Northwestern University is a private institution in Evanston, IL with an acceptance rate of 8% and 8,960 students. The middle 50% of admitted students score 1490–1560 on the SAT. The average net price after financial aid is $27,143 per year.
About Northwestern University
A private 4-year urban university in Evanston, IL.
Northwestern University is a college in Evanston, IL. It enrolls roughly 8,960 students. The most recent acceptance rate is 8%. Admitted students typically score between 1490 and 1560 on the SAT.
Your chances at this school
A clear-eyed view of how your profile compares to admitted students — and the things that would move your odds the most.
Northwestern University is a reach school for the average admitted student profile. A reach for almost every applicant, including very strong ones. Here is what would make your application as competitive as possible.
Things that would move your odds the most
- Aim for an SAT of 1490+Hitting the 25th percentile puts you in the competitive range for admitted students.
- Build a single deep extracurricular peakDepth beats breadth at selective schools — one nationally-visible accomplishment outperforms ten clubs.
- Strengthen one teacher recommendationA specific, personal letter from a teacher who knows your work moves the needle.
Probability is based on a model trained on historical admissions data. It is a guide, not a guarantee. Admissions decisions weigh essays, recommendations, and fit factors that aren't in the data.
Admissions
What it actually takes to get into Northwestern University. Test scores, GPA, application requirements, and deadlines.
Admitted student profile
Range shown is the middle 50%.
Cost & financial aid
Published costs can be misleading. Here's what families actually pay at Northwestern University after grants and scholarships.
Net price by family income
Average amount paid out of pocket — tuition, fees, and room & board minus all grant aid.
Net price represents the average cost after grants and scholarships for students receiving federal financial aid.
Academics & majors
Where students at Northwestern University concentrate, and how the classroom experience scales.
Student body
Who attends Northwestern University. Enrollment, diversity, and where students come from.
Race & ethnicity
- White39%
- Asian25%
- Hispanic17%
- Black8%
- International11%
Gender
- Female52%
- Male48%
Outcomes after graduation
What Northwestern University graduates do next — and what they earn.
What this means
$89k is well above the national bachelor's-graduate median at the 10-year mark, and a 96% graduation rate puts Northwestern University in the top tier nationally.
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