NorthWestern vs Fordham
Northwestern University and Fordham University, both esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. Northwestern, a private research university in Evanston, Illinois, boasts a highly selective admissions process with an acceptance rate of 9.1%. Fordham, a Jesuit university with campuses in New York City and Westchester County, New York, offers a more accessible admissions process with an acceptance rate of 48%. While Northwestern's student body is predominantly undergraduate, Fordham has a larger graduate student population. Both universities offer a diverse range of undergraduate programs, with popular majors including business, engineering, and social sciences at Northwestern and business, communications, and nursing at Fordham. Explore the detailed comparison table to discover more about these universities' acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, graduation rates, and other key differences to help you make an informed decision about your academic journey.
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![]() Fordham University |
![]() Northwestern University |
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Overview |
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Location | Bronx, New York | Evanston, Illinois |
Campus setting | City: Large | City: Small |
College type | 4 year | 4 year |
Control/business model | Private (Non Profit) | Private (Non Profit) |
Calendar system | Semester | Quarter |
Degrees offered | Undergraduate and Graduate | Undergraduate and Graduate |
Students retention rate | 88.0% | 99.0% |
![]() |
Yes | Yes |
Religious affiliation | Catholic | |
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Admission |
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Acceptance rate | 58.3% | 7.0% |
Application fees |
Undergraduate:
$70
Graduate:
$70
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Undergraduate:
$75
Graduate:
$95
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SAT range | 1300 - 1480 | 1470 - 1570 |
ACT range | 30 - 33 | 34 - 35 |
Students submitting SAT score | 26.0% | 43.0% |
Students submitting ACT score | 11.0% | 39.0% |
Total number of applicants | 46,275 | 47,636 |
Total number of admissions given out | 26,980 | 3,321 |
Admitted students who chose to enroll | 2,879 | 2,086 |
Yield rate | 10.7% | 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) | Required | Required |
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Tuition and Fees |
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Sticker price | $72,559 | $83,838 |
Average net price | $37,583 | $29,999 |
Tuition | $54,730 | $60,276 |
Room & board | $21,035 |
Room/dormitory:
$11,271
Meal plan:
$6,993
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Available payment plans |
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Financial Aid |
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Students receiving financial aid
(Grants & scholarships) |
94.0%
Average amount $34,114 |
57.0%
Average amount $51,087 |
Students receiving federal student loan |
52.0%
Average amount $5,280 |
23.0%
Average amount $4,625 |
Students taking out private loans |
6.0%
Average amount $26,677 |
2.0%
Average amount $38,595 |
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Students and Campus |
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Undergraduate students |
9,904
Men 40.8% Women 59.2% |
8,847
Men 46.1% Women 53.9% |
Graduate students |
7,082
Men 34.3% Women 65.7% |
14,562
Men 47.3% Women 52.7% |
Racial/ethnic diversity |
Moderate
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Moderate
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Out-of-state students | 60.9% | N/A |
International students | 10.2% | 17.8% |
Campus local/setting | City: Large | City: Small |
Dormitory capacity | 4,749 | 4,409 |
First year students are required to live on campus? | No | No |
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from | New York New Jersey California Mississippi Connecticut | N/A |
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Academics |
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Popular study areas |
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Students to faculty ratio | 14:1 | 6:1 |
Institutional accreditation | Middle States Commission on Higher Education | Higher Learning Commission |
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Outcome |
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Graduation rate | 83.2% | 95.2% |
Dropout rate | 6.7% | 4.2% |
Transferred out | 9.9% | N/A |
Alumni salary by major (Top 10) |
Law (First Professional Degrees)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees)
Taxation (Master's Degrees)
Finance and Financial Management Services (Master's Degrees)
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology (Doctoral Degrees)
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
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Medical Clinical Sciences/Graduate Medical Studies (Master's Degrees)
Business/Commerce, General (First Professional Degrees)
Law (First Professional Degrees)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
Business/Commerce, General (Master's Degrees)
Engineering-Related Fields (Master's Degrees)
Engineering, Other (Master's Degrees)
Medical Illustration and Informatics (Master's Degrees)
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (Master's Degrees)
Community Organization and Advocacy (Master's Degrees)
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