Evanston, IL
Northwestern University is a private large school in Evanston, IL, enrolling about 9,201 undergraduates. It's highly selective, admitting about 8% of applicants. Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services graduates, especially in Information Science/Studies, report the strongest earnings here: a median of $163,740/year. Most students arrange their own housing since on-campus living isn't required.
Admissions
Test scores for the Fall 2025 entering class come from Northwestern University's own 2025-26 Common Data Set: 48% submitted SAT scores, 25% submitted ACT scores.
Application deadlines for Fall 2027 entry
- Early Decision: Nov 1, 2026
- Regular Decision: Jan 4, 2027
Confirm on Northwestern University's own admissions site before you apply.
Cost & outcomes
From the US Dept of Education College Scorecard, most recent year reported. Not every school reports every field. Tuition & fees are the sticker price for a full-time first-year undergrad, before financial aid, and don't include room and board.
Where do you stand against Northwestern University's numbers?
Check your chances hereHow Northwestern University weighs your application
From Northwestern University's own Common Data Set, 2025-26, Section C7 -- not a generic admissions checklist. What is a Common Data Set?
What applicants who posted their results listed
146 self-reported applicant profiles from public posts, 2024–25 and 2025–26 admissions cycles: 30 admitted, 116 rejected or waitlisted. Figures read admitted vs. rejected or waitlisted.
Most common activities
Most common awards among admits
Who posted
The full breakdown, with what stood out: Northwestern Accepted vs. Rejected Applicants →
These are people who chose to post their results publicly, mostly on Reddit -- a group that skews toward high scores and STEM. They describe posters, not Northwestern University's admitted class, and recruited athletes are left out. For official numbers, use the admissions figures above.
See full profile -- financial aid, campus life, and what Northwestern University weighs in your application
Paying it back
"Still growing" means a borrower's payments aren't yet covering interest 3 years into repayment -- not a default rate. A high number here can mean real repayment difficulty, or just a lot of grads who deferred for graduate school, so read it alongside the school's typical outcomes above.
Majors & earnings
Median earnings 4 years after graduation, by major, from the US Dept of Education. Only shown where the school reports a real figure for that major -- most schools don't report every major they offer, especially smaller programs.
Campus life
Room and board are shown separately from the cost of attendance above -- that total already includes them alongside tuition and fees, this just breaks out the living-cost portion.
What matters in your application
From this school's own reporting to the US Dept of Education on what it formally requires, considers, or doesn't use when reviewing applications.
Frequently asked questions
What does Northwestern University look for in applicants?
Per Northwestern University's own Common Data Set (Section C7), it rates extracurricular activities, character/personal qualities, recommendations, talent/ability, rigor of secondary school record, class rank, academic GPA, application essay as "very important" in admissions decisions -- its own stated top factors, not a generic guess.
What is Northwestern University's acceptance rate?
Northwestern University in Evanston, IL admits approximately 8% of applicants, based on the US Dept of Education's most recently reported figures.
What SAT score do I need for Northwestern University?
Per Northwestern University's own 2025-26 Common Data Set, the middle 50% of enrolled first-years scored 1520–1560 on the SAT (25th–75th percentile, among students who submitted scores).
What ACT score do I need for Northwestern University?
Per Northwestern University's own 2025-26 Common Data Set, the middle 50% of enrolled first-years scored 34–35 on the ACT (25th–75th percentile, among students who submitted scores).
How much does Northwestern University cost?
Northwestern University's total cost of attendance is reported at $91,250 per year, including tuition, fees, and room and board.
When is the application deadline for Northwestern University?
Northwestern University's deadlines are Early Decision Nov 1, 2026; Regular Decision Jan 4, 2027, per its own published admissions calendar.
Does Northwestern University require students to live on campus?
No -- Northwestern University doesn't require students to live in on-campus housing.
Related reading
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