Northwestern University

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2017 Undergraduate Tuition

$52,239

3.6% growth from 2016

2017 Average Net Price

$26,099

After Financial Aid

2016 Student Loan

1.1%

Default Rate

2017 Acceptance Rate

9.24%

37,259 Applicants

2017 Enrolled Students

22,008

80.3% Full-Time

2017 Graduation Rate

93.8%

1,970 Graduates

About

Northwestern University is a higher education institution located in Cook County, IL. In 2016, the most popular Bachelor's Degree concentrations at Northwestern University were General Economics (383 degrees awarded), General Psychology (155 degrees), and Other Communication, Journalism, & Related Programs (153 degrees).

In 2017, 9,012 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Northwestern University. 47.7% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 52.3% awarded men. The majority of degree recipients were white (4,013 degrees), 3.55 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (1129 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Northwestern University is $52,239, which is $25,739 more than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($26,500).

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Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity Doctoral Universities

Costs

The median undergraduate tuition at Northwestern University is $52,239, which is $25,739 more than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($26,500).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $26,099.

In 2017, 54% of undergraduate students received federal grants, while 24% of undergraduate students received federal loans.

Student Expenses

Tuition Costs

$52,239

2017 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2017, the cost of tuition at Northwestern University was $52,239. The cost of tuition at Northwestern University is $25,739 more than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($26,500).

This chart compares the tuition costs of Northwestern University (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$26,099

2017 Value

11%

1 Year Growth

In 2017 Northwestern University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $26,099. Between 2016 and 2017, the average net price of Northwestern University grew by 11%.

This chart compares the average net price of Northwestern University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$15,489

Room and Board

$1,620

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Northwestern University was of $15,489 in 2017. During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,620. The cost of room and board increased by 3.7% between 2016 and 2017. The cost of books and supplies did not change during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at Northwestern University (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid

Financial Aid by Income Level

54%

Of Undergraduates Receive Grants

24%

Of Undergraduates Receive Federal Loans

54% of undergraduate students at Northwestern University received grants or loans in 2017. This represents a growth of 1.89% with respect to 2016, when 53% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at Northwestern University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

1.1%

2016 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2016 the default rate for borrower's at Northwestern University was 1.1%, which represents 32 out of the 2912 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Admissions

Northwestern University received 37,259 undergraduate applications in 2017, which represents a 6.15% annual growth. Out of those 37,259 applicants, 3,442 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 9.24% acceptance rate.

There were 22,008 students enrolled at Northwestern University in 2017, and 35% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

Northwestern University has an overall enrollment yield of 55.3%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

9.24%

Acceptance Rate in 2017

3,442

Accepted Out of 37,259

In 2017, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Northwestern University was 9.24% (3,442 admissions from 37,259 applications). This is lower than the acceptance rate of 2016, which was 10.7%. Between 2016 and 2017, the number of applicants grew by 6.15%, while admissions declined by -8.04%.

This chart compares the acceptance rate of Northwestern University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

SAT Scores

35%

Submission Percentage

673

Scores Submitted

35% of enrolled first-time students at Northwestern University in 2017 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

This chart shows the SAT scores for the 25th and 75th percentile of applicants broken out into each section of the test that their are evaluated on.

Enrollment

Northwestern University has a total enrollment of 22,008 students. The full-time enrollment at Northwestern University is 17,664 students and the part-time enrollment is 4,344. This means that 80.3% of students enrolled at Northwestern University are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Northwestern University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 44.2% White, 13.7% Asian, 8.48% Hispanic or Latino, 5.09% Black or African American, 3.51% Two or More Races, 0.109% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.05% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Northwestern University in full-time Undergraduate programs are majority White Male (23.8%), followed by White Female (22.6%) and Asian Male (8.57%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are majority White Male (19.3%), followed by White Female (18.2%) and Asian Female (5.38%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

80.3%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Northwestern University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 22,008 students. The full-time enrollment at Northwestern University is 17,664 and the part-time enrollment is 4,344. This means that 80.3% of students enrolled at Northwestern University are enrolled full-time compared with 78% at similar Doctoral Universities.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at Northwestern University (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

98%

2017 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at Northwestern University was 98%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Doctoral Universities (83%), Northwestern University had a retention rate higher than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at Northwestern University (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity

White
9,726
Asian
3,018
Hispanic or Latino
1,866

The enrolled student population at Northwestern University is 44.2% White, 13.7% Asian, 8.48% Hispanic or Latino, 5.09% Black or African American, 3.51% Two or More Races, 0.109% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.05% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Doctoral Universities is 51.5% White, 13.4% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.57% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 1,707 students (7.76%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2017, 412 fewer women than men received degrees from Northwestern University. The majority of degree recipients at Northwestern University are white (4,013 degrees awarded). There were 3.55 times more white graduates than the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (1129 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at Northwestern University is General Economics (383 degrees awarded), followed by General Psychology (155 degrees) and Other Communication, Journalism, & Related Programs (153 degrees).

The most specialized majors across all degree types at Northwestern University, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Legal (601 degrees awarded), Communications (963 degrees), and Math & Statistics (226 degrees).

Workforce

Common Jobs by Major

Other managers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Northwestern University are Other managers (595,289 people), Software developers (428,966 people), Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers (367,373 people), Miscellaneous engineers, including nuclear engineers (313,640 people), and Elementary & middle school teachers (275,865 people).

The most specialized majors at Northwestern University are Legal (601 degrees awarded), Communications (963 degrees), Math & Statistics (226 degrees), Engineering (881 degrees), and Social Sciences (696 degrees).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Nuclear medicine technologists and medical dosimetrists

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Northwestern University are Nuclear medicine technologists and medical dosimetrists, Chemists & materials scientists, Dentists, Surgeons, and Cardiovascular technologists and technicians

Common Industries by Major

Computer Systems Design

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Northwestern University are Computer Systems Design (626,242 people), Elementary & secondary schools (528,367 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (513,681 people), Architectural, engineering & related services (441,637 people), and Construction (347,737 people).

Degrees

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by Northwestern University.

Most Common

General Economics
383 degree-majorss awarded
General Psychology
155 degree-majorss awarded
Other Communication, Journalism, & Related Programs
153 degree-majorss awarded

In 2017, the most common bachelors degree concentration at Northwestern University was General Economics with 383 degree-majorss awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at Northwestern University according to their major.

Gender Breakdown for Common Majors

Degrees Awarded to Men

4,712
4,300

In 2017, 4,712 degrees were awarded to men at Northwestern University, which is 1.1 times more than the number of degrees awarded to females (4,300).

This chart displays the gender disparity between the top 5 majors at Northwestern University by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2017, 353 degrees were awarded to men at Northwestern University in Management Science, which is 2.67 times more than the 132 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2017, 246 degrees were awarded to women at Northwestern University in Other Communication, Journalism, & Related Programs, which is 2.93 times more than the 84 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

82%

100% Completion Time

93%

150% Completion Time

In 2017, 82% of students graduating from Northwestern University completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 93% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 94% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Doctoral Universities Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Diversity

Graduation Rate by Race and Gender

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

American Indian or Alaska Native Female

Highest Graduation Rate (100%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate at Northwestern University is Female and American Indian or Alaska Native (100% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (68.1%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 0.761% of graduates (15 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

White
4,013 degrees awarded
Asian
1,129 degrees awarded
Unknown
833 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Northwestern University is white (4,013 degrees awarded). There were 3.55 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (1129 degrees).

9.24% of degree recipients (833 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Gender

Most Common Gender Demographic

White Male
2,189 degrees awarded
White Female
1,824 degrees awarded
Asian Female
572 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and gender grouping at Northwestern University is white male (2,189 degrees awarded). There were 1.2 times more white male recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white female (1,824 degrees).

Operations

Northwestern University has an endowment valued at nearly $7.95B, as of the end of the 2017 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of $1.09B (13.7%), compared to the 5.91% average return ($16.9M on $287M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2017, Northwestern University had a total salary expenditure of $2.3B. Northwestern University employs 631 Professors, 312 Associate professors, and 308 Lecturers. Most academics at Northwestern University are Male Professors (468), Male Associate professors(196), and Female Lecturers (183).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Northwestern University are: Business and Financial Operations, with 1350 employees, Office and Administrative Support, with 1074 employees, and Computer, Engineering, and Science with 917 employees.

Finances

Endowment

$7.95B

2017 Endowment

6.28%

growth from 2016

Northwestern University has an endowment valued at about $7.95B, as of the end of the 2017 fiscal year. The endowment of Northwestern University grew 6.28% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $7.66B higher than than the median endowment of Doctoral Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at Northwestern University (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity Carnegie Classification grouping.

Government Grants and Contracts

Grants & Contracts

$462M - Federal
$4.67k - State
$0 - Local

As of 2017, Northwestern University received $462M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $4.67k from state grants and contracts, and $0 from local grants and contracts.

Expenses

Salary Expenditure

$1.07B

2017 Salaries

7.63%

growth from 2016

In 2017, Northwestern University paid a median of $1.07B in salaries, which represents 46.7% of their overall expenditure ($2.3B) and a 7.63% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 7.39% growth from 2015 and a 4.47% growth from 2014.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 215M (42.7% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$225M

Instructional Salaries

1,501

Number of Employees

In 2017, Northwestern University paid a total of $225M to 1,501 employees working as instructors, which represents 21% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $64.9M (30.2%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Faculty and Staff

Occupations by Share

Professor

Most Common Instructor

631 Employees

Business and Financial Operations

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

1350 Employees

In 2017, the most common positions for instructional staff at Northwestern University were Professor with 631 employees; Associate professor with 312 employees; and Associate professor with 308 employees.

In 2017, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Northwestern University were Business and Financial Operations with 1,350 employees; Office and Administrative Support with 1,074 employees; and Computer, Engineering, and Science with 917 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Gender

Most Common Demographic

Male Professor
Male Associate professor
Female Lecturer

In 2017, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Northwestern University was Male Professor with 468 employees, Male Associate professor with 196 employees, and Female Lecturer with 183 employees.

This chart shows the gender split between each academic rank present at Northwestern University.

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