Acceptance rate
7.7%
Northwestern University
Admission Chances & Acceptance Rate
Northwestern is a private university in Evanston, Illinois, with 23,161 students and a 7.7% acceptance rate. It's highly selective, with middle-50% SAT scores of 1510–1570. The school has a 95% graduation rate and 98% first-year retention. Engineering, social sciences, and communications are the largest fields, and graduates earn a median of $89,363 ten years after enrollment.
Enrollment
23,161
Test policy
optional
Grad rate (6-yr)
95%
Will you get into Northwestern University?
Enter your GPA, SAT & ACT and get your personal admission probability — free, no credit card.
Calculate my chances →◴ Admitted Student Profile
The middle 50% of admitted students (25th–75th percentile), self-reported by the school.
SAT (combined)
1510 – 1570
ACT (composite)
33 – 35
GPA
Not published
$ What You'll Actually Pay
Average yearly net price after grants & scholarships, by family income (federal cohort averages — not a personal quote).
$0–30k
$1,764
family income
$30–48k
$6,099
family income
$48–75k
$7,898
family income
$75–110k
$18,282
family income
$110k+
$48,777
family income
19% receive Pell grants
17% take federal loans
✦ Strongest Programs
The fields Northwestern University graduates the most students in — a signal of depth, faculty, and alumni networks.
Engineering
15.2%
Social Sciences
14.9%
Communications
13.6%
Biology
10.8%
Computer Science
10.1%
↗ Outcomes
School-level averages across all students who enrolled (College Scorecard). Not a personal forecast.
Earnings (10 yr)
$89,363
Earnings (6 yr)
$76,844
Completion
95%
Retention
98%
Median debt
$15,000
? Frequently Asked Questions
What is the acceptance rate at Northwestern University?
Northwestern University has an acceptance rate of 7.7%, making it highly selective.
What SAT score do you need for Northwestern University?
The middle 50% of admitted students scored between 1510 and 1570 on the SAT. The ACT range is 33–35.
How much does Northwestern University actually cost?
After grants and scholarships, the average net price for the lowest income band is $1,764 per year, rising to $48,777 for families earning $110k+. These are federal cohort averages, not a personal quote.
What are my chances of getting into Northwestern University?
Your odds depend on how your GPA and test scores compare to admitted students, plus factors like major, residency, and early decision. UniversityOdds calculates a personalized probability for free — enter your stats to see yours.
See your real odds at Northwestern University and ~50 top schools
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Get my free odds →Data sourced from IPEDS, the Common Data Set, and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Acceptance probabilities calculated by UniversityOdds are estimates based on published academic data and are not a guarantee of admission. Net price figures are federal cohort averages, not personalized quotes — run the school's official net price calculator for your own estimate.