George Washington vs. Northwestern

Should I go to George Washington University or Northwestern University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if George Washington or Northwestern 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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George Washington University vs. Northwestern University comparison
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George Washington University Northwestern University
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Overview

George Washington Northwestern
Location Washington, DC Evanston, IL
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 25,939 23,161
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #73 #15
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website gwu.edu northwestern.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

George Washington Northwestern
Tuition (In State) $62,110 $62,391
Tuition (Out of State) $62,110 $62,391
Room & Board $15,720 $19,440
Avg Net Price $42,723 $22,095
Avg Grant Aid $35,257 $61,716
% Receiving Grant Aid 78% 50%

Admission

George Washington Northwestern
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 27,266 51,261
Admitted 13,354 3,695
Acceptance Rate 49% 7.2%
Enrolled % 22% 55.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.81 3.92
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Elite
Applicant Competition Low Extreme
ACT Range 31/34 33/35
SAT Range 1330/1490 1490/1570
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 5, 2024 Jan 1, 2024

Academics

George Washington Northwestern
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 6:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (34%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Communication (4%)
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Communication (14%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

George Washington Northwestern
Graduation Rate 81% 94%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $80,500 $89,800
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,962 $19,378
Median Loan Payment $258 $200

Diversity

George Washington Northwestern
% Men 38% 46%
% Women 62% 54%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 56% 50%
% Black 6% 6%
% Hispanic 8% 12%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 5%
% International 10% 8%
% Unknown Race 5% 2%

Students

George Washington Northwestern
% In-State 1% 22%
% Out-of-State 89% 67%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • George Washington University is larger than than Northwestern based on total student enrollment (25,939 students vs. 23,161 students)

George Washington vs. Northwestern Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, George Washington or Northwestern?

  • Northwestern University is 0.5% more expensive to attend than George Washington for in-state tuition ($62,391.00 vs. $62,110.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.5% higher at Northwestern than George Washington University ($62,391.00 vs. $62,110.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northwestern University than George Washington ($22,095 vs. $42,723)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at George Washington University are 23.7% lower than costs at Northwestern University ($15,720 vs. $19,440)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at George Washington University than Northwestern University (78% vs. 50%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern University students is 75% larger than aid received George Washington University ($61,716 vs. $35,257)

George Washington vs. Northwestern Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northwestern University (1460) is 166 points higher than at George Washington (1294)
  • Incoming Northwestern students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at George Washington (29)
  • Accepted freshman Northwestern students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.92) than students at George Washington (3.81)
  • George Washington has a higher acceptance rate (49%) than Northwestern (7.2%)

George Washington vs. Northwestern Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, George Washington or Northwestern? 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 Northwestern and George Washington.

  • The graduation rate at Northwestern is higher than George Washington University (94% vs. 81%)
  • Graduates from Northwestern University earn on average $9,300 more per year than George Washington graduates after ten years. ($89,800 vs. $80,500)
  • Northwestern University students graduate with a $5,584 lower median federal student loan debt than George Washington graduates. ($19,378 vs. $24,962)
  • Northwestern graduates are paying $58 less per month on federal student loans than George Washington graduates. ($200 vs. $258)
  • More Northwestern graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former George Washington students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 82%)

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