Northwestern University
Evanston, IL · Private nonprofit · offers Graduate degrees
8%Acceptance rate
$29,167Average net price / year
95%Graduation rate
$89,363Median earnings 10 yrs after entry
$15,000Median debt at graduation
9,201Undergraduates
Cost
- In-state tuition & fees
- $68,322
- Total cost of attendance
- $91,250
- Room & board
- $21,126
- Books & supplies
- $1,794
- Average net price
- $29,167
Net price by family income
- $0–30k
- $1,764
- $30–48k
- $6,099
- $48–75k
- $7,898
- $75–110k
- $18,282
- $110k+
- $48,777
Admissions
- Acceptance rate
- 7.7%
- Average SAT
- 1533
- SAT reading (25–75%)
- 740–770
- SAT math (25–75%)
- 770–800
- ACT composite (25–75%)
- 33–35
Outcomes
- Graduation rate
- 95%
- First-year retention
- 98%
- Median earnings (6 yrs)
- $76,844
- Median earnings (10 yrs)
- $89,363
- Median debt (graduates)
- $15,000
- 3-year loan default rate
- 0.0%
- Students with Pell grants
- 19%
- Students with federal loans
- 17%
Programs: what graduates earn
81 of 337 programs have published earnings or debt data. Earnings are median salaries of graduates one year after completing the program (or the latest available year).
Bachelor's degree
Post-baccalaureate certificate
| Program | Graduates | Earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | — | $59,139 | — |
Master's degree
Doctoral degree
| Program | Graduates | Earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chemistry | 42 | $90,302 | — |
| Biology, General | 22 | $86,946 | — |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | 28 | $82,034 | $63,500 |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | — | $73,374 | $168,092 |
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | 26 | $69,925 | — |
| History | 14 | $70,118 | — |
| Psychology, General | 12 | $71,819 | — |
| Music | 22 | $57,250 | — |
First professional degree
| Program | Graduates | Earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Law | 304 | $210,979 | $154,286 |
| Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies | — | $129,670 | $75,943 |
| Medicine | 163 | $70,039 | $201,568 |
Students
- Undergraduates
- 9,201
- Graduate students
- 16,336
- Part-time
- 3%
- Women / men
- 54% / 46%
- White
- 31%
- Hispanic
- 16%
- Black
- 8%
- Asian
- 21%
- International
- 12%
Faculty & school
- Student–faculty ratio
- 6:1
- Avg faculty salary
- $182,898 / year
- Full-time faculty
- 83%
- Accreditor
- Higher Learning Commission
- Website
- www.northwestern.edu
- Also known as
- NA
Most popular fields
- Communication & Journalism – 14% of degrees
- Computer & Information Sciences – 10% of degrees
- Engineering – 14% of degrees
- Biological Sciences – 10% of degrees
- Mathematics & Statistics – 3% of degrees
- Interdisciplinary Studies – 2% of degrees
Frequently asked questions
What is the acceptance rate at Northwestern University?
7.7% of applicants were admitted, and admitted students averaged 1533 on the SAT.
How much does Northwestern University cost?
The average net price after grants is $29,167 per year; in-state tuition and fees are $68,322 and the full cost of attendance is $91,250.
How much do Northwestern University graduates earn?
Students who enrolled earn a median of $89,363 ten years later. See the program table above for salaries by major.
What is the graduation rate?
95% of first-time, full-time students graduate within 150% of normal time.
Other colleges in Evanston
| College | Net price | Acceptance | Graduation | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary Evanston, IL · Private nonprofit |
— | — | — | — |
| Endeavor Health School of Nurse Anesthesia-DePaul University Evanston, IL · Private nonprofit |
— | — | — | — |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, June 2026 release.