Which university is better: University of Chicago or Northwestern University?
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1 Answer
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Every university offers something unique for its international students to stand out of the herd. Both universities have its advantages and disadvantages. University of Chicago acceptance rate stands at 4.8%, which makes it extremely competitive. On the other hand, Northwestern University acceptance rate is 7.2%, which makes it highly competitive to secure admission. Check the comparison listed below between University of Chicago and Northwestern University. The below comparison will help students in gaining more clarity on these universities respectively:
Parameters
University of Chicago
Northwestern University
Establishment
1890
1851
Location
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Evanston, Illinois, USA
Shiksha Popularity Rankings
#14 in World
#27 in World
University Type
Private
Private
QS Rankings 2026
#13
#42
Acceptance Rate
Around 4.8%
Around 7.2%
Placement Rate
98%
97%
Average Salary
INR 66.17 LPA
INR 63.49 LPA
UG Annual Fee
INR 57.25 L - 57.69 L
INR 55.5 L - 61.01 L
PG Annual Fee
INR 19.47 L - 99.62 L
INR 17.01 L - 99.16 L
Popular Streams
Mathematics | Computer Science | Neuroscience
Biology | Computer Science | Chemical Engineering
Similar Questions for you
Northwestern University is one of the top ranked universities. It has a ranking of #28 in the world and #14 in the USA based on the Shiksha Popularity Rankings 2025. It also has been ranked well for its academic schools on the main Illinois campus. The rankings of the university by ranking bodies are mentioned in the table below:
| Ranking Body Name | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| QS | 47 | 50 | 42 |
| US News | 24 | 24 | NA |
| Times Higher Education | 28 | 31 | NA |
Northwestern University has a lot of academic schools in areas such as Medicine, Journalism, Communication, Music among others. It is included in the 4 top 10 national universities and is also included in the top 20 in the 4 graduate school rankings. The school rankings at the university are mentioned below:
| School Name/Course Name | Rank |
|---|---|
| Business School | #2 |
| Education School | #10 |
| Engineering School | #16 |
| Materials Engineering |
Northeastern University has not specified any minimum GPA requirement for admissions. But from the past data, a GPA of 3.85 on a 4.0 scale is very competitive. Most of the applicants with the mentioned GPA were offered admission.
On a related note, although the entrance tests like the SAT or ACT are not required for this year admission cycle, having a good score in these exams and submitting them with your application can raise your chances of admission at Northwestern.
The Harvard University tuition fee is lower than that of Northwestern University, Harvard is way harder to get into, as its acceptance rate is just 6%. The Northwestern University acceptance rate is 13% which is more than double that of Harvard. So, if you are looking for better chance to get in, Northwestern is calling, but if you want cheaper tuition and the ivy league status, Harvard is reallly good.
Northwestern University has an acceptance rate of around 8%. This means that it is very selective for admissions of international students. The applicants have to submit the GPA, academic records and documents that are mentioned on the official website. If their documents do not fulfill the requirements then the chances to be selected for admission are very less. The students are also suggested to apply before the deadlines so that they are given preference.
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