William & Mary (W&M) vs NorthWestern

William & Mary and Northwestern University, two prestigious institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. William & Mary, nestled in historic Williamsburg, Virginia, boasts a strong liberal arts foundation and a vibrant campus community. Northwestern University, located in vibrant Evanston, Illinois, is renowned for its research prowess and diverse academic offerings. While both universities share a commitment to academic excellence, they differ in acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates. Explore our comprehensive comparison table to discover which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
William & Mary logo

William & Mary

Northwestern University logo

Northwestern University

Overview

Location Williamsburg, Virginia Evanston, Illinois
Campus setting Suburb: Small City: Small
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Public Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Semester Quarter
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 93.0% 99.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 36.5% 7.0%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $75

Graduate: $50
Undergraduate: $75

Graduate: $95
SAT range 1360 - 1520 1470 - 1570
ACT range 31 - 34 34 - 35
Students submitting SAT score 51.0% 43.0%
Students submitting ACT score 19.0% 39.0%
Total number of applicants 17,475 47,636
Total number of admissions given out 6,386 3,321
Admitted students who chose to enroll 1,684 2,086
Yield rate 26.4% 62.8%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Not required
Recommendation letters Required Required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Not required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $40,624

Out of state: $63,850
$83,838
Average net price $18,399 $29,999
Tuition
In state: $17,434

Out of state: $40,089
$60,276
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $8,490

Meal plan: $5,246
Room/dormitory: $11,271

Meal plan: $6,993
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

44.0%
Average amount $21,700
57.0%
Average amount $51,087
Students receiving federal student loan 22.0%
Average amount $5,132
23.0%
Average amount $4,625
Students taking out private loans 4.0%
Average amount $27,548
2.0%
Average amount $38,595

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 6,543
Men 41.6% Women 58.4%
8,847
Men 46.1% Women 53.9%
Graduate students 2,974
Men 42.7% Women 57.3%
14,562
Men 47.3% Women 52.7%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Moderate
Out-of-state students 35.2% N/A
International students 6.2% 17.8%
Campus local/setting Suburb: Small City: Small
Dormitory capacity 4,755 4,409
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from Virginia New Jersey Maryland Pennsylvania New York N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Business
  • Legal Profession
  • Education
  • Social Sciences
  • Multidisciplinary Studies
  • Business
  • Communication and Journalism
  • Engineering
  • Health Professions
  • Legal Profession
Students to faculty ratio 12:1 6:1
Institutional accreditation Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 91.0% 95.2%
Dropout rate 2.1% 4.2%
Transferred out 6.3% N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $71,208
  • Year 2: $71,202
  • Year 3: $87,886
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $64,972
  • Year 2: $66,087
  • Year 3: $81,526
Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $85,399
  • Year 2: $82,440
  • Year 3: $80,518
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $73,897
  • Year 2: $68,499
  • Year 3: $80,071
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $66,977
  • Year 2: $65,610
  • Year 3: $69,021
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $54,979
  • Year 2: $53,108
  • Year 3: $57,485
Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $43,630
  • Year 2: $44,117
  • Year 3: $51,824
Public Policy Analysis (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $37,566
  • Year 2: $39,153
  • Year 3: $50,454
Area Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $34,517
  • Year 2: $29,685
  • Year 3: $48,118
History (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $26,414
  • Year 2: $29,685
  • Year 3: $47,651
Medical Clinical Sciences/Graduate Medical Studies (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $150,242
  • Year 2: $188,472
  • Year 3: $221,242
Business/Commerce, General (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $188,472
  • Year 3: $216,176
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $187,194
  • Year 2: $170,971
  • Year 3: $206,288
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $120,709
  • Year 2: $189,565
  • Year 3: $194,961
Business/Commerce, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $162,478
  • Year 2: $163,561
  • Year 3: $177,652
Engineering-Related Fields (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $111,200
  • Year 2: $157,779
  • Year 3: $159,304
Engineering, Other (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $140,321
  • Year 2: $141,586
  • Year 3: $154,556
Medical Illustration and Informatics (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $88,288
  • Year 2: $118,465
  • Year 3: $132,325
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $118,780
  • Year 2: $111,323
  • Year 3: $130,124
Community Organization and Advocacy (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $115,760
  • Year 2: $113,668
  • Year 3: $128,046

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