Northwestern University

28th
World University Rankings 2024
=9th
US College Rankings 2022
=44th
World Reputation Rankings 2023
633 Clark Street, Evanston, Illinois, 60208, United States

About Northwestern University

When it opened for business in 1855, Northwestern University had only two academic staff and 10 students. These were all male, but women have been admitted since 1869.

Northwestern owes its existence to the vision of its nine founders who, with no land, limited finances and little knowledge of higher education, determined to create a university for the vast Northwest Territory covering more than five of today’s states. They began planning in 1850 and, three years later, boldly went ahead and purchased a 379-acre site close to Lake Michigan and developed the campus at Evanston, named after a founder called John Evans.

From these small beginnings, Northwestern has developed into a leading private research university with a strong interdisciplinary culture and a commitment to teaching excellence. It now consists of 12 separate schools and colleges and is notable for its research strength in fields including neuroscience, nanotechnology, biotechnology and the development of new drugs. The main campus is still based at Evanston, 10 miles north of Chicago, although there is a smaller one in Chicago, so students enjoy all the stimulus and opportunities for personal and professional development provided by one of the world’s great cities. Since 2008, there has also been a third, satellite campus in Doha, Qatar.

Northwestern’s mascot is Willy the Wildcat. Its mottoes are both taken from the New Testament and read, in Latin and Greek, “Whatsoever things are true” and “The world is full of grace and truth”.

Celebrated alumni include novelist Saul Bellow and economist George Stigler, who both went on to win Nobel Prizes, as well as Friends star David Schwimmer, Gone Girl author Gillian Flynn, and George R. R. Martin, whose novels inspired the Game of Thrones television series. No fewer than four economists and one chemist who worked as faculty at Northwestern went to receive Nobel Prizes. And the diplomat and political scientist Ralph Bunce, who had been a researcher there, went on to become the first African American to win a Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict.

Explore rankings data for Northwestern University

All ranked institutions have an overall score and 4 pillar scores. However for each pillar, only institutions ranked in the top 500 overall or the top 500 in this pillar have a publicly visible score

Compare universities on their key stats

Key statistics

  • 18,894
    Number of FTE Students
    (1)
  • 18%
    Proportion of ISR Publication
    (1)
  • 13.1
    No. of students per staff
    (1)
  • 52 : 48
    Student Ratio of Females to Males
    (1)
  • 18%
    Percentage of International Students
    (1)
  • $56,691
    Out-of-state Tuition and Fees
    (2)
  • $66,433
    Salary after 10 years
    (2)
  • $17,019
    On-campus Room and Board
    (2)
Based on data collected for the (1) 2024 World University Rankings and (2) 2022 US Rankings

Subjects taught at Northwestern University

  • Engineering & technology

    • Civil Engineering
    • Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering
    • Chemical Engineering
    • General Engineering
    • Electrical & Electronic Engineering
  • Clinical, pre-clinical & health

    • Medicine & Dentistry
    • Other Health
  • Life sciences

    • Sport Science
    • Biological Sciences
  • Law

    • Law
  • Business & economics

    • Economics & Econometrics
    • Business & Management
    • Accounting & Finance
  • Arts & humanities

    • Archaeology
    • History, Philosophy & Theology
    • Architecture
    • Languages, Literature & Linguistics
    • Art, Performing Arts & Design
  • Physical sciences

    • Geology, Environmental, Earth & Marine Sciences
    • Mathematics & Statistics
    • Chemistry
    • Physics & Astronomy
  • Social sciences

    • Communication & Media Studies
    • Geography
    • Sociology
    • Politics & International Studies (incl Development Studies)
  • Psychology

    • Psychology
  • Computer science

    • Computer Science
  • Education

    • Education