Key differences on Cost & aid
- 1
Stanford costs about $7.6K less per year on average than Northwestern ($49,604 vs. $57,229, all students)
Average cost, all students - 2
Stanford's grants cover 44% of its full price on average, vs. 37% at Northwestern
Aid generosity
Cost & aid
Cost & aid
Average cost, aid generosity, net price by family income, sticker prices, and grants.
What students pay
Grants
Sticker prices
On one scale, so the bars read against each other.
Up to $110K: the average net price per year for students receiving federal aid, 2023–24; families who didn't file the FAFSA aren't included. Above it the published data end. For your own number, use the college's net price calculator .
Family income per year $150K
- StanfordPublished data end at $110K
- NorthwesternPublished data end at $110K
Published (federal figure, up to $110K) EstimateBars share one scale: the largest full price.
Where need-based aid ends, merit, and published promises
| Metric | Stanford | Northwestern |
|---|---|---|
| Need-based aid up to | Published data end at $110K | Published data end at $110K |
| Merit for students without need | – | – |
| Published promise | Families pay nothing toward cost under $100K; No tuition under $150K · 2026–27 | – |
A college's own promise is stated for a typical family and changes yearly; where a promise and our estimate disagree, the promise wins. Merit has no income limit, so it can lower the price above the point where need-based aid ends.
Tuition guarantee & Promise program
| Metric | Stanford | Northwestern |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition guarantee | No | No |
| Promise program | No | No |
From the colleges' Common Data Sets
| Metric | Stanford | Northwestern |
|---|---|---|
| Aid forms | FAFSA · CSS Profile | – |
| Aid priority date or deadline | February 16 (priority) | – |
| Need met, first-years | 100% | – |
| Average aid package, first-years | $77,279 | – |
| College grant dollars given as merit | 1% | – |
| Aid for international students | 260 students, average $85.4K | – |
Sources:IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2023–24;IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey, 2023–24;College Scorecard, 2023–24;Stanford University Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2026 entrants;Stanford University Common Data Set 2025–26, 2024–25;College Scorecard, most recent release;Stanford University (2026–27), 2026–27;Common Data Set, most recent release;Stanford University Common Data Set 2025–26, 2025–26;Northwestern University (2026–27), 2026–27About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)
Figures are the newest each college has published; years can differ between colleges. Each value's ⓘ shows its source and year. Why