Northwestern vs. Stanford

Should I go to Northwestern University or Stanford University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Northwestern or Stanford is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Northwestern University vs. Stanford University comparison
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Northwestern University Stanford University
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Overview

Northwestern Stanford
Location Evanston, IL Stanford, CA
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 23,161 18,283
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #15 #2
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website northwestern.edu stanford.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northwestern Stanford
Tuition (In State) $62,391 $57,693
Tuition (Out of State) $62,391 $57,693
Room & Board $19,440 $18,619
Avg Net Price $22,095 $18,279
Avg Grant Aid $61,716 $60,619
% Receiving Grant Aid 50% 53%

Admission

Northwestern Stanford
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 51,261 56,378
Admitted 3,695 2,075
Acceptance Rate 7.2% 3.7%
Enrolled % 55.2% 83.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.92 3.96
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Extreme
ACT Range 33/35 33/35
SAT Range 1490/1570 1500/1580
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 1, 2024 Jan 2, 2024

Academics

Northwestern Stanford
Student to Faculty Ratio 6:1 5:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Communication (14%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (21%)
  • General Studies (16%)
  • Engineering (15%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (5%)

Outcomes

Northwestern Stanford
Graduation Rate 94% 96%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $89,800 $122,900
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 88%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,378 $12,475
Median Loan Payment $200 $128

Diversity

Northwestern Stanford
% Men 46% 53%
% Women 54% 47%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 50% 37%
% Black 6% 6%
% Hispanic 12% 15%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 10%
% International 8% 9%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

Northwestern Stanford
% In-State 22% 35%
% Out-of-State 67% 48%

Campus

Northwestern Stanford
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Northwestern University is larger than than Stanford based on total student enrollment (23,161 students vs. 18,283 students)

Northwestern vs. Stanford Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northwestern or Stanford?

  • Northwestern University is 8.1% more expensive to attend than Stanford for in-state tuition ($62,391.00 vs. $57,693.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 8.1% higher at Northwestern than Stanford University ($62,391.00 vs. $57,693.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Stanford University than Northwestern ($18,279 vs. $22,095)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Stanford University are 4.4% lower than costs at Northwestern University ($18,619 vs. $19,440)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Stanford University than Northwestern University (53% vs. 50%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern University students is 1.8% larger than aid received Stanford University ($61,716 vs. $60,619)

Northwestern vs. Stanford Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Northwestern or Stanford? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Stanford or Northwestern .

  • The average SAT score at Stanford University (1479) is 19 points higher than at Northwestern (1460)
  • Incoming Northwestern students have at the same average ACT score (33) as students at Stanford (33)
  • Accepted freshman Stanford students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.96) than students at Northwestern (3.92)
  • Northwestern has a higher acceptance rate (7.2%) than Stanford (3.7%)

Northwestern vs. Stanford Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Northwestern or Stanford? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Stanford and Northwestern.

  • The graduation rate at Stanford is higher than Northwestern University (96% vs. 94%)
  • Graduates from Stanford University earn on average $33,100 more per year than Northwestern graduates after ten years. ($122,900 vs. $89,800)
  • Stanford University students graduate with a $6,903 lower median federal student loan debt than Northwestern graduates. ($12,475 vs. $19,378)
  • Stanford graduates are paying $72 less per month on federal student loans than Northwestern graduates. ($128 vs. $200)
  • More Stanford graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northwestern students, three years after graduation. (88% vs. 87%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/