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Everything we have for Washington University in St Louis and Northwestern, grouped like the topic pages. Differences only hides the rows where they match or only one reports.
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| Metric | Washington University in St Louis | Northwestern |
|---|---|---|
| Getting in | ||
| Admissions data | Fall 2024 | Fall 2024 |
| Acceptance rate | 12% | 7.7% |
| Acceptance rate, men / women | 13% / 12% | 7.3% / 8.1% |
| Acceptance rate, in-state / other states / international | 19% / 13% / 6.8%Fall 2024 | Not published |
| Yield, in-state / other states / international | 69% / 44% / 46%Fall 2024 | Not published |
| Applicants | 32,754 | 49,474 |
| Admitted | 3,951 | 3,806 |
| Enrolled | 1,847 | 2,105 |
| Yield | 47% | 55% |
| SAT middle 50% | 1500–1570 | 1510–1570 |
| ACT middle 50% | 33–35 | 33–35 |
| Sent an SAT | 538 (29%)Fall 2024 | – |
| Sent an ACT | 517 (28%)Fall 2024 | – |
| Scored 1400+ on the SAT | 98%Fall 2024 | – |
| Scored 30+ on the ACT | 99%Fall 2024 | – |
| Admission: High school GPA | Very important | Considered |
| Admission: High school record | Required | Required |
| Admission: Class rank | Very important | Considered |
| Admission: College-prep program | Required | Required |
| Admission: Recommendations | Very important | Required |
| Admission: Essay | Very important | Required |
| Admission: Legacy status | Considered | Considered |
| Admission: Work experience | Important | Considered |
| Admission: Demonstration of competencies | Considered | Not considered |
| Admission: English proficiency test | Required | Required |
| Admission: Other tests | Not considered | Not considered |
| Average high school GPA | 4.19 weightedFall 2024 | – |
| First-years in the top tenth of their class | 86% (of the 28% with a rank)Fall 2024 | – |
| Early decision | 25% of 4,817 admittedFall 2024 | – |
| Early action | Offered2024–25 | – |
| Wait list | 210 admitted of 2,658 who acceptedFall 2024 | – |
| Admission: Rigor of high school record | Very importantFall 2024 | – |
| Admission: Test scores | Very importantFall 2024 | – |
| Admission: Interview | – | – |
| Admission: Extracurricular activities | ImportantFall 2024 | – |
| Admission: Talent or ability | Very importantFall 2024 | – |
| Admission: Character and personal qualities | Very importantFall 2024 | – |
| Admission: First generation | ImportantFall 2024 | – |
| Admission: Geographic residence | ConsideredFall 2024 | – |
| Admission: State residency | Not consideredFall 2024 | – |
| Admission: Religious affiliation | Not consideredFall 2024 | – |
| Admission: Volunteer work | ImportantFall 2024 | – |
| Admission: Demonstrated interest | ConsideredFall 2024 | – |
| Test policy | Test-optionalFall 2026 applicants | Test-optional |
| Application fee | $75 | $75 |
| Deadlines & deposit | Apply by January 2 · reply by May 1Fall 2025 cycle | – |
| Gap year allowed | Yes, up to 2 years maximum, approved 1 year at a timeFall 2025 cycle | – |
| Credit for AP exams | Yes | Yes |
| Transfer acceptance rate | 14%Fall 2024 | – |
| Students & campus | ||
| Setting | Suburb: Large | City: Small |
| Carnegie class | Mixed Undergraduate/Graduate-Doctorate Medium | Mixed Undergraduate/Graduate-Doctorate Large |
| Research activity | R1: very high research | R1: very high research |
| Student access & earnings | Lower Access, Higher Earnings | Lower Access, Higher Earnings |
| HBCU, tribal, land-grant | None | None |
| Minority-serving, single-sex | None | None |
| Religious affiliation | None | None |
| Athletics | Division III | Division I FBS |
| Conference | University Athletic Association; football: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin | Big Ten Conference |
| ROTC | Army, Air Force | Navy |
| Study abroad | Offered | Offered |
| Undergraduate research program | Yes | Yes |
| Calendar | Semesters | Quarters |
| Undergrads | 7,857 | 9,201 |
| Beds in college housing | 7,088 | 4,488 |
| First-years must live on campus | No | No |
| Men in a fraternity | 17%Fall 2024 | – |
| Women in a sorority | 17%Fall 2024 | – |
| Fraternity/sorority housing | Offered2024–25 | – |
| Greek councils present | Panhellenic sororities (NPC), Interfraternity (NIC and IFC)October 2026 | Panhellenic sororities (NPC), Interfraternity (NIC and IFC)October 2026 |
| Pell Grant | 18% | 19% |
| First-gen | 11% | 15% |
| Men / women | 46% / 54% | 46% / 54% |
| Part-time students | 4% | 3% |
| Students 25 and older | 8% | 3% |
| First-years from in state | 15% | 19% |
| First-years from other states | 73% | 66% |
| First-years from abroad | 12% | 15% |
| New transfer students this fall | 167 | 277 |
| Transfers, share of new undergraduates | 8% | 12% |
| Diversity index | 0.76 | 0.81 |
| Academics | ||
| Students per faculty member | 7 to 1 | 6 to 1 |
| Classes under 20 students | 65%Fall 2024 | – |
| Full-time faculty share | 73% | 83% |
| Average faculty salary | $154,054 | $182,894 |
| Bachelor's degrees awarded | 2,170 | 2,431 |
| Most popular majors | Computer Science 7% · Experimental Psychology 6% · Econometrics and Quantitative Economics 5% | Econometrics and Quantitative Economics 11% · Digital Communication and Media/Multimedia 8% · Computer Science 6% |
| Instruction spending per student | $181,929 (private nonprofit, FASB accounting) | $48,932 (private nonprofit, FASB accounting) |
| Endowment per student | $721,776 (private nonprofit, FASB accounting) | $495,254 (private nonprofit, FASB accounting) |
| Tuition share of core revenue | 9% | 20% |
| Cost & aid | ||
| Average cost, all students (est.) | $56,263 | $57,229 |
| Aid generosity (grants ÷ full price) | 36% | 37% |
| Net price, students with grants | $22,408 | $26,830 |
| Sticker price, in-state | $88,488 | $91,290 |
| Sticker price, out-of-state | $88,488 | $91,290 |
| Tuition guarantee | No | No |
| Promise program | No | No |
| Tuition & fees, in-state | $62,982 | $65,997 |
| Tuition & fees, out-of-state | $62,982 | $65,997 |
| First-years paying out-of-state rates | – | – |
| First-years with grants | 49% | 53% |
| Average grant | $66,080 | $64,429 |
| Aid from the college | 47% | 53% |
| Need-based aid up to | Published data end at $110K | Published data end at $110K |
| Merit for students without need | – | – |
| Published promise | – | – |
| Aid forms | FAFSA · CSS ProfileFall 2025 entrants | – |
| Aid priority date or deadline | November 18 (deadline)Fall 2025 entrants | – |
| Need met, first-years | 100%2023–24 | – |
| Average aid package, first-years | $77,0912023–24 | – |
| College grant dollars given as merit | 4%2023–24 | – |
| Aid for international students | 33 students, average $68.4K2023–24 | – |
| Outcomes | ||
| Median earnings (10 yrs) | $86,182 | $89,363 |
| Graduation rate | 93% | 97% |
| Graduated in 6 years, Pell Grant recipients | 92% | 94% |
| Graduated in 6 years, neither Pell nor subsidized loan | 95% | 96% |
| Pell graduation gap | 3 pts lower | 2 pts lower |
| Finished within 4 years: Pell recipients | 84%Entered fall 2018 | Not published |
| Finished within 4 years: neither Pell nor subsidized loan | 86%Entered fall 2018 | Not published |
| Finished within 4 years: all first-time full-time | 85%Entered fall 2018 | Not published |
| Finished within 5 years: Pell recipients | 91%Entered fall 2018 | Not published |
| Finished within 5 years: neither Pell nor subsidized loan | 93%Entered fall 2018 | Not published |
| Finished within 5 years: all first-time full-time | 93%Entered fall 2018 | Not published |
| Graduated in 6 years, White students | 95% | 96% |
| Graduated in 6 years, Asian students | 97% | 97% |
| Graduated in 6 years, Hispanic/Latino students | 94% | 90% |
| Graduated in 6 years, Black students | 89% | 92% |
| Graduated in 6 years, students of two or more races | 93% | 93% |
| Graduated in 6 years, international students | 94% | 97% |
| Retention rate | 95% | 98% |
| Credential within 4 years, all students | 87% | 87% |
| Credential within 8 years, all students | 93% | 97% |
| Enrolled at another college, 8 years on | 4% | 2% |
| Median debt | $17,500 | $15,000 |
| Undergrads with a federal loan | 12% | 17% |
| Median debt, Pell Grant recipients | $10,054 | $12,000 |
| Website | washu.edu | northwestern.edu |
Sources:IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;Washington University in St Louis Common Data Set 2024–25, Fall 2024;Washington University in St Louis Common Data Set 2024–25, 2024–25;Washington University in St Louis Common Data Set 2024–25, Fall 2026 applicants;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2023–24;Washington University in St Louis Common Data Set 2024–25, Fall 2025 cycle;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation), 2025–26;IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD), 2025–26;College Scorecard, most recent release;College Scorecard, Fall 2024;National directories of campus chapters and groups, October 2026;College Scorecard, Fall 2023;IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part C, residence of first-time students), Fall 2024;IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part A, enrollment by level), Fall 2024;IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D), Fall 2024;IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks), Fall 2024;IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field), 2024–25 graduates;IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures, 2023–24;IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey, 2023–24;IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients), Entered fall 2018;Washington University in St Louis Common Data Set 2024–25, Entered fall 2018;College Scorecard, Entered fall 2023;IPEDS Outcome Measures survey, Students entering fall 2016;College Scorecard, 2023–24;Washington University in St Louis Common Data Set 2024–25, Fall 2025 entrants;Washington University in St Louis Common Data Set 2024–25, 2023–24;Common Data Set, most recent release;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