College Profiles/ Northwestern University
College Profile · Fall 2027 Entry
Northwestern University Admissions: Acceptance Rate, Cost, Financial Aid and Deadlines
Evanston, IL · 9,039 undergraduates. Everything families need to apply to Northwestern University for fall 2027, verified against the school’s own Common Data Set, cost of attendance and admissions pages, with ConnectPrep’s strategic read.
By Jeremy Fine, Founder of ConnectPrep
Updated October 11, 2026 · Data verified against official sources
✓ Every figure cited
Quick answer
Northwestern University admitted 7.5% of 52,676 first-year applicants in the 2025-2026 Common Data Set.[1] Early Decision applicants were admitted at 20.4%.[1] The middle 50% SAT range for enrolled first-years is 1520 to 1560.[1] The most recent cost of attendance is $91,250.[2] First-year students who received need-based aid got an average grant of $65,946.[1] For fall 2027 entry, deadlines are Early Decision I Nov 1, Regular Decision Jan 4.[3]
7.5%
Overall admit rate[1]
20.4%
Early Decision admit rate[1]
1520 to 1560
Middle 50% SAT[1]
$91,250
Cost of attendance[2]
$65,946
Average need-based grant[1]
Northwestern University at a Glance
- Location
- Evanston, IL
- Type
- Private nonprofit
- Student to faculty ratio
- 6:1[1]
- Endowment
- $11 billion (federal data)[2]
- SAT/ACT, fall 2027
- Optional (2026-27 cycle)[3]
- Application
- Common App, Coalition (Scoir), QuestBridge[3]
- First-year retention
- 98.0%[1]
The ConnectPrep Take on Northwestern University
The ConnectPrep take
Northwestern says it is not looking for a perfect match. It wants the story of how your student sees themselves thriving on campus. Early Decision moves the odds more here than at most schools: 20.4% of 5,939 ED applicants were admitted versus 7.5% overall, about 2.7 times the overall rate. Early pools are self-selected and often include recruited athletes and legacies, so treat that figure as an upper bound. Testing is optional for the 2026-27 cycle, and with a middle 50% SAT of 1520 to 1560 we say submit at 1540 or higher and aim for 1560. Students apply into one of six schools, and double majors across the specialized schools happen only in rare cases. The big miss is music: Bienen applicants owe a supplement by Oct 15 for ED, weeks before the application.
What to do this fall
- Choose the undergraduate school carefully; cross-school combinations are usually five-year dual degrees, not double majors.
- Music applicants: submit the Bienen supplement by Oct 15 for ED and complete auditions by Nov 23.
- Send an SAT of 1540 or above. Below that, apply test optional and keep testing toward 1560.
- Interested in ISP or MMSS? Both require a separate application after applying, and MMSS is due Mar 1.
Applying to Northwestern University? Get a free strategy session. We map your student’s round, testing plan, essays and every scholarship deadline for this school.
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Northwestern University Admissions Statistics
| Applicant pool |
Applied |
Admitted |
Admit rate |
| All first-year applicants[1] |
52,676 |
3,933 |
7.5% |
| Early Decision[1] |
5,939 |
1,212 |
20.4% |
- Early Decision admits made up about 31% of all admitted students, so a large part of the class is filled before Regular Decision applications are read (ConnectPrep calculation from the figures above).
- The Early Decision admit rate is about 2.7 times the overall rate. Early pools are self-selected and often include recruited athletes and legacy applicants, so the true advantage for a typical applicant is smaller.
- Yield, the share of admitted students who enrolled, was 54.4%.[1]
Testing and academic profile
| Academic profile of enrolled first-years |
Middle 50% or share |
| SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing[1] |
740 to 770 |
| SAT Math[1] |
770 to 790 |
| SAT composite[1] |
1520 to 1560 |
| ACT composite[1] |
34 to 35 |
| Enrolled students who submitted the SAT[1] |
48% |
| Enrolled students who submitted the ACT[1] |
25% |
ConnectPrep score target
Aim for 1560 on the SAT, the 75th percentile here, or 35 on the ACT. When testing is optional, we generally advise submitting scores at or above about 1540, the middle of the range. A higher score is always better, and the test can be retaken. Not there yet? Take a free practice test and we will build the plan to close the gap.
What Northwestern University looks for
In its own words: Northwestern says it is not looking for a perfect match but for the story applicants tell about how they see themselves thriving on campus, weighing how an applicant's strengths align with the university's.[4]
Northwestern University Application Deadlines 2026-2027
| Round |
Deadline |
Decision |
| Early Decision I |
Nov 1 |
mid-Dec |
| Regular Decision |
Jan 4 |
late Mar |
Insider deadlines families miss
These scholarship, honors, program, interview and aid deadlines come from Northwestern University’s own pages. Anything tagged Before RD is due before the Regular Decision deadline.
| Program or rule |
Deadline |
What to know |
Bienen School of Music supplement and prescreening
Before RD |
Oct 15 (ED); Dec 1 (RD) |
Bienen supplement is due Oct 15 for ED and QuestBridge and Dec 1 for RD, ahead of the Jan 4 application; ED auditions must be completed by Nov 23 and RD on-campus auditions run Feb 5 to 14.[5] |
| Integrated Science Program (ISP) |
Jan 15 (ED); Mar 15 (RD) |
ISP requires a separate application after the Northwestern application; late applications are at a disadvantage. Date from 2025-26 page.[6] |
| Mathematical Methods in the Social Sciences (MMSS) |
Mar 1 |
Separate MMSS application submitted through the applicant portal after applying to Northwestern; due Mar 1, 2027 for both ED and RD and expects a year of calculus.[7] |
| Financial aid (ED) |
Dec 1 (ED); Feb 1 (RD) |
Financial aid materials are due Dec 1 for ED and Feb 1 for RD.[3] |
See how Northwestern University compares with other colleges in the Midwest deadlines database or the full 2026-2027 college application deadlines hub.
Northwestern University Cost and Financial Aid
| Cost and aid |
Figure |
| Cost of attendance (federal data)[2] |
$91,250 |
| Tuition[2] |
$68,322 |
| First-years awarded need-based aid[1] |
40.6% |
| Average need-based scholarship or grant[1] |
$65,946 |
| Average total financial aid package[1] |
$67,935 |
| Average share of need met[1] |
100.0% |
| Merit (non-need) awards to first-years[1] |
7 students, average $23,571 |
- For a family that qualifies for need-based aid, the average grant would bring the $91,250 cost of attendance down to roughly $25,304 before loans and work-study. This is a ConnectPrep calculation for illustration; your student’s number depends on your family’s finances, so run the school’s net price calculator.
- Northwestern University states that it meets 100% of demonstrated financial need.[8]
- Aid packages are loan-free.[9]
- Most families making less than $150K per year attend tuition-free; most families making less than $70K per year attend at no cost.[9][8]
What families actually pay: net price by income
Net price is the full cost of attendance minus the average grants and scholarships for first-year students receiving aid, by family income. It comes from federal data, which runs a year or two behind the school’s current cost figures.[2]
| Family income |
Average net price per year |
| $0 to $30,000 |
$1,764 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 |
$6,099 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 |
$7,898 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 |
$18,282 |
| Over $110,000 |
$48,777 |
| All aided students |
$29,167 |
Academics and Majors at Northwestern University
Most popular fields by share of bachelor’s degrees awarded[1]
- Social sciences20%
- Communication/journalism11%
- Engineering11%
- Biological/life sciences9%
- Computer and information sciences9%
Signature programs
Dual bachelor's degrees across schools
Students can combine majors across two of the specialized schools in a dual degree that typically takes five years.[10]
Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications
One of six undergraduate schools; communication/journalism is the second largest field of bachelor's degrees.[11]
Bienen School of Music
A conservatory-level music school whose classes are open to all undergraduates regardless of major.[12]
McCormick School of Engineering
Engineering school within a university that the admissions site says offers hundreds of research labs accessible regardless of major.[13]
Choosing a major and getting in
Northwestern has six undergraduate schools (Weinberg, Communication, SESP, McCormick, Medill, Bienen).[14]
Northwestern University Retention and Graduation Rates
| Outcome |
Figure |
| First-year students who returned for sophomore year[1] |
98.0% |
| Graduated within four years[1] |
85.3% |
| Graduated within six years[1] |
96.0% |
| Median earnings 10 years after starting college[2] |
$89,363 |
| Median federal loan debt of graduates[2] |
$15,000 |
| Undergraduates receiving Pell Grants[2] |
19% |
Make Northwestern University a realistic goal
ConnectPrep builds the full plan: the right round, a score target and test schedule, essays that sound like your student, and every scholarship and program deadline on one calendar. Start with a free consultation or a free practice test.
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Northwestern University FAQs
What is the Northwestern University acceptance rate?
Northwestern University admitted 7.5% of first-year applicants (3,933 of 52,676), according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set. The Early Decision admit rate was 20.4%.
When are the Northwestern University application deadlines for 2026-27?
For students entering in fall 2027: Early Decision I Nov 1; Regular Decision Jan 4. 1 scholarship, honors or program deadlines come before Regular Decision; see the insider deadlines table on this page.
How much does Northwestern University cost?
The most recent cost of attendance is $91,250. First-year students who received need-based aid got an average grant of $65,946. The school states it meets 100% of demonstrated need.
What SAT score do you need for Northwestern University?
The middle 50% of enrolled first-years scored 1520 to 1560 on the SAT and 34 to 35 on the ACT. ConnectPrep advises aiming for 1560, the 75th percentile. Testing policy for fall 2027 entry: Optional (2026-27 cycle).
Is it easier to get into Northwestern early decision?
The numbers favor ED. Northwestern admitted 20.4% of Early Decision applicants compared with 7.5% overall, about 2.7 times the overall rate. That pool is self-selected and often includes recruited athletes and legacies, so a typical applicant's real advantage is smaller. ED is binding and due Nov 1, with financial aid materials due Dec 1.
Is Northwestern test optional?
Yes, Northwestern is test optional for the 2026-27 cycle. Among enrolled students the middle 50% SAT is 1520 to 1560 and the ACT is 34 to 35, and 48% submitted the SAT. We advise sending a score at or above the midpoint, about 1540 on the SAT, and aiming for 1560 if a retake is possible.
About the author
Jeremy Fine
Jeremy Fine founded ConnectPrep in 2013 and brings more than 20 years of experience in education, spanning test preparation, college advising and academic program management. He holds a BA from Washington University in St. Louis and an MPA from the University of Pittsburgh.
ConnectPrep is based in Westport, Connecticut, and works with students from kindergarten through graduate school, in person and online. Meet the team.
This profile is an independent ConnectPrep resource and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Northwestern University. Figures come from the sources listed above as published when checked in October 2026; the Common Data Set year is noted where used. Policies and costs change, so confirm with the school before applying.
