Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university on the shore of Lake Michigan in Evanston, Illinois, just north of Chicago, known for its top-ranked Medill School of Journalism, strong engineering and economics programs, and a distinctive quarter-system calendar. Admission is extremely competitive — Northwestern admitted about 7.7% of roughly 49,000 first-year applicants, and enrolled students who submitted scores posted middle-50% SATs of 1510–1560 and ACTs of 34–35. The university is test-optional, retains 98% of first-years into their second year, and meets 100% of demonstrated financial need. The figures below are drawn directly from Northwestern's official Common Data Set.
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Northwestern admissions statistics
Acceptance rate
Total applicants, admitted students, and enrolled students for the most recent admission cycle.
Early decision
Northwestern offers binding Early Decision. Applying early can meaningfully change your odds — but ED commits you to enroll if admitted.
Admit rate by application plan
% admitted~3.9× higher admit rate applying early.
Standardized tests
Northwestern is currently test-optional — you may apply without submitting scores.
SAT Accepted?
ACT Accepted?
Test Optional?
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
Northwestern supplemental essays — 2026-2027 cycle
We want to be sure we're considering your application in the context of your personal experiences: What aspects of your background (your identity, your school setting, your community, your household, etc.) have most shaped how you see yourself engaging in Northwestern's community, be it academically, extracurricularly, culturally, politically, socially, or otherwise?
Painting "The Rock" is a tradition at Northwestern that invites all forms of expression—students promote campus events or extracurricular groups, support social or activist causes, show their Wildcat spirit (what we call "Purple Pride"), celebrate their culture, and more. What would you paint on The Rock, and why?
Northwestern fosters a distinctively interdisciplinary culture. We believe discovery and innovation thrive at the intersection of diverse ideas, perspectives, and academic interests. Within this setting, if you could dream up an undergraduate class, research project, or creative effort (a start-up, a design prototype, a performance, etc.), what would it be? Who might be some ideal classmates or collaborators?
Community and belonging matter at Northwestern. Tell us about one or more communities, networks, or student groups you see yourself connecting with on campus.
Northwestern's location is special: on the shore of Lake Michigan, steps from downtown Evanston, just a few miles from Chicago. What aspects of our location are most compelling to you, and why?
Northwestern is a place where people with diverse backgrounds from all over the world can study, live, and talk with one another. This range of experiences and viewpoints immeasurably enriches learning. How might your individual background contribute to this diversity of perspectives in Northwestern's classrooms and around our campus?
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Admissions factors
How Northwestern weighs each part of your application.
Rigor of High School Record
Academic GPA
Standardized Test Scores
Application Essay
Recommendations
Extracurricular Activities
Character / Personal Qualities
Talent / Ability
First Generation
Level of Applicant's Interest
Class Rank
Volunteer Work
Work Experience
Geographical Residence
State Residency
Alumni Relation
Racial / Ethnic Status
Religious Affiliation
Cost of attendance
Estimated full-time annual cost from Northwestern's Common Data Set.
Private universities charge the same tuition regardless of state residency.
Financial aid
Need-based aid statistics for full-time first-year students.
Frequently asked questions about Northwestern admissions
Yes — Northwestern is extremely selective, admitting about 7.7% of applicants in the most recent cycle. It offered admission to roughly 3,806 of about 49,474 first-year applicants and enrolled around 2,105 students. Admission is holistic: the rigor of your course load, GPA, class rank, essays, recommendations, extracurriculars, and personal qualities are all weighed as very important factors.
Northwestern admitted about 7.7% of first-year applicants in the most recent cycle — roughly 3,806 offers out of about 49,474 applications, with around 2,105 students enrolling. Northwestern also offers a binding Early Decision plan, which received 5,154 applications and admitted 1,186 students for the entering class.
Northwestern does not publish a single average high school GPA on its Common Data Set, but admitted students are almost uniformly near the top of their classes. The review is holistic, and the rigor of your secondary school record, academic GPA, and class rank are each weighed as very important factors — so the strongest applications pair a near-perfect transcript with the most demanding course load your school offers.
No. Northwestern is test-optional, so you may apply without submitting scores, and standardized test scores are only 'considered' in the holistic review rather than weighed heavily. Among enrolled students who did submit, the middle 50% scored 1510–1560 on the SAT and 34–35 on the ACT.
A 1500 sits just below the middle-50% range for enrolled students who submitted scores, which runs 1510–1560 on the SAT (34–35 ACT). Because Northwestern is test-optional and treats scores as only 'considered,' a 1500 won't sink a strong application — but the admitted class skews very high, with 97% of score-submitters reporting a 1400–1600. A score below your target is one reason applicants choose to apply without scores.
Northwestern offers a binding Early Decision plan and no Early Action. In the most recent cycle the ED round received 5,154 applications and admitted 1,186 students for the entering class. ED is binding, so apply early only if Northwestern is clearly your first choice; the same very important factors — course rigor, GPA, essays, and extracurriculars — drive the decision.
Tuition and required fees run about $70,589 per year, with on-campus housing and food adding roughly $21,975 and books about $1,539 on top. Northwestern meets 100% of demonstrated financial need; about 44% of first-years receive need-based aid, and the average need-based package is roughly $67,785.
The social sciences are the single most popular area at about 18% of degrees, followed by engineering (12%) and communication and journalism (11%), the latter anchored by the Medill School. The biological and life sciences (10%), computer and information sciences (9%), psychology (7%), and the visual and performing arts (8%) round out the most-conferred fields.
Popular majors
Bachelor's degrees awarded in the past year by academic major.
Student-faculty ratio
The number of students for every one faculty member, indicating the average level of access students have to instructional staff.
Campus life
On-campus housing and Greek life participation rates.
Enrollment by gender
Student diversity
Racial and ethnic breakdown of enrolled undergraduate students.
Source: Northwestern University Common Data Set 2024-2025. Figures transcribed 2026-06-07. Esslo aggregates publicly reported data and is not affiliated with Northwestern. Banner photo by Madcoverboy, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0). Cite this page as: Esslo College Explorer, “Northwestern University admissions statistics, transcribed from the 2024-2025 Common Data Set,” https://www.esslo.org/colleges/northwestern (retrieved 2026-06-07).