Northwestern University: Statistics
Updated:
| Position | Category |
|---|---|
| #31 of 14,131 | In the World |
| #27 of 2,597 | In North America |
| #25 of 2,496 | In the United States |
| #3 of 100 | In Illinois |
| #1 of 4 | In Evanston |
| #7 of 1,704 | For Journalism and Digital Media |
| Top100 | For 170 other topics |
Quick Review
- Acceptance rate
- 7%
- Undergraduates
- 9,157
- Graduates
- 14,046
- Male:Female Ratio
- 45:55
- Control
- Private
not-for-profit - Highest Degree
- Doctor's degree
- Website
- www.northwestern.edu
Northwestern University Acceptance rate and admissions statistics
Northwestern University has an acceptance rate of 7% and is among the top 1% of the most difficult universities to gain admission to in the United States. The university reports the admission statistics without distinguishing between local and international students.
| Total | Men | Women | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance Rate | 7% | 7% | 7% |
| Applicants | 51,769 | 24,511 | 27,258 |
| Admissions | 3,703 | 1,705 | 1,998 |
| Freshmen enrolled full time | 2,111 | 965 | 1,146 |
1,515 students enrolled in some distance education courses.
958 enrolled exclusively in distance education.
SAT scores
Among admitted applicants
1,063 or 50%
submitted SAT
25% of them
had 1490
or below
75% of them
had 1560
or below
Typical SAT scores of first-years in Northwestern University are 1490-1560 (middle 50% range).
ACT scores
Among admitted applicants
614 or 29%
submitted ACT
25% of them
had 33
or below
75% of them
had 35
or below
Typical ACT scores of first-years in Northwestern University are 33-35 (middle 50% range).
Admissions requirements
| College-preparatory program | Required |
|---|---|
| Recommendations | Required |
| Secondary school record | Required |
| TOEFL | Required |
| SAT/ACT | Considered but not required |
| Secondary school GPA | Considered but not required |
| Secondary school rank | Considered but not required |
| Formal demonstration of competencies | Neither required nor recommended |
| Other Tests | Neither required nor recommended |
Enrollment demographics by race or ethnicity
| White | 8040 (35%) |
|---|---|
| Nonresident Alien | 4948 (21%) |
| Asian | 3799 (16%) |
| Hispanic | 2420 (10%) |
| Race or Ethnicity unknown | 1454 (6%) |
| Black or African American | 1386 (6%) |
| Two or more races | 1120 (5%) |
| Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander | 16 (0.1%) |
| American Indian or Alaska Native | 9 (0%) |
Costs per year: Tuition, Housing, Fees
The average net cost to attend Northwestern University is $23,341 per year, calculated as the sum of the average cost of tuition, room and board, books, and supplies, reduced by the amount of average financial aid received.
The final cost of attendance varies for each student based on household income, residency, program, and other factors.
Average costs by household income
| <$30K | $1,243 |
|---|---|
| $30-48K | $3,373 |
| $48-75K | $6,485 |
| $75-110K | $14,059 |
| $110K+ | $48,837 |
Tuition and fees
| Undergraduates | Graduates | |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition in-district | $64,887 | $52,698 |
| Tuition in-state | $64,887 | $52,698 |
| Tuition out-of-state | $64,887 | $52,698 |
| Fee in-district | $1,110 | $1,173 |
| Fee in-state | $1,110 | $1,173 |
| Fee out-of-state | $1,110 | $1,173 |
Room and board costs
| Dormitory capacity | 4,488 |
|---|---|
| Combined charge for room and board | $20,334 |
| Room charge | $12,219 |
| Meal charge | $8,115 |
Northwestern University majors
Northwestern University has granted 2,209 bachelor's degrees across 76 programs, 5,335 master's across 104 programs, and 1,084 doctorate degrees across 64 programs. Below is a table with majors that lead to degrees at Northwestern University.
| Major | Bachelor | Master | Doctoral |
|---|---|---|---|
| Management Science | 1,905 | ||
| Digital Communication and Media & Multimedia | 177 | 414 | 5 |
| Econometrics and Quantitative Economics | 281 | 64 | 27 |
| Computer Science | 127 | 181 | 11 |
| Counseling Psychology | 316 | ||
| Law | 304 | ||
| Programs for Foreign Lawyers | 195 | ||
| Business Administration and Management, General | 173 | ||
| Medicine | 163 | ||
| Psychology, General | 122 | 6 | 12 |
| Neuroscience | 106 | 1 | 28 |
| Biology & Biological Sciences, General | 116 | 16 | |
| Mechanical Engineering | 72 | 43 | 12 |
| Information Science & Studies | 63 | 63 | |
| Materials Engineering | 15 | 57 | 38 |
| Legal Professions and Studies, Other | 107 | ||
| Drama and Dramatics & Theatre Arts, General | 89 | 8 | 9 |
| Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering | 45 | 43 | 17 |
| Engineering, Other | 97 | ||
| Public Administration | 97 | ||
| Physical Therapy & Therapist | 94 | ||
| Engineering & Engineering-Related Technologies & Technicians, Other | 86 | ||
| Speech-Language Pathology & Pathologist | 61 | 24 | |
| Political Science and Government, General | 58 | 14 | 12 |
| Speech Communication and Rhetoric | 82 | 2 | |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management, General | 81 | ||
| Community Organization and Advocacy | 80 | ||
| Chemical Engineering | 34 | 22 | 21 |
| Civil Engineering, General | 17 | 50 | 10 |
| Chemistry, General | 22 | 11 | 42 |
| Radio and Television | 70 | ||
| Industrial Engineering | 62 | 1 | 6 |
| Sport and Fitness Administration & Management | 67 | ||
| Electrical and Electronics Engineering | 18 | 37 | 11 |
| Computer Engineering, General | 22 | 40 | 2 |
| Engineering & Industrial Management | 60 | ||
| Mathematics, General | 39 | 1 | 12 |
| Music Performance, General | 21 | 26 | 2 |
| Orthotist & Prosthetist | 48 | ||
| Sociology, General | 25 | 9 | 13 |
| History, General | 20 | 11 | 14 |
| Sustainability Studies | 43 | ||
| Biotechnology | 42 | ||
| English Language and Literature, General | 23 | 15 | 4 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods, Other | 42 | ||
| Artificial Intelligence | 41 | ||
| Public Health, General | 41 | ||
| Statistics, General | 29 | 8 | 4 |
| Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education | 39 | ||
| Tax Law & Taxation | 39 | ||
| Medical Science & Scientist | 37 | ||
| Industrial and Organizational Psychology | 36 | ||
| Public Policy Analysis, General | 36 | ||
| Stringed Instruments | 18 | 14 | 3 |
| Anthropology, General | 19 | 5 | 9 |
| Applied Mathematics, General | 14 | 14 | 5 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services, Other | 19 | 6 | 8 |
| Physician Assistant | 32 | ||
| Physics, General | 14 | 13 | 4 |
| Marriage and Family Therapy & Counseling | 30 | ||
| Philosophy | 20 | 4 | 4 |
| Health Communication | 27 | ||
| Higher Education & Higher Education Administration | 27 | ||
| Cell & Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences, Other | 26 | ||
| Cognitive Psychology and Psycholinguistics | 26 | ||
| Medical Informatics | 25 | ||
| Voice and Opera | 11 | 14 | |
| Health and Wellness, General | 24 | ||
| Music, General | 10 | 11 | |
| Organizational Behavior Studies | 10 | 5 | 6 |
| Clinical Psychology | 20 | ||
| Communication Sciences and Disorders, General | 10 | 6 | 4 |
| Environmental Science | 20 | ||
| Genetic Counseling & Counselor | 20 | ||
| Botany & Plant Biology, Other | 17 | 1 | |
| Manufacturing Engineering | 18 | ||
| Audiology & Audiologist and Speech-Language Pathology & Pathologist | 3 | 14 | |
| Health Information & Medical Records Administration & Administrator | 17 | ||
| Health Services & Allied Health & Health Sciences, General | 16 | ||
| Mechanical & Mechanical Engineering Technology & Technician | 16 | ||
| Environmental & Environmental Health Engineering | 15 | ||
| Keyboard Instruments | 6 | 7 | 2 |
| Robotics Technology & Technician | 15 | ||
| Science Technologies & Technicians, Other | 15 | ||
| Art & Art Studies, General | 4 | 9 | |
| Creative Writing | 1 | 12 | |
| Social Sciences, General | 13 | ||
| African-American & Black Studies | 3 | 6 | 3 |
| Biostatistics | 12 | ||
| Documentary Production | 12 | ||
| Art History, Criticism and Conservation | 5 | 1 | 5 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services, Other | 11 | ||
| Biological and Physical Sciences | 10 | ||
| Conducting | 7 | 3 | |
| Linguistics | 6 | 3 | 1 |
| Neurobiology and Anatomy | 10 | ||
| Acting | 9 | ||
| Education, General | 9 | ||
| Legal Studies | 7 | 2 | |
| Playwriting and Screenwriting | 9 | ||
| Systems Science and Theory | 3 | 6 | |
| Astronomy and Astrophysics, Other | 2 | 6 | |
| Bioethics & Medical Ethics | 8 | ||
| Religion & Religious Studies | 4 | 1 | 3 |
| Astronomy | 3 | 4 | |
| French Language and Literature | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Geology & Earth Science, General | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| Marketing & Marketing Management, General | 4 | 3 | |
| Music Teacher Education | 1 | 6 | |
| Slavic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| Biomedical Sciences, General | 6 | ||
| Film & Cinema & Media Studies | 2 | 4 | |
| Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General | 5 | ||
| Data Science, General | 5 | ||
| Education, Other | 1 | 4 | |
| Jazz & Jazz Studies | 3 | 2 | |
| Spanish Language and Literature | 5 | ||
| Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology, Other | 4 | ||
| Psychology, Other | 4 | ||
| Behavioral Sciences | 3 | ||
| Design and Visual Communications, General | 3 | ||
| Economics, General | 3 | ||
| Engineering Mechanics | 3 | ||
| German Language and Literature | 3 | ||
| Hispanic and Latin American Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General | 3 | ||
| Music Theory and Composition | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Operations Research | 2 | 1 | |
| American & United States Studies & Civilization | 2 | ||
| Asian-American Studies | 2 | ||
| Comparative Literature | 2 | ||
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | 2 | ||
| Directing and Theatrical Production | 2 | ||
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies, Other | 2 | ||
| Hispanic-American, Puerto Rican, and Mexican-American & Chicano Studies | 2 | ||
| Learning Sciences | 2 | ||
| Musicology and Ethnomusicology | 2 | ||
| Secondary Education and Teaching | 2 | ||
| Computer and Information Sciences, Other | 1 | ||
| Dance, General | 1 | ||
| Engineering Physics & Applied Physics | 1 | ||
| Engineering, General | 1 | ||
| Humanities & Humanistic Studies | 1 | ||
| Liberal Arts and Sciences & Liberal Studies | 1 | ||
| Near and Middle Eastern Studies | 1 | ||
| Writing, General | 1 | ||
| Grand Total | 2,209 | 5,335 | 1,084 |
Northwestern University has a graduation rate of 96%, which is among the 2% highest for universities in the US.
| Total | Men | Women | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graduation rate | 96% | 95% | 96% |
| |||
Publications & Citations
Northwestern University is a world-class research university with 238,956 scientific papers published and 11,593,852 citations received. The research profile covers a range of fields, including Biology, Medicine, Chemistry, Engineering, Physics, Computer Science, Liberal Arts & Social Sciences, Genetics, Psychology, and Biochemistry.
Publication / Citation count by topic
Annual publication & citation counts
| Year | Publications | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 2136 | 42459 |
| 1993 | 2229 | 41253 |
| 1994 | 2362 | 45021 |
| 1995 | 2436 | 48756 |
| 1996 | 2655 | 56442 |
| 1997 | 2718 | 60454 |
| 1998 | 2787 | 68823 |
| 1999 | 3022 | 75920 |
| 2000 | 3132 | 88046 |
| 2001 | 3204 | 98317 |
| 2002 | 4012 | 116424 |
| 2003 | 4043 | 132317 |
| 2004 | 4482 | 145110 |
| 2005 | 4754 | 168242 |
| 2006 | 5108 | 190533 |
| 2007 | 5331 | 213520 |
| 2008 | 5874 | 243735 |
| 2009 | 6166 | 272168 |
| 2010 | 6276 | 309059 |
| 2011 | 6850 | 348686 |
| 2012 | 7224 | 387359 |
| 2013 | 8228 | 426869 |
| 2014 | 8081 | 460608 |
| 2015 | 8350 | 488598 |
| 2016 | 8463 | 511918 |
| 2017 | 8986 | 550830 |
| 2018 | 9813 | 597587 |
| 2019 | 10292 | 666235 |
| 2020 | 11597 | 784519 |
| 2021 | 11425 | 861548 |
| 2022 | 10881 | 831771 |
| 2023 | 10965 | 856630 |
| 2024 | 9778 | 847505 |
Northwestern University alumni
-
Zooey Deschanel
- Occupations
- film actortelevision actoractorfashion modeltelevision producer
- Biography
-
Zooey Claire Deschanel is an American actress and musician. She made her film debut in Mumford (1999) and had a supporting role in Cameron Crowe's film Almost Famous (2000). Deschanel is known for her deadpan roles in comedy films such as The Good Girl (2002), The New Guy (2002), Elf (2003), The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005), Failure to Launch (2006), Yes Man (2008), 500 Days of Summer (2009), and Our Idiot Brother (2011). She has also ventured into dramatic film territory with Manic (2001), All the Real Girls (2003), Winter Passing (2005), Bridge to Terabithia (2007), The Happening (2008), and The Driftless Area (2015). From 2011 to 2018, she starred as Jess Day on the Fox sitcom New Girl, for which she received nominations for a Primetime Emmy Award and three Golden Globe Awards.
-
Hugh Hefner
- Occupations
- editoractivistphilanthropistjournalistentrepreneur
- Biography
-
Hugh Marston Hefner was an American magazine publisher. He was the founder and editor-in-chief of Playboy magazine, a publication with revealing photographs and articles. Hefner extended the Playboy brand into a world network of Playboy Clubs. He also resided in luxury mansions where Playboy Playmates shared his wild partying life, fueling media interest.
-
George R. R. Martin
- Enrolled in Northwestern University
- Graduated with bachelor's degree in journalism
- Occupations
- television producerediting staffnovelistwriterscience fiction writer
- Biography
-
George Raymond Richard Martin also known by the initials G.R.R.M. is an American author, television writer, and television producer. He is best known as the author of the series of epic fantasy novels A Song of Ice and Fire, which were adapted into the Primetime Emmy Award–winning television series Game of Thrones (2011–2019) and its prequel series House of the Dragon (2022–present). He also helped create the Wild Cards anthology series and contributed worldbuilding for the video game Elden Ring (2022).
-
David Schwimmer
- Occupations
- stage actorfilm directorfilm producertelevision actorfilm actor
- Biography
-
David Lawrence Schwimmer is an American actor, director, comedian, and producer. He gained worldwide recognition for portraying Ross Geller in the sitcom Friends, for which he received a Screen Actors Guild Award and a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in 1995. While still acting in Friends, his first leading film role was in The Pallbearer (1996), followed by roles in Kissing a Fool; Six Days, Seven Nights; Apt Pupil (all 1998); and Picking Up the Pieces (2000). He was then cast in the miniseries Band of Brothers (2001) as Herbert Sobel.
General info
| Alternative names | NU |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1851 |
| Motto | Quaecumque Sunt Vera Whatsoever things are true (Philippians 4:8 AV) |
| Colors | purple, white |
| Academic calendar | September to August (September - December; January-March; April-June; June-August) |
| Total FTE staff | 11,314 |
| Carnegie classification | Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity |
Location and contacts
| Address | 633 Clark St Evanston, Illinois, 60208 United States |
|---|---|
| City population | 78,000 |
| Phone | 8474913741 |