Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) vs NorthWestern

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) and Northwestern University (NU) stand out as two esteemed institutions of higher learning, each offering a unique educational experience. WPI, a private research university in Worcester, Massachusetts, is renowned for its project-based learning approach, while NU, a private research university in Evanston, Illinois, is known for its strong academic programs and vibrant campus life. With acceptance rates of 48% and 9%, respectively, both universities attract a diverse student body, with NU boasting a slightly larger undergraduate population. While WPI excels in engineering and technology fields, NU offers a wider range of majors, including popular choices like economics, psychology, and communication. Both universities boast impressive graduation rates, with WPI's at 88% and NU's at 91%, ensuring that students are well-prepared for successful careers. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to delve deeper into the distinctions between these two exceptional universities and discover which one aligns best with your academic

	Northwestern University	Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Overview
Location	Evanston, Illinois	Worcester, Massachusetts
Campus setting	City: Small	City: Midsize
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (Non Profit)	Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system	Quarter	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	99.0%	94.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	7.0%	60.2%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $75 Graduate: $95	$70
SAT range	1470 - 1570	N/A
ACT range	34 - 35	N/A
Students submitting SAT score	43.0%
Students submitting ACT score	39.0%
Total number of applicants	47,636	11,092
Total number of admissions given out	3,321	6,679
Admitted students who chose to enroll	2,086	1,410
Yield rate	62.8%	21.1%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Not required	Not required
Recommendation letters	Required	Required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$83,838	$74,271
Average net price	$29,999	$48,230
Tuition	$60,276	$54,640
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $11,271 Meal plan: $6,993	Room/dormitory: $9,250 Meal plan: $7,030
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Prepaid tuition plan Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	57.0% Average amount $51,087	98.0% Average amount $23,821
Students receiving federal student loan	23.0% Average amount $4,625	51.0% Average amount $5,212
Students taking out private loans	2.0% Average amount $38,595	39.0% Average amount $13,871

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	8,847 Men 46.1% Women 53.9%	5,224 Men 60.3% Women 39.7%
Graduate students	14,562 Men 47.3% Women 52.7%	2,006 Men 68.8% Women 31.2%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Moderate	Low
Out-of-state students	N/A	N/A
International students	17.8%	13.4%
Campus local/setting	City: Small	City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity	4,409	2,508
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	N/A	Connecticut New York New Hampshire New Jersey Rhode Island

Academics
Popular study areas	Business Communication and Journalism Engineering Health Professions Legal Profession	Engineering Computer and Information Science Multidisciplinary Studies Business Mathematics and Statistics
Students to faculty ratio	6:1	14:1
Institutional accreditation	Higher Learning Commission	New England Commission on Higher Education

Outcome
Graduation rate	95.2%	87.2%
Dropout rate	4.2%	12.2%
Transferred out	N/A	N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	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	Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $111,634 Year 2: $119,061 Year 3: $127,598 Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $97,509 Year 2: $96,405 Year 3: $113,831 Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $86,601 Year 2: $95,207 Year 3: $109,222 Systems Engineering (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $100,114 Year 2: $97,959 Year 3: $101,375 Mechanical Engineering (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $86,644 Year 2: $79,598 Year 3: $91,716 Engineering, Other (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $82,311 Year 2: $78,814 Year 3: $91,318 Engineering, Other (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $79,688 Year 3: $91,034 Industrial Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $72,720 Year 2: $76,460 Year 3: $82,909 Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $63,868 Year 2: $69,338 Year 3: $81,510 Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $74,310 Year 2: $72,507 Year 3: $80,789

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