UChicago vs. Northwestern

Should I go to University of Chicago or Northwestern University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UChicago 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Harvard Notre Dame Duke Cornell Vanderbilt WUSTL Johns Hopkins Yale Georgetown Stanford Princeton Michigan
University of Chicago vs. Northwestern University comparison
University of Chicago Northwestern University College 3 College 4
University of Chicago Northwestern University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

UChicago Northwestern
Location Chicago, IL Evanston, IL
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 18,339 23,161
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #7 #15
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uchicago.edu northwestern.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UChicago Northwestern
Tuition (In State) $61,179 $62,391
Tuition (Out of State) $61,179 $62,391
Room & Board $18,396 $19,440
Avg Net Price $36,991 $22,095
Avg Grant Aid $48,422 $61,716
% Receiving Grant Aid 52% 50%

Admission

UChicago Northwestern
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 37,522 51,261
Admitted 2,039 3,695
Acceptance Rate 5.4% 7.2%
Enrolled % 84.8% 55.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.95 3.92
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Extreme
ACT Range 34/35 33/35
SAT Range 1500/1580 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 1, 2024

Academics

UChicago Northwestern
Student to Faculty Ratio 5:1 6:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (38%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Mathematics (7%)
  • Physical Sciences (7%)
  • Foreign Languages (6%)
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Communication (14%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

UChicago Northwestern
Graduation Rate 92% 94%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $98,500 $89,800
Making Student Loan Payments 86% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,500 $19,378
Median Loan Payment $149 $200

Diversity

UChicago Northwestern
% Men 54% 46%
% Women 46% 54%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 45% 50%
% Black 5% 6%
% Hispanic 8% 12%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 11% 8%
% Unknown Race 10% 2%

Students

UChicago Northwestern
% In-State 12% 22%
% Out-of-State 69% 67%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Northwestern University is larger than than UChicago based on total student enrollment (23,161 students vs. 18,339 students)

UChicago vs. Northwestern Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UChicago or Northwestern?

  • Northwestern University is 2% more expensive to attend than UChicago for in-state tuition ($62,391.00 vs. $61,179.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2% higher at Northwestern than University of Chicago ($62,391.00 vs. $61,179.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northwestern University than UChicago ($22,095 vs. $36,991)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Chicago are 5.7% lower than costs at Northwestern University ($18,396 vs. $19,440)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Chicago than Northwestern University (52% vs. 50%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern University students is 27.5% larger than aid received University of Chicago ($61,716 vs. $48,422)

UChicago vs. Northwestern Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Chicago (1506) is 46 points higher than at Northwestern (1460)
  • Incoming UChicago students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Northwestern (33)
  • Accepted freshman UChicago students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at Northwestern (3.92)
  • Northwestern has a higher acceptance rate (7.2%) than UChicago (5.4%)

UChicago vs. Northwestern Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UChicago 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 UChicago.

  • The graduation rate at Northwestern is higher than University of Chicago (94% vs. 92%)
  • Graduates from University of Chicago earn on average $8,700 more per year than Northwestern graduates after ten years. ($98,500 vs. $89,800)
  • University of Chicago students graduate with a $4,878 lower median federal student loan debt than Northwestern graduates. ($14,500 vs. $19,378)
  • UChicago graduates are paying $51 less per month on federal student loans than Northwestern graduates. ($149 vs. $200)
  • More Northwestern graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UChicago students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 86%)

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