Quad

Head-to-head

Central
Northwestern

Key differences

The biggest gaps between these schools, largest first.

  1. 1

    Northwestern is more diverse (index 0.33 vs. 0.22)

    Diversity index
  2. 2

    Northwestern's grants cover 47% of its full price on average, vs. 37% at Central

    Aid generosity
  3. 3

    Central has 8 pts more first-gen students than Northwestern (21% vs. 13%)

    First-generation students
  4. 4

    Northwestern's yield is 6 pts higher than Central's

    Yield rate
  5. 5

    Central grads earn $4.5K more ten years out than Northwestern's ($54,317 vs. $49,802)

    Median earnings, 10 yrs
  6. 6

    Central costs about $3K less per year on average than Northwestern ($23,800 vs. $26,763, all students)

    Average cost, all students

The shape of each school

Each axis is a national rank among 4-year colleges; further out = more of it.

SelectivityTest scoresSizePell shareFirst-genDiversity

Hollow dots at the center mean that measure isn't reported.

Who's hardest to get into

Northwestern admits 80%, Central 86%; Northwestern's yield is higher, at 27%.

Acceptance rate
Central86%
Northwestern80%
Quad's selectivity
  • CentralOpen
  • NorthwesternAccessible
SAT middle 50%Axis 900–1600
Central
1056–1120
NorthwesternTest-blind
How they read a recordfirst-years at 3.75+
  • CentralGPA and school record required
  • NorthwesternGPA and school record required

Who's on each campus

Central and Northwestern are about the same size; Northwestern has the larger Pell share.

Undergrads
Central1.1K
Northwestern1.2K
Pell Grant share
Central22%
Northwestern25%

Majors and faculty

Exercise Science and Kinesiology leads at Central, and Business Administration and Management at Northwestern.

Students per faculty member
Central11 to 1
Northwestern15 to 1
Most popular majorshare of graduates
  • CentralExercise Science and Kinesiology21%
  • NorthwesternBusiness Administration and Management, General17%

What each costs

Central costs about $3K less a year than Northwestern on average; Northwestern's grants cover the larger share of its price.

Average cost, all students
Central$23.8K
Northwestern$26.8K
Aid generosity
Central37%
Northwestern47%

What each pays off

Central's former students earn more, a median $54.3K ten years after enrolling; both graduate more than 60% within six years.

Median earnings, 10 years
Central$54.3K
Northwestern$49.8K
Graduation rate
Central69%
Northwestern67%

How each has changed

Applications grew at Northwestern but fell at Central; Central got less selective while Northwestern held steady.

Applications, 10-year change
  • CentralShrinking−44%
  • NorthwesternGrowing+19%
All the numbersEvery figure for these colleges in one table, with differences highlighted.
Sources for this comparisonEvery dataset and year behind the numbers in this comparison; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Sources:IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;College Scorecard, Fall 2024;College Scorecard, most recent release;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2023–24;IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey, 2023–24;College Scorecard, Entered fall 2023;IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D), Fall 2024;IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field), 2024–25 graduates;College Scorecard, 2023–24;IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients), Entered fall 2018About 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