
Northwestern University is ...
Private not-for-profit
Athletic Division
NCAA Division I-FBS
Athletic Conference
Big Ten Conference
Address
633 Clark St
Evanston, IL 60208
Website
northwestern.edu

Northwestern University Rankings

Niche rankings are based on rigorous analysis of key statistics from the U.S. Department of Education and millions of reviews.

Admissions

Acceptance Rate
13%
Application Deadline
January 1
SAT Range
1400-1560
ACT Range
31-34
Application Fee
$75
SAT/ACT
Required
High School GPA
Required
Will You Get In?

Test Scores and GPA for Northwestern University

Cost

Net Price
$30,552/ year
National
$15,403
Average cost after financial aid for students receiving grant or scholarship aid, as reported by the college.
Net Price by Household Income
  • <$30k
    $13,940/ year
  • $30-48k
    $11,545/ year
  • $49-75k
    $16,275/ year
  • $76-110k
    $25,071/ year
  • $110k+
    $42,662/ year

Academics

Professors
A+
Based on faculty accomplishments, salary, student reviews, and additional factors.
Student Faculty Ratio
7:1
Evening Degree Programs
Yes
85%
of students agree that professors put a lot of effort into teaching their classes.82 responses
73%
of students agree that it is easy to get the classes they want.84 responses
42%
of students agree that the workload is easy to manage.84 responses

Majors

Most Popular Majors
  • Economics
    398 Graduates
  • Communications
    262 Graduates
  • Psychology
    230 Graduates
  • Biology
    149 Graduates
  • Journalism
    143 Graduates
  • Drama and Theatre Production
    136 Graduates
  • Political Science and Government
    119 Graduates
  • Radio, Television, and Digital Communication
    91 Graduates
  • History
    90 Graduates
  • Mathematics & Statistics
    89 Graduates

Students

Full-Time Enrollment
8,247Undergrads
Undergrads Over 25
1%
Pell Grant
12%
Varsity Athletes
6%
Poll
What one word or phrase best describes the typical student at this school?
Based on 39 responses
Report
  • Busy
    44%
  • Stressed
    26%
  • Engaged
    23%
  • Approachable
    3%
  • Depressed
    3%
  • Pressured
    3%

Campus Life

Freshmen Live On-Campus
99%
Poll
48%
of students say that Greek life is pretty big.86 responses
Poll
57%
of students say varsity sporting events are attended, but not a huge part of campus life.116 responses
Poll
What one word or phrase best describes your school?
Based on 34 responses
Report
  • Great academic environment
    35%
  • Stressful
    32%
  • Busy
    26%
  • Boring
    3%
  • Career Oriented
    3%

After College

Median Earnings 6 Years After Graduation
$64,100/ year
National
$33,028
Graduation Rate
93%
National
48%
Employed 2 Years After Graduation
92%
National
83%
88%
of students feel confident they will find a job in their field after graduation.43 responses
Colleges like Northwestern University
More

Northwestern University Reviews

1,253 reviews
All Categories
I attended Northwestern because of the music program and the professor I would be working with. My professor was amazing, and so was the music program as a whole. I was able to pursue a double major with an outside field, and while it was difficult and busy, the administration helped me every quarter by allowing me to take extra classes to finish on time. The campus is beautiful, but there is always construction. It is not a huge party school, but there are parties and lots of other ways to have fun. I loved the proximity to Chicago and the public transit system. Overall, I liked the student body. There was a general hard work ethic, and though my majors weren't particularly competitive, I know there were some that were fairly cut-throat. The mental health services can be improved upon, but I felt that NU was a very accepting, diverse, and progressive school overall. Financial aid was great, and getting better!
Review Northwestern University
Northwestern's defining feature is the unique spirit of camaraderie and collaboration that permeates every element of college life. Northwestern tries to incorporate a lot of group projects and get students active in their studies outside of just coursework and exams through its hundreds of student-run groups.

At Northwestern, you are actively encouraged to take a variety of classes outside your major, and you really get to explore different disciplines. Northwestern has a quarter system, which means that in a given school year you will take about 12-13 courses instead of the semester standard of 10.

Throughout my years here, I have made friends studying every discipline, and they have opened my eyes to a world of knowledge. I encourage anyone with a desire to learn a wealth of information and experience a collaborative learning environment to apply.
After my first year at Northwestern, I am definitely satisfied with the return on my investment. The classes are enlightening and the student life is definitely enjoyable as I easily found a close knit group of friends. However, there are definitely some negatives that the university could improve on. Primarily, the dining hall food could use a lot of improvement. Furthermore, some of the facilities in the residential halls such as the restrooms or laundry rooms often had equipment that was out of service. Overall, however, I am quite happy at NU and am looking forward to the upcoming years.