UChicago vs Northwestern

If you’re looking for a top Illinois university, two obvious contenders spring to mind. The University of Chicago (UChicago) and Northwestern University are the two highest-ranked universities in Illinois and are both consistently ranking in the global top 50 of the QS World University Rankings®. On a national scale, both are currently in the top 15 universities in the US.

Of course, there’s more to consider when choosing a university than just how well it’s performed in this year’s world rankings. The matter of UChicago vs Northwestern won’t be settled that easily, so let’s take a closer look at how these two universities compare.

*Based on the broad subject areas in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2017.

QS World University Rankings® 2018

UChicago is ranked 19 places above Northwestern in the latest QS World University Rankings®, ninth in the world (up one place from last year) while Northwestern is joint 28^th (down two places from last year).  Despite this fall, it’s worth pointing out both universities are among the best in the world and are ranked in the global top 300 for each indicator used to compile the rankings.

 UChicago achieves its highest ranking for its reputation among academics (13^th in the world), while Northwestern’s best ranking is for its faculty/student ratio (37^th) in which it beats UChicago, which is ranked 52^nd for this indicator.

Looking at the level of research impact for each university (which is measured by citations per faculty member), UChicago is ranked within the global top 50 for its research impact, while Northwestern also achieves a top-100 score (86^th).

Finally, considering the levels of international diversity on campus, both universities receive their weakest scores here, with UChicago ranked the highest, both for its percentage of international students (in the top 150) and international faculty members (218^th).

Subject strengths

If you’re still undecided in the battle of UChicago vs Northwestern, the QS World University Rankings by Subject allow us to get an idea of the strengths of each university in 46 different subjects. Of the five broad subject areas covered in the ranking, both UChicago and Northwestern achieve their highest position for social sciences & management (UChicago is in the lead at 16^th in the world). UChicago is ranked higher than Northwestern for every broad subject area except engineering & technology, suggesting any budding engineers or computer scientists should seriously consider studying at Northwestern.

The table below shows how UChicago and Northwestern directly compare for all of the 46 subjects covered in the ranking.

Location

Another factor to consider in the UChicago vs Northwestern debate is their respective locations. Both have campuses in Chicago, the third-biggest city in the US, which was ranked 46^th in the latest QS Best Student Cities index.

If scenic, ivy-clad buildings sound like ideal surroundings when you study in the US, UChicago has you covered. Its 217-acre campus is in the city’s Hyde Park neighborhood, near to Lake Michigan, and combines traditional English gothic buildings with award-winning modern architecture. Aside from its main campus, UChicago’s Booth School of Business also runs satellite campuses in Singapore and London, as well as the Streeterville neighborhood in downtown Chicago, which is also where Northwestern’s Chicago campus is located, close to attractions such as the Museum of Contemporary Art and John Hancock Center.

Northwestern’s Evanston campus is 240 acres and is where the undergraduate schools, the Graduate School, and the Kellogg School of Management are based. The campus sits on Lake Michigan, meaning it has its own beaches. The Evanston campus university also features one of the biggest university libraries in a private university, with 4.6 million volumes. Evanston itself is located about 12 miles north of Chicago and is home to approximately 74,895 people, so it may be better suited to those who aren’t keen on big city life.

Tuition fees

Undergraduate tuition fees at UChicago and Northwestern are the same for all students (there is no separate tuition fee for out-of-state or international students).

At UChicago, undergraduate tuition fees are set at US$53,292, plus the Student Life Fee of $1,533 at the University of Chicago. The university recommends students budget a total of $75,735 per year to live on campus, a total which includes tuition, other fees, room and board, books and other personal expenses. Graduate tuition fees vary, but to give you an idea, a Master of Laws (LLM) degree costs $61,626 per year as of 2017/18, while a Masters in Computer Science costs up to $69,624 depending on how many courses you take. PhD fees also vary, with a PhD in molecular engineering costing $53,241 per year.

At Northwestern, similar fees are charged at undergraduate level: $52,239 per year, plus other fees totalling $439. Northwestern estimates that students will need a total of $72,980 for all their costs including health insurance, room and board, personal expenses and books and supplies. Again, graduate tuition fees vary, with a Master of Laws (LLM) degree costing $64,642 per year, while a Masters in Information Technology costs $49,155. A PhD at the university’s graduate school costs $52,239 per year.

Financial support

With such high tuition fees to study in the US at either university, you’ll be pleased to know that financial aid is available. UChicago pledges to meet the demonstrated need of 100% of admitted undergraduates, and the average aid applicant receives $45,500 in scholarships every year. First year international students are eligible for both need and merit-based financial aid, with a “need-sensitive” process, meaning that the university takes it into account whether an international student has requested financial aid or not.

If you think you may need financial aid at any point during your time at the university, you must apply for financial aid at the same time when you submit your application. The university’s net price calculator allows you to estimate the cost of your education and find out what financial aid you may be eligible for. First-year students are automatically considered for merit-based scholarships, which don’t consider your financial situation.

Northwestern University also offers financial aid to students on the basis of demonstrated need, and pledges to meet all applicants’ requirements. It awarded $144 million in scholarships to undergraduate students in 2016-17, with 45% of undergraduates receiving a Northwestern University Scholarship. The university’s net price calculator can be found here. A small group of first-year international students receive need-based aid every year, and again you must state it on your application form if you require aid. Need and non-need based loans are available, and US students from low-income families are also eligible to apply for federal & state grants.

You can browse a range of scholarships to study in the US here.

Which would you choose in the debate between UChicago vs Northwestern? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and get ready to study in the US with our complete guide.