Northwestern University

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    Wondering how Northwestern University stacks up against other schools?Overall, Northwestern University ranks #14/1,729. However, what makes up that overall ranking? Scroll down for the ranking categories below! You’ll see how Northwestern University ranks in a number of different categories, such as first year retention rate, total enrollment, and graduation rate!

    Overall Rankings for 2026

    Overall Ranking

    #14/1,729
    in U.S.
    View All
    #14/1,729
    in Four or more years
    #3/268
    in Great Lakes (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI)
    #14/1,078
    in Private not-for-profit
    #2/59
    for IL
    #1/14
    in Big Ten Conference

    Total Enrollment

    #17/1,166
    in Private not-for-profit
    View All
    #17/318
    in Great Lakes (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI)
    #157/2,191
    in U.S.
    #157/2,191
    in Four or more years
    #5/64
    for IL
    #14/14
    in Big Ten Conference

    Best Research Colleges

    #14/25
    in U.S.
    View All
    #14/25
    in Four or more years
    #14/24
    in Private not-for-profit
    #14/3
    in Great Lakes (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI)
    #14/2
    for IL
    #14/1
    in Big Ten Conference

    Academics Rankings for 2026

    Average Faculty Salary

    #13/2,052
    in U.S.
    View All
    #13/2,052
    in Four or more years
    #2/300
    in Great Lakes (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI)
    #10/1,124
    in Private not-for-profit
    #2/61
    for IL
    #1/14
    in Big Ten Conference

    Graduation Rate % (4 Year)

    #4/277
    in Great Lakes (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI)
    View All
    #47/1,842
    in U.S.
    #47/1,842
    in Four or more years
    #35/1,104
    in Private not-for-profit
    #3/59
    for IL
    #1/14
    in Big Ten Conference

    Graduation Rate % (6 Year)

    #4/277
    in Great Lakes (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI)
    View All
    #32/1,842
    in U.S.
    #32/1,842
    in Four or more years
    #21/1,104
    in Private not-for-profit
    #3/59
    for IL
    #1/14
    in Big Ten Conference

    % of Instructors Who Are Full Time

    #6/63
    for IL
    View All
    #31/313
    in Great Lakes (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI)
    #258/2,206
    in U.S.
    #258/2,206
    in Four or more years
    #163/1,202
    in Private not-for-profit
    #9/14
    in Big Ten Conference

    Student-Faculty Ratio

    #5/249
    in Great Lakes (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI)
    View All
    #34/1,562
    in U.S.
    #34/1,562
    in Four or more years
    #22/861
    in Private not-for-profit
    #4/56
    for IL
    #1/13
    in Big Ten Conference

    Admission Rankings for 2026

    Acceptance Rate

    #2/277
    in Great Lakes (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI)
    View All
    #24/1,815
    in U.S.
    #24/1,815
    in Four or more years
    #23/1,030
    in Private not-for-profit
    #2/56
    for IL
    #1/14
    in Big Ten Conference

    Est. Median SAT

    #2/318
    in Great Lakes (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI)
    View All
    #25/2,192
    in U.S.
    #25/2,192
    in Four or more years
    #25/1,166
    in Private not-for-profit
    #2/64
    for IL
    #1/14
    in Big Ten Conference

    Selectivity Index

    #2/277
    in Great Lakes (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI)
    View All
    #21/1,815
    in U.S.
    #21/1,815
    in Four or more years
    #19/1,030
    in Private not-for-profit
    #2/56
    for IL
    #1/14
    in Big Ten Conference

    Financial Health Rankings for 2026

    Largest Endowment

    #12/1,197
    in U.S.
    View All
    #12/1,197
    in Four or more years
    #12/1,186
    in Private not-for-profit
    #2/191
    in Great Lakes (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI)
    #1/48
    for IL
    #1/2
    in Big Ten Conference

    Endowment per Student

    #5/191
    in Great Lakes (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI)
    View All
    #45/1,197
    in U.S.
    #45/1,197
    in Four or more years
    #45/1,186
    in Private not-for-profit
    #2/48
    for IL
    #1/2
    in Big Ten Conference

    Outcomes Rankings for 2026

    Student Loan Default Rate (2 Year)

    #1/14
    in Big Ten Conference
    View All
    #25/313
    in Great Lakes (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI)
    #235/2,210
    in U.S.
    #235/2,210
    in Four or more years
    #7/63
    for IL
    #153/1,204
    in Private not-for-profit

    Diversity Rankings for 2026

    Diversity (Overall)

    #12/286
    in Great Lakes (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI)
    View All
    #135/1,935
    in U.S.
    #135/1,935
    in Four or more years
    #1/14
    in Big Ten Conference
    #4/56
    for IL
    #110/1,064
    in Private not-for-profit

    International Student Concentration

    #12/72
    in Great Lakes (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI)
    View All
    #92/456
    in U.S.
    #92/456
    in Four or more years
    #57/234
    in Private not-for-profit
    #5/19
    for IL
    #11/14
    in Big Ten Conference

    % Degrees to International Students

    #135/486
    in U.S.
    View All
    #135/486
    in Four or more years
    #5/14
    in Big Ten Conference
    #25/64
    in Great Lakes (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI)
    #107/229
    in Private not-for-profit
    #8/15
    for IL

    % First Year International Students

    #2/14
    in Big Ten Conference
    View All
    #134/459
    in U.S.
    #134/459
    in Four or more years
    #22/72
    in Great Lakes (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI)
    #9/19
    for IL
    #113/234
    in Private not-for-profit

    Diversity (Ethnicity)

    #4/315
    in Great Lakes (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI)
    View All
    #3/64
    for IL
    #108/2,148
    in U.S.
    #108/2,148
    in Four or more years
    #78/1,142
    in Private not-for-profit
    #1/14
    in Big Ten Conference

    Diversity (Gender)

    #512/2,112
    in U.S.
    View All
    #512/2,112
    in Four or more years
    #283/1,132
    in Private not-for-profit
    #83/310
    in Great Lakes (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI)
    #20/60
    for IL
    #10/14
    in Big Ten Conference

    Diversity (Geography)

    #15/292
    in Great Lakes (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI)
    View All
    #131/2,008
    in U.S.
    #131/2,008
    in Four or more years
    #1/14
    in Big Ten Conference
    #96/1,117
    in Private not-for-profit
    #6/56
    for IL

    Student Life Rankings for 2026

    First Year Retention Rate

    #41/2,191
    in U.S.
    View All
    #41/2,191
    in Four or more years
    #6/318
    in Great Lakes (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI)
    #32/1,166
    in Private not-for-profit
    #3/64
    for IL
    #1/14
    in Big Ten Conference

    Best Large Colleges

    #10/25
    in U.S.
    View All
    #10/25
    in Four or more years
    #10/21
    in Private not-for-profit
    #10/4
    in Great Lakes (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI)
    #10/2
    in Big Ten Conference
    #10/2
    for IL

    Sports Rankings for 2026

    # of Male Athletes

    #1/1,262
    for Softball
    View All
    #1/271
    in Field Hockey
    #414/8,989
    in Private not-for-profit
    #808/14,910
    in U.S.
    #808/14,910
    in Four or more years
    #32/484
    for IL
    #172/1,523
    in NCAA Division I-FBS
    #23/203
    in Big Ten Conference
    #259/1,396
    in Volleyball
    #368/966
    for Tennis
    #140/330
    in Swimming and Diving (combined)
    #713/1,345
    for Soccer
    #621/1,079
    in Golf
    #257/362
    in Wrestling
    #420/578
    in Lacrosse
    #569/774
    for Football
    #977/1,256
    for Baseball
    #35/43
    for Fencing
    #1,220/1,481
    #1220 in Basketball
    #547/579
    in Cross Country

    # of Female Athletes

    #1/1,256
    for Baseball
    View All
    #1/774
    for Football
    #11/579
    in Cross Country
    #2/43
    for Fencing
    #688/8,989
    in Private not-for-profit
    #1,199/14,910
    #1199 in U.S.
    #1,199/14,910
    #1199 in Four or more years
    #39/484
    for IL
    #50/578
    in Lacrosse
    #30/203
    in Big Ten Conference
    #227/1,523
    in NCAA Division I-FBS
    #63/271
    in Field Hockey
    #306/966
    for Tennis
    #360/1,079
    in Golf
    #127/362
    in Wrestling
    #515/1,396
    in Volleyball
    #588/1,345
    for Soccer
    #803/1,262
    for Softball
    #223/330
    in Swimming and Diving (combined)
    #1,058/1,481
    #1058 in Basketball

    Most Profitable Sports

    #2/8,989
    in Private not-for-profit
    View All
    #21/14,910
    in U.S.
    #21/14,910
    in Four or more years
    #1/484
    for IL
    #21/1,523
    in NCAA Division I-FBS
    #21/774
    for Football
    #7/203
    in Big Ten Conference
    #306/330
    in Swimming and Diving (combined)
    #347/362
    in Wrestling
    #936/966
    for Tennis
    #1,229/1,256
    #1229 for Baseball
    #1,236/1,262
    #1236 for Softball
    #1,060/1,079
    #1060 in Golf
    #1,373/1,396
    #1373 in Volleyball
    #1,327/1,345
    #1327 for Soccer
    #571/578
    in Lacrosse
    #268/271
    in Field Hockey
    #1,476/1,481
    #1476 in Basketball
    #43/43
    for Fencing
    #579/579
    in Cross Country

    Most Profitable Sports per Student Athlete

    #3/8,989
    in Private not-for-profit
    View All
    #20/14,910
    in U.S.
    #20/14,910
    in Four or more years
    #1/484
    for IL
    #20/1,523
    in NCAA Division I-FBS
    #16/774
    for Football
    #6/203
    in Big Ten Conference
    #307/330
    in Swimming and Diving (combined)
    #348/362
    in Wrestling
    #934/966
    for Tennis
    #1,317/1,345
    #1317 for Soccer
    #1,235/1,256
    #1235 for Baseball
    #1,243/1,262
    #1243 for Softball
    #1,375/1,396
    #1375 in Volleyball
    #1,064/1,079
    #1064 in Golf
    #268/271
    in Field Hockey
    #573/578
    in Lacrosse
    #1,477/1,481
    #1477 in Basketball
    #578/579
    in Cross Country
    #43/43
    for Fencing

    Top Sports by Revenue

    #5/8,989
    in Private not-for-profit
    View All
    #1/484
    for IL
    #31/14,910
    in U.S.
    #31/14,910
    in Four or more years
    #9/579
    in Cross Country
    #31/1,523
    in NCAA Division I-FBS
    #31/774
    for Football
    #40/966
    for Tennis
    #65/1,481
    in Basketball
    #9/203
    in Big Ten Conference
    #56/1,079
    in Golf
    #71/1,262
    for Softball
    #22/330
    in Swimming and Diving (combined)
    #106/1,396
    in Volleyball
    #119/1,345
    for Soccer
    #31/271
    in Field Hockey
    #69/578
    in Lacrosse
    #52/362
    in Wrestling
    #250/1,256
    for Baseball
    #14/43
    for Fencing
    Data from 2023-2024

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