The student-faculty ratio at Northwestern University is 6:1, and the school has 78.3 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students. The most popular majors at Northwestern University include: Econometrics and Quantitative Economics; Psychology, General; Biology/Biological Sciences, General; Journalism; and Political Science and Government, General. The average freshman retention rate, an indicator of student satisfaction, is 98 percent.
Faculty & classes
Faculty
Total faculty
1,529 full time
243 part time
Minority
19% full time
16% part time
Full-time faculty with Ph.D or terminal degree
100%
Classes taught by graduate assistants
-
Full-time faculty gender distribution
Part-time faculty gender distribution
Class Size
Class sizes
Classes with fewer than 20 students78.3%
20-4916.4%
50 or more5.3%
Requirements
General education/core curriculum required
Yes
Coursework required for graduation
Arts/fine arts
Humanities
Mathematics
English (including composition)
Foreign languages
Sciences (biological or physical)
Social science
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Graduation & retention
Freshmen Retention
Average first-year student retention rate
98%
International Student Retention
International student retention rate
98%
Graduation Rates
6-year graduation rate of students who received a Pell grant
94%
6-year graduation rate of students who received a subsidized Stafford loan
96%
6-year graduation rate of students who did not receive a Pell grant or subsidized Stafford loan
94%
6-year graduation rate of international students
90%
Degrees Awarded (July 1, 2017 - June 30, 2018)
Post-bachelor's certificates
90
Post-master's certificates
48
Doctoral degrees - research/scholarship
443
Doctoral degrees - professional practice
528
Doctoral degrees - other
-
2017-2018 Graduates Employed Full-time
Employed as entrepreneur
-
Employed in temporary/contract work
-
Postgraduate internship/fellowship
-
Graduates reporting salaries
-
Graduates reporting bonuses
-
2017-2018 Graduates Employed Part-time
Employed as entrepreneur
-
Employed in temporary/contract work
-
Postgraduate internship/fellowship
-
Graduates reporting salaries
-
Graduates reporting bonuses
-
2017-2018 Graduates Other
Enrolled in a volunteer service program
-
Enlisted in the military
-
Enrolled in continuing education
-
Attended a graduate education program
-
Attended a graduate engineering program
-
Attended a graduate nursing program
-
Graduate schools most often attended by recent graduates
Columbia University
Georgetown University
Harvard University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Northwestern University
University of Chicago
Seeking continuing education
-
No information provided by graduate
-
Prominent Alumni
School's most prominent alumni
Gwynne Shotwell, President and COO, SpaceX, MIchael Wilbon, Commentator and Analyst, ESPN, Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, humanitarian
Majors
General Information
Declare major deadline
end of second year
Credits apply to multiple majors
sometimes
Five Most Popular Majors
Five most popular majors for 2018 graduates
Econometrics and Quantitative Economics 15%
Psychology, General 6%
Biology/Biological Sciences, General 6%
Journalism 6%
Political Science and Government, General 5%
Alumni Starting Salaries by Major
Area, Ethnic, Cultural, Gender, and Group Studies
Biological and Biomedical Sciences
Biology$60,800
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology.$49,300
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services
Business Administration, Management and Operations$73,300
Marketing$59,500
Human Resources Management and Services$57,200
Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs
Communication and Media Studies$56,000
Journalism$50,400
Engineering
Computer Engineering (CE)$88,800
Electrical Engineering (EE)$80,400
Biomedical Engineering$77,000
Chemical Engineering$76,200
Mechanical Engineering (ME)$72,000
English Language and Literature/Letters
English Language and Literature$55,900
Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
Mathematics and Statistics
Mathematics$73,500
Mathematics & Statistics$69,800
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
Global & International Studies$49,300
Social Sciences
Economics$66,300
Political Science and Government$52,700
Sociology$49,800
Anthropology$47,000
Visual and Performing Arts
Music$57,600
Drama and Theater Arts$48,200
Majors Offered at This School
Area, Ethnic, Cultural, Gender, and Group Studies
African-American/Black Studies
American/United States Studies/Civilization
Asian Studies/Civilization
European Studies/Civilization
Hispanic-American, Puerto Rican, and Mexican-American/Chicano Studies
Near and Middle Eastern Studies
Women's Studies
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Biological and Biomedical Sciences
Biology/Biological Sciences, General
Neuroscience
Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs
Journalism
Radio and Television
Speech Communication and Rhetoric
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services
Computer Science
Information Science/Studies
Education
Learning Sciences
Music Teacher Education
Secondary Education and Teaching
Engineering
Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering
Chemical Engineering
Civil Engineering, General
Computer Engineering, General
Electrical and Electronics Engineering
English Language and Literature/Letters
English Language and Literature, General
Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
Comparative Literature
East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Other
French Language and Literature
Health Professions and Related Programs
Communication Sciences and Disorders, General
Pre-Medicine/Pre-Medical Studies
Legal Professions and Studies
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies
Mathematics and Statistics
Applied Mathematics, General
Mathematics, General
Statistics, General
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
Biological and Physical Sciences
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
Natural Resources and Conservation
Philosophy and Religious Studies
Jewish/Judaic Studies
Philosophy
Religion/Religious Studies
Physical Sciences
Chemistry, General
Geology/Earth Science, General
Materials Science
Physics, General
Psychology
Cognitive Psychology and Psycholinguistics
Psychology, General
Psychology, Other
Public Administration and Social Service Professions
Community Organization and Advocacy
Public Policy Analysis, General
Social Sciences
Anthropology
Economics, General
International Relations and Affairs
Political Science and Government, General
Social Sciences, General
Sociology
Visual and Performing Arts
Art History, Criticism and Conservation
Art/Art Studies, General
Conducting
Dance, General
Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General
Minors
Legal Professions and Studies
Legal Professions and Studies
Psychology
Cognitive Psychology and Psycholinguistics
Psychology, General
Natural Resources and Conservation
Social Sciences
Anthropology
Economics, General
Geography
International Relations and Affairs
Political Science and Government, General
Social Sciences, Other
Sociology
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English Language and Literature/Letters
English Language and Literature, General
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services
Business/Commerce, General
Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial Studies
Transportation/Mobility Management
Mathematics and Statistics
Computational and Applied Mathematics
Mathematics, General
Statistics, General
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
Classical, Ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern Studies and Archaeology
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
Science, Technology and Society
Area, Ethnic, Cultural, Gender, and Group Studies
African Studies
African-American/Black Studies
American/United States Studies/Civilization
Area Studies, Other
Asian Studies/Civilization
Biological and Biomedical Sciences
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Biology/Biological Sciences, General
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
Ancient/Classical Greek Language and Literature
Chinese Language and Literature
Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
Comparative Literature
East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
Visual and Performing Arts
Art History, Criticism and Conservation
Art/Art Studies, General
Dance, General
Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General
Music Theory and Composition
Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs
Communication and Media Studies, Other
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication, Other
Philosophy and Religious Studies
Jewish/Judaic Studies
Philosophy
Philosophy and Religious Studies, Other
Religion/Religious Studies
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services
Computer Science
Information Science/Studies
Health Professions and Related Programs
Communication Sciences and Disorders, General
International Public Health/International Health
Communications Technologies/Technicians and Support Services
Recording Arts Technology/Technician
Engineering Technologies and Engineering-Related Fields
Engineering/Industrial Management
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
Humanities/Humanistic Studies
Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies
Engineering
Engineering, General
Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering
Physical Sciences
Chemistry, General
Geology/Earth Science, General
Materials Science
Physics, General
Academic programs
Academic Programs
Degrees offered
Certificate, Bachelor's, Master's, Post-master's certificate, Doctorate - professional practice, Doctorate - research/scholarship
Combined-degree programs
BS/BAMus in Communication and Music
BA/BMus in Liberal Arts and Music
BA/BMus
BS/BMus
BA/BS or BS/BS in Communication and Engineering
Student participation in special study options
Teacher certificate program
Study abroad
Student-designed major
Liberal arts/career combination
Internships
Student participation in special academic programs
Learning communities
Undergraduate research/creative projects
Writing in the disciplines
Senior capstone or culminating academic experience
First-year experiences
Qualified undergraduate students may take graduate-level classes
Yes
Pre-professional programs
Pre-law, pre-medicine
Cooperative education programs
Engineering
Teacher certification is offered in
Secondary
Subject areas offering education certification
14
Counseling services offered
academic
birth control
career
minority student
personal
psychological
religious
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Honors college 2018 enrollment
-
Honors program 2018 enrollment
-
Online bachelor's degree program offered
-
Percentage of bachelor's degree programs that are available online
-
Individual online courses offered for bachelor's degree credit
-
Domestic Study Away
Semester/term-away programs
Washington Semester (American University)
Student exchange programs offered with
-
Percent of 2018 graduates participating in domestic student exchange programs
-
Study Abroad
Countries where study abroad opportunities are available
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Belgium
Bolivia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Brazil
Chile
China
Costa Rica
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2018 graduates participating in study abroad programs
-
Consortia
Consortia
Big Ten Academic Alliance
National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU)
Association of American Universities (AAU)
American Council on Education (ACE)
Consortium on Financing Higher Education (COFHE)
Veterans
Institution is G.I. Bill certified
Yes
Institution participates in Yellow Ribbon Program
Yes
