Northwestern University: Cost, Graduate Salary, Acceptance Rate and Return on Investment
Northwestern University is a private nonprofit college in Evanston, IL. Students pay about $29,167 a year in net price, and the median graduate earns $89,363 ten years after enrolling. By our Degree-ROI measure the degree pays back in about 3.1 years and adds $294,962 over a decade, ranking it #41 of 918 (top 5%) by value added.
What is Northwestern University's acceptance rate?
Northwestern University has an acceptance rate of 7.7%, which makes it highly selective. It is a private nonprofit institution in Evanston, IL enrolling about 9,201 students, with a 95.5% graduation rate.
How much does Northwestern University cost?
Northwestern University costs about $29,167 per year in average net price, what a typical student actually pays after grants and scholarships. Over four years, including typical borrowing, that totals roughly $131,668. Published sticker cost of attendance is $91,250 per year.
How much do Northwestern University graduates earn?
Ten years after enrolling, the median Northwestern University student earns $89,363 per year. That is $42,663 more than the $46,700 that the typical worker with only a high-school diploma earns.
Is Northwestern University worth it? Degree ROI and payback period
Northwestern University pays back its roughly $131,668 cost in about 3.1 years, then keeps returning the earnings premium. Over the first decade the degree adds about $294,962 net of cost, a 3.24x return on the money invested. That ranks it #41 of 918 (top 5%) by value added. Its top-tier value is driven mainly by strong graduate earnings and a high graduation rate.
Top 10% value
Northwestern University graduation rate and student debt
95.5% of Northwestern University students complete their degree, and the median graduate leaves with $15,000 in federal student debt. That debt is about 17% of one year of median graduate earnings.
Northwestern University by the numbers (vs the typical college)
How Northwestern University compares to the median four-year college in our snapshot. Percentile is its rank among the 918 colleges that report both earnings and cost (higher is better).
| Metric | This school | Median college | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avg net price / yr | $29,167 | $20,299 | cheaper than 19% |
| Median earnings (10 yrs) | $89,363 | $54,768 | 95th |
| Graduation rate | 95.5% | 57.0% | 99th |
| Acceptance rate | 7.7% | 75.7% | more selective than 98% |
| 10-yr value added | $294,962 | -$28,192 | 96th |
| ROI multiple (per $1) | 3.24x | 0.73x | 92th |
| Payback period | 3.1 yrs | 8.8 yrs | faster than 90% |
Frequently asked
Is Northwestern University worth the cost compared to other colleges?
By value added net of cost, Northwestern University ranks #41 of 918 (top 5%) of the 918 four-year colleges we rank, and returns about 3.24x the money invested over a decade.
Is Northwestern University expensive compared to other colleges?
Its $29,167 average net price is above the $20,299 median for the colleges in this snapshot, making it cheaper than 19% of them.
Do Northwestern University graduates earn more than average?
Median earnings of $89,363 ten years out are above the $54,768 median, higher than 95% of the colleges here.
How hard is it to get into Northwestern University compared to other colleges?
Its 7.7% acceptance rate is below the 75.7% median, making it more selective than 98% of the colleges in the snapshot.
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