EVANSTON, IL · PRIVATE NONPROFIT
Northwestern University reported a $29,167 average net price, a completion rate of 95.5%, $109,275 median earnings four years after completion, and $15,000 median federal debt among completers in the June 2026 College Scorecard release.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College ScorecardPage compiled September 16, 2026Download source data ↗
01 · Earnings after completion
Northwestern University’s median earnings were $109,275 four years after completion and $95,985 five years after completion, based on 2,653 and 1,779 working graduates, respectively.
The red marker shows the federal earnings threshold where available. Earnings cover graduates who were working and not enrolled; they do not include every former student.
02 · Cost after grant aid
Northwestern University reported a $29,167 average net price. Published lower-income figures were $1,764 for households below $30,001 and $6,099 for households from $30,001 to $48,000.
| Federal income band | Average net price |
|---|---|
| $0–30,000 | $1,764 |
| $30,001–48,000 | $6,099 |
| $48,001–75,000 | $7,898 |
| $75,001–110,000 | $18,282 |
| $110,001+ | $48,777 |
Average net price is cost of attendance minus average grant and scholarship aid for the defined cohort. Your actual price depends on the institution’s aid offer.
03 · Student progress and aid
Northwestern University reported a completion rate of 95.5%, a retention rate of 97.8%, a Pell-recipient share of 18.6%, and a federal-loan share of 17.1%.
These percentages have different denominators. Completion and retention describe first-time student cohorts; Pell and federal-loan shares describe undergraduate aid receipt.
04 · Federal student debt
Median federal debt among Northwestern University completers was $15,000 across 1,283 reported borrowers. The figure is cumulative debt, not annual cost or a monthly payment.
$15,000
Borrower repayment progress after four years: 58.0% across a reported cohort of 1,599 undergraduate completers.
05 · Field-of-study evidence
4 Northwestern University programs met this site’s evidence threshold, including Economics, Journalism, and Psychology, General.
A program page requires at least 75 working graduates plus published four-year earnings and median debt. This is our evidence threshold, not a federal rating.
06 · Nearby comparison set
This report lists 6 other private nonprofit institutions in Illinois that match Northwestern University on state and control type; the set is not ranked.
Answers at a glance
The Northwestern University FAQ reports $29,167 average net price, $109,275 four-year median earnings, and $15,000 median federal debt.
The reported average net price was $29,167 for the applicable Title IV student cohort. It is a cohort average, not an individual aid offer.
Northwestern University’s median earnings were $109,275 four years after completion and $95,985 five years after completion, based on 2,653 and 1,779 working graduates, respectively.
Median federal debt among Northwestern University completers was $15,000 across 1,283 reported borrowers. The figure is cumulative debt, not annual cost or a monthly payment.
