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% |
How Northwestern University compares with its nearest rivals
Northwestern University ranks #41 of 918 by ten-year value added. The five profiled colleges closest to it in that ranking are compared below on the same federal data: 4 of them cost less per year and 1 of them produces higher median earnings ten years after entry.
Northwestern University is a private nonprofit college in Evanston, IL with 9,201 undergraduates. Its published cost of attendance is $91,250 a year, but the average aided family pays $29,167, a 68% discount from the sticker price. The median borrower leaves owing $15,000, equal to 17% of one year of median earnings ten years out. Getting in is the binding constraint at Northwestern University: 7.7% of applicants are admitted.
- University of Michigan-Ann Arbor (Ann Arbor, MI; #40 of 918; 93.2% graduate) costs $16,029 less per year ($13,138 net), and its graduates earn $5,715 less ten years out ($83,648). University of Michigan-Ann Arbor adds $2,466 more ten-year value than Northwestern University. University of Michigan-Ann Arbor pays back its cost in 2 years.
- University of California-Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA; #42 of 918; 92.6% graduate) costs $16,619 less per year ($12,548 net), and its graduates earn $6,852 less ten years out ($82,511). Northwestern University adds $1,044 more ten-year value than University of California-Los Angeles. University of California-Los Angeles pays back its cost in 1.8 years.
- The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art (New York, NY; #39 of 918; 80.7% graduate) costs $15,898 less per year ($13,269 net), and its graduates earn $5,516 less ten years out ($83,847). Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art adds $8,432 more ten-year value than Northwestern University. Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art pays back its cost in 1.8 years.
- Washington University in St Louis (St. Louis, MO; #43 of 918; 94.3% graduate) costs $7,381 less per year ($21,786 net), and its graduates earn $3,181 less ten years out ($86,182). Northwestern University adds $4,786 more ten-year value than Washington University in St Louis. Washington University in St Louis pays back its cost in 2.7 years.
- University of Southern California (Los Angeles, CA; #38 of 918; 91.9% graduate) costs $3,573 more per year ($32,740 net), and its graduates earn $3,135 more ten years out ($92,498). University of Southern California adds $14,058 more ten-year value than Northwestern University. University of Southern California pays back its cost in 3.3 years.
| College | Value rank | Net price / yr | Earnings (10 yrs) | Graduation | 10-yr value added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Southern California | #38 | $32,740 | $92,498 | 91.9% | $309,020 |
| The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art | #39 | $13,269 | $83,847 | 80.7% | $303,394 |
| University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | #40 | $13,138 | $83,648 | 93.2% | $297,428 |
| Northwestern University | #41 | $29,167 | $89,363 | 95.5% | $294,962 |
| University of California-Los Angeles | #42 | $12,548 | $82,511 | 92.6% | $293,918 |
| Washington University in St Louis | #43 | $21,786 | $86,182 | 94.3% | $290,176 |
Paying for Northwestern University
Net price is what a family pays after grants, so the aid a student qualifies for moves every figure above. Our sister sites cover that side of the decision: the Pell Grant 2026-2027 guide sets out who qualifies and the maximum award, the education grants guide lists federal, state and institutional grants beyond Pell, and the best AI tools for students compares what is worth paying for once enrolled.
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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Federal data behind this page
What a programme costs, what its graduates earn, and what aid is available are published by federal statistical agencies rather than by any provider's marketing page, and the sources below are the primary ones. They are linked so a reader can check a figure here directly.
- College Scorecard publishes the federal cost, completion and post-enrolment earnings data used to compare programmes.
- National Center for Education Statistics is the federal statistical agency for education and the source most published figures trace back to.
- IPEDS holds the institution-level survey data behind enrolment, price and completion comparisons.
- Federal Student Aid states what aid exists, who qualifies, and what repayment actually obligates a borrower to.
- CFPB paying for college documents how education financing works and where its common traps are.
- US Department of Education sets the policy framework the accreditation and aid systems operate under.
- Department of Education laws and policy carries the rules that decide whether a provider or credential is recognised.
This page compares programmes on published data. Outcomes vary by student, and a reader's own aid package and circumstances decide what a programme actually costs them.