Top 2021 Rankings For Northwestern University
A more complete picture of where Northwestern University is the "best of the best" can be found on our 2021 Badges Awarded page.
All 2021 Rankings For Northwestern University
Learn more about our methodologies that drive these rankings.
Top Quality Overall
better worse | |
| Nationwide | 12 of 1714 |
| Great Lakes | 1 of 263 |
| Illinois | 1 of 60 |
Best Colleges For The Money (all undergraduates)
better worse | |
| Nationwide | 694 of 1472 |
| Great Lakes | |
| Illinois | 24 of 52 |
Best Colleges For The Money (undergraduates getting aid)
better worse | |
| Nationwide | 396 of 1472 |
| Great Lakes | 83 of 226 |
| Illinois | 19 of 52 |
Best Colleges For The Money (undergraduates getting no aid)
better worse | |
| Nationwide | |
| Great Lakes | |
| Illinois | 19 of 52 |
Diversity
better worse | |
| Overall | 19 of 3519 |
| Ethnic | 473 of 3790 |
| Male / Female | 167 of 3787 |
| Location | 82 of 3519 |
Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 79 of 581 |
| Most Focused | 160 of 581 |
Area Studies
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 136 of 363 |
| Most Focused |
Ethnic Studies
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 56 of 466 |
| Most Focused | 118 of 466 |
Biological & Biomedical Sciences
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 74 of 651 |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 143 of 1721 |
| Most Focused | 489 of 1720 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 171 of 675 |
General Biology
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 34 of 630 |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 223 of 1639 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads | 164 of 649 |
Neurobiology & Neurosciences
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 22 of 222 |
| Most Focused | 28 of 222 |
Business, Management & Marketing
better worse | |
| Most Popular | |
| Most Focused |
Human Resource Management
better worse | |
| Most Popular | |
| Most Focused |
Communication & Journalism
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 3 of 588 |
| Best Value | 276 of 567 |
| Most Popular | 65 of 1501 |
| Most Focused | 40 of 1504 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 73 of 657 |
Communication & Media Studies
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 7 of 504 |
| Best Value | 235 of 490 |
| Most Popular | 179 of 1242 |
| Most Focused | 479 of 1242 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 14 of 536 |
Journalism
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 1 of 143 |
| Best Value | 58 of 140 |
| Most Popular | 12 of 426 |
| Most Focused | 9 of 425 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 3 of 148 |
Radio, Television & Digital Communication
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 37 of 383 |
| Most Focused | 56 of 383 |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Computer & Information Sciences
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 48 of 512 |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 201 of 2316 |
| Most Focused | 664 of 2316 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 25 of 620 |
Computer Information Systems
better worse | |
| Most Popular | |
| Most Focused |
Computer Science
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 39 of 209 |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 104 of 778 |
| Most Focused | 246 of 778 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 22 of 217 |
Information Science
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 38 of 295 |
| Most Focused | 109 of 295 |
Education
better worse | |
| Most Popular | |
| Most Focused |
Educational Assessment
better worse | |
| Most Popular | |
| Most Focused |
Teacher Education Grade Specific
better worse | |
| Most Popular | |
| Most Focused |
Teacher Education Subject Specific
better worse | |
| Most Popular | |
| Most Focused |
Engineering
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 45 of 323 |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 112 of 998 |
| Most Focused | 135 of 998 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 24 of 343 |
Biomedical Engineering
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 46 of 165 |
| Most Focused | 40 of 165 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 14 of 62 |
Chemical Engineering
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 21 of 132 |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads | 8 of 134 |
Civil Engineering
better worse | |
| Most Popular | |
| Most Focused |
Computer Engineering
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 22 of 102 |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads | 12 of 108 |
Electrical Engineering
better worse | |
| Most Popular | |
| Most Focused |
Environmental Engineering
better worse | |
| Most Popular | |
| Most Focused |
General Engineering
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 214 of 449 |
| Most Focused |
Industrial Engineering
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 5 of 56 |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 17 of 116 |
| Most Focused | 15 of 116 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 1 of 58 |
Manufacturing Engineering
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 5 of 31 |
| Most Focused | 8 of 31 |
Materials Engineering
better worse | |
| Most Popular | |
| Most Focused | 20 of 57 |
Mechanical Engineering
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 36 of 274 |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 173 of 374 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads | 62 of 278 |
English Language & Literature
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 35 of 430 |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 184 of 1549 |
| Most Focused | 557 of 1549 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 63 of 509 |
General English Literature
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 23 of 440 |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 157 of 1432 |
| Most Focused | 401 of 1432 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 54 of 467 |
Foreign Languages & Linguistics
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 150 of 1114 |
| Most Focused | 323 of 1114 |
Classical Languages & Literature
better worse | |
| Most Popular | |
| Most Focused |
East Asian Languages
better worse | |
| Most Popular | |
| Most Focused |
Germanic Languages
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 67 of 267 |
| Most Focused | 118 of 267 |
Linguistics & Comparative Literature
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 162 of 348 |
| Most Focused |
Romance Languages
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 181 of 877 |
| Most Focused | 393 of 877 |
Slavic, Baltic & Albanian Languages
better worse | |
| Most Popular | |
| Most Focused |
Health Professions
better worse | |
| Most Popular | |
| Most Focused |
Communication Sciences
better worse | |
| Most Popular | |
| Most Focused |
Public Health
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 139 of 396 |
| Most Focused |
History
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 14 of 309 |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 135 of 1403 |
| Most Focused | 427 of 1404 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 25 of 331 |
History
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 14 of 313 |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 135 of 1403 |
| Most Focused | 427 of 1404 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 25 of 331 |
Legal Professions
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 103 of 668 |
| Most Focused |
Non-Professional General Legal Studies
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 31 of 147 |
| Most Focused | 70 of 147 |
Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities
better worse | |
| Most Popular | |
| Most Focused |
Liberal Arts General Studies
better worse | |
| Most Popular | |
| Most Focused |
Mathematics & Statistics
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 10 of 191 |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 34 of 1441 |
| Most Focused | 49 of 1437 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 11 of 201 |
Applied Mathematics
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 17 of 198 |
| Most Focused | 25 of 198 |
Mathematics
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 13 of 176 |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 119 of 1382 |
| Most Focused | 308 of 1382 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 6 of 181 |
Statistics
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 26 of 151 |
| Most Focused | 23 of 151 |
Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 581 of 1403 |
| Most Focused |
Biological & Physical Science
better worse | |
| Most Popular | |
| Most Focused |
Science, Technology & Society
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 17 of 40 |
| Most Focused |
Natural Resources & Conservation
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 323 of 940 |
| Most Focused |
Natural Resources Conservation
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 264 of 834 |
| Most Focused |
Philosophy & Religious Studies
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 134 of 1011 |
| Most Focused | 416 of 1011 |
Philosophy
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 128 of 803 |
| Most Focused | 301 of 803 |
Religious Studies
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 224 of 541 |
| Most Focused |
Physical Sciences
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 288 of 1382 |
| Most Focused | 669 of 1382 |
Chemistry
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 292 of 1229 |
| Most Focused |
Geological & Earth Sciences
better worse | |
| Most Popular | |
| Most Focused |
Materials Sciences
better worse | |
| Most Popular | |
| Most Focused |
Physics
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 138 of 819 |
| Most Focused | 351 of 819 |
Psychology
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 4 of 784 |
| Best Value | 364 of 748 |
| Most Popular | 175 of 1699 |
| Most Focused | 625 of 1699 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 37 of 881 |
Child Development & Psychology
better worse | |
| Most Popular | |
| Most Focused |
General Psychology
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 6 of 779 |
| Best Value | 365 of 744 |
| Most Popular | 214 of 1563 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads | 25 of 814 |
Psychology (Other)
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 7 of 36 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Public Administration & Social Service
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 8 of 340 |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 82 of 1128 |
| Most Focused | 382 of 1128 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 7 of 374 |
Community Organization & Advocacy
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 8 of 58 |
| Most Focused | 20 of 58 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 1 of 10 |
Public Policy
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 21 of 79 |
| Most Focused | 32 of 79 |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Social Sciences
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 9 of 559 |
| Best Value | 251 of 539 |
| Most Popular | 63 of 1548 |
| Most Focused | 97 of 1547 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 15 of 593 |
Anthropology
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 174 of 542 |
| Most Focused | 255 of 542 |
Economics
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 7 of 276 |
| Best Value | 114 of 273 |
| Most Popular | 22 of 818 |
| Most Focused | 18 of 818 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 17 of 280 |
Geography & Cartography
better worse | |
| Most Popular | |
| Most Focused |
International Relations & National Security
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 41 of 338 |
| Most Focused | 91 of 338 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 7 of 90 |
Political Science & Government
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 10 of 368 |
| Best Value | 165 of 358 |
| Most Popular | 81 of 1220 |
| Most Focused | 142 of 1220 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 17 of 376 |
Sociology
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 367 of 1100 |
| Most Focused |
Visual & Performing Arts
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 44 of 510 |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 100 of 2020 |
| Most Focused | 300 of 2022 |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Dance
better worse | |
| Most Popular | |
| Most Focused |
Drama & Theater Arts
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 20 of 173 |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 14 of 966 |
| Most Focused | 61 of 968 |
| Highest Paid Grads | 78 of 179 |
Fine & Studio Arts
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 478 of 1368 |
| Most Focused |
Music
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 11 of 143 |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 13 of 1238 |
| Most Focused | 99 of 1238 |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Veterans
better worse | |
| Overall |
Biological & Biomedical Sciences
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 318 of 648 |
General Biology
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Communication & Journalism
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 21 of 582 |
Communication & Media Studies
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 73 of 499 |
Journalism
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 12 of 143 |
Computer & Information Sciences
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 181 of 525 |
Computer Science
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Engineering
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 80 of 322 |
Chemical Engineering
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 60 of 133 |
Computer Engineering
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Industrial Engineering
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Mechanical Engineering
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
English Language & Literature
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 186 of 423 |
General English Literature
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 152 of 432 |
Mathematics & Statistics
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 24 of 190 |
Mathematics
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 53 of 174 |
Psychology
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 95 of 779 |
General Psychology
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 172 of 775 |
Public Administration & Social Service
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 79 of 342 |
Social Sciences
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 26 of 552 |
Economics
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 13 of 275 |
Political Science & Government
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 30 of 362 |
Visual & Performing Arts
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 152 of 508 |
Drama & Theater Arts
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Music
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 69 of 143 |
Northwestern University has no rankings in this category.
International Quality
International Value
