Acceptance Rate History
Northwestern University Acceptance Rate (2013–2024)
IL · Current rate: 7.7%
Northwestern University admits the SAT 1510–1570 range — you might be closer than you think.
This page is one school. The call weighs it against the rest of your list, from what each school published.
What is Northwestern University's acceptance rate in 2024?
Northwestern University's acceptance rate in 2024 is 7.7%, up from 7.2% in 2023.
College Scorecard 2024
How many applicants does Northwestern University admit, and what is its acceptance rate?
In its 2024 admissions cycle, Northwestern University admitted 3,806 of 49,474 applicants — an overall acceptance rate of 7.7%.
Source: College Scorecard 2024
Does Northwestern University's 2024 acceptance rate include early-round applicants?
Yes. The 7.7% rate is one whole-cycle figure covering all 49,474 applicants Northwestern University received for 2024, early and regular rounds counted together; it is not the rate of any single round.
Source: College Scorecard 2024
How has Northwestern University's acceptance rate changed recently?
Northwestern University's acceptance rate was 7.2% in 2023 and 7.7% in 2024, both reported by the same source.
Source: College Scorecard 2024
Year-by-Year Data
| Year | Acceptance Rate | Applicants | Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 7.7% | 49,474 | 3,806 |
| 2023 | 7.2% | 51,769 | 3,703 |
| 2022 | 7.2% | 51,261 | 3,695 |
| 2021 | 7.0% | 47,636 | 3,321 |
| 2020 | 9.3% | 39,263 | 3,654 |
| 2019 | 9.1% | 40,585 | 3,673 |
| 2018 | 8.5% | 40,425 | 3,422 |
| 2017 | 9.2% | 37,259 | 3,442 |
| 2016 | 10.7% | 35,100 | 3,743 |
| 2015 | 13.0% | 32,122 | 4,190 |
| 2014 | 13.1% | 33,674 | 4,416 |
| 2013 | 15.3% | 32,060 | 4,912 |
Source: IPEDS Admissions Survey (NCES) · College Scorecard
Cost
The same school, two different prices
Family income under $30k: $1,764/yr · Family income over $110k: $48,777/yr (AY 2023–24)
Average paid by students receiving federal aid, by family income (College Scorecard). International students are not eligible for U.S. federal aid, so they are not in this cohort and typically pay closer to the sticker price.
High-income families typically pay closer to sticker.
Aid for international students
Northwestern University awarded institutional aid to 314 international undergraduates, averaging $74,103 (2024-2025 Common Data Set).
These figures describe only the international students who actually received aid — not what a typical international admit can expect. International students outside this group pay the full sticker price.
Source: official Common Data Set filing
Admitted Student Profile
SAT Range · Middle 50% (25th–75th)
1510–1570
College Scorecard 2024
Admitted students at Northwestern University scored between 1510 and 1570 on the SAT (middle 50%).
Source: College Scorecard · U.S. Dept of Education
What this school weighs — Northwestern University
Course rigor and GPA are not in this table. Nearly every school rates both at the top, so they tell you nothing about this one. These six are where schools differ.
| Class rank | Very important |
|---|---|
| Standardized test scores | Considered |
| Application essay | Very important |
| Recommendations | Very important |
| Extracurricular activities | Very important |
| Character / personal qualities | Very important |
How to read these numbers
- The 2024 rate covers Northwestern University's whole applicant pool — early and regular applications counted together in one figure. It is not the rate of any single round.
- 1510–1570 is the middle half of admitted scores, not a cutoff: a quarter of admitted students scored below 1510, and a quarter scored above 1570.
- The table above holds 12 reported years, 2013 through 2024. Across them Northwestern University's rate ranged from 7.0% to 15.3%, so any single year is one point inside that range.
Each figure above describes a class a school already admitted in a completed cycle. It is a record of who was admitted, not a measurement of any one application.
Source: College Scorecard · IPEDS Admissions Survey (NCES) · U.S. Dept. of Education
Where do you stand?
School
Northwestern University
Northwestern University
SAT
Middle 50% of admitted students scored 1510–1570.
This is SAT only. Your free full score also weighs your GPA, activities, and awards.
Enter your SAT above to see where you stand. Or get your free full score →
Trend Analysis
Northwestern University's acceptance rate has decreased from 15.3% in 2013 to 7.7% in 2024, reflecting increased selectivity. The most notable shift occurred in 2016.
Analysis compiled from official data trends.
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Data sourced from IPEDS and College Scorecard. Does not represent endorsements or guarantee admission outcomes.