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Northwestern University Ranking Badges

Northwestern earned 218 ranking badges in the 2027 College Factual rankings: 66 in the top 1%, 90 in the top 5%, 44 in the top 10% and 18 in the top 15% of the schools in each ranking. Its highest placement is #1 of 596 in Football, a top 1% award.

Key facts

• Badges earned: 218 (2027 edition)
• In the top 1% / top 5%: 66 / 90
• Highest placement: #1 of 596, a top 1% award
• Fields of study with a badge: 26
• Placements this edition: 507
• Badge cutoff: a top 15% placement in a ranking

Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.

How Many Ranking Badges Has Northwestern University Earned?

Northwestern University holds 218 ranking badges across 26 fields of study, 156 of them in the top 5% or better; each badge is an award for placing in the top 15% of a ranking. Rankings on this page are updated as new federal data is released. Placements shown are from the 2027 edition. A check mark sits in the highest award tier the school reached. Learn more about our data sources and methodologies. If you are an administrator interested in using our badge program to showcase your college’s strengths, please contact us.

Count by Award Level

Award Level	Badges
Top 1%	66
Top 5%	90
Top 10%	44
Top 15%	18
Total	218

What Is Northwestern University Known For?

Northwestern University is best known for Engineering: 17 of its 183 traditional-student awards are in that field. Its top-ranked majors include Radio, TV & Digital Communication, Engineering-Related Fields and Industrial Engineering. Its highest traditional-student placement is #1 of 559 in Most Popular for Radio, TV & Digital Communication.

College Overall

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Overall Best				✓
Overall Best (Great Lakes)				✓
Overall Best (Illinois)				✓
Overall Diversity			✓
Overall Diversity (Great Lakes)			✓
Overall Diversity (Illinois)			✓
Location Diversity			✓
Location Diversity (Great Lakes)			✓
Location Diversity (Illinois)				✓
Ethnic Diversity				✓
Ethnic Diversity (Great Lakes)				✓
Ethnic Diversity (Illinois)				✓
Most Popular (Great Lakes)			✓
Most Popular (Illinois)			✓
Highest Paid Graduates (Great Lakes)			✓
Highest Paid Graduates (Illinois)			✓

Biological & Biomedical Sciences

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked			✓
Biotechnology
Most Popular	✓
General Biology
Top Ranked			✓
Highest Paid Graduates		✓
Neurobiology & Neurosciences
Top Ranked	✓
Most Popular		✓

Business, Management & Marketing

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked				✓
Most Popular			✓
Business Administration & Management
Top Ranked			✓
Highest Paid Graduates				✓
Finance & Financial Management
Top Ranked				✓
Human Resource Management
Top Ranked	✓
Highest Paid Graduates			✓
Management Sciences & Methods
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular				✓
Highest Paid Graduates		✓
Most Focused			✓
Managerial Economics
Top Ranked			✓

Communication & Journalism

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular				✓
Communication & Media Studies
Top Ranked			✓
Highest Paid Graduates				✓
Radio, TV & Digital Communication
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular				✓
Most Focused			✓

Computer & Information Sciences

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked				✓
Computer Information Systems
Top Ranked			✓
Computer Science
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular		✓
Highest Paid Graduates		✓
Information Science
Top Ranked				✓
Most Popular		✓
Highest Paid Graduates			✓

Education

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked			✓
Educational Administration
Top Ranked		✓
Teacher Education Grade Specific
Top Ranked			✓

Engineering

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular		✓
Chemical Engineering
Top Ranked			✓
Highest Paid Graduates		✓
Civil Engineering
Top Ranked			✓
Computer Engineering
Top Ranked		✓
Highest Paid Graduates			✓
Electrical Engineering
Top Ranked		✓
Industrial Engineering
Top Ranked				✓
Highest Paid Graduates				✓
Manufacturing Engineering
Top Ranked	✓
Materials Engineering
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular	✓
Mechanical Engineering
Top Ranked		✓
Other Engineering
Top Ranked	✓
Most Popular		✓
Highest Paid Graduates				✓

Engineering Technologies

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked			✓
Electromechanical Engineering
Top Ranked				✓
Engineering-Related Fields
Top Ranked	✓
Highest Paid Graduates				✓
Mechanical Engineering
Top Ranked				✓
Other Engineering Technology
Top Ranked	✓
Most Popular	✓

English Language & Literature

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked				✓
General English Literature
Top Ranked				✓

Ethnic, Culture & Gender Studies

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular	✓
Ethnic Studies
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular	✓

Family, Consumer & Human Sciences

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked				✓
Child Development & Family Studies
Top Ranked				✓

Foreign Languages & Linguistics

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked			✓
Linguistics & Literature
Top Ranked			✓
Slavic, Baltic & Albanian Languages
Most Popular		✓

Health Professions

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked				✓
Allied Health Professions
Top Ranked			✓
Communication Sciences
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular			✓
Health Sciences & Services
Top Ranked			✓
Highest Paid Graduates		✓
Health/Medical Admin Services
Top Ranked			✓
Medical Illustration & Informatics
Top Ranked			✓
Highest Paid Graduates			✓
Medicine
Top Ranked		✓
Mental & Social Health Services
Top Ranked				✓
Highest Paid Graduates			✓
Public Health
Top Ranked		✓
Highest Paid Graduates			✓
Rehabilitation Professions
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular		✓

History

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked		✓
Most Popular		✓
History
Top Ranked		✓
Most Popular		✓
Highest Paid Graduates		✓

Legal Professions

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular			✓
Law
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular	✓
Highest Paid Graduates			✓
Legal Research
Top Ranked	✓
Most Popular		✓
Most Focused	✓
Other Legal Professions
Top Ranked		✓
Most Popular	✓

Liberal Arts & Humanities

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked				✓
Liberal Arts General Studies
Top Ranked				✓

Mathematics & Statistics

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular		✓
Applied Mathematics
Top Ranked		✓
Highest Paid Graduates		✓
Mathematics
Top Ranked			✓
Highest Paid Graduates			✓
Statistics
Top Ranked	✓

Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked				✓
Cognitive Science
Top Ranked			✓
Data Science.
Top Ranked				✓
Sustainability Science
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular		✓

Natural Resources & Conservation

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked				✓
Natural Resources Conservation
Top Ranked				✓

Parks, Recreation, Leisure & Fitness

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked				✓
Health & Physical Education
Top Ranked				✓
Highest Paid Graduates			✓

Philosophy & Religious Studies

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked				✓
Most Popular		✓
Philosophy
Top Ranked				✓
Most Popular		✓

Physical Sciences

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular		✓
Chemistry
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular		✓
Highest Paid Graduates		✓
Physics
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular	✓

Psychology

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular			✓
Child Development & Psychology
Top Ranked			✓
Highest Paid Graduates			✓
Clinical & Counseling Psychology
Top Ranked		✓
Most Popular			✓
General Psychology
Top Ranked				✓
Highest Paid Graduates			✓

Public & Social Service

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked			✓
Community Organization & Advocacy
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular		✓
Highest Paid Graduates				✓
Public Administration
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular	✓
Highest Paid Graduates		✓

Science Technologies

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked		✓
Other Science Technologies
Top Ranked		✓

Social Sciences

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked				✓
Most Popular			✓
Anthropology
Top Ranked				✓
Economics
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular			✓
Highest Paid Graduates		✓
General Social Sciences
Top Ranked			✓
Political Science & Government
Top Ranked			✓
Highest Paid Graduates		✓
Sociology
Top Ranked			✓

Visual & Performing Arts

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular			✓
Arts & Media Management
Top Ranked		✓
Most Popular		✓
Drama & Theater Arts
Top Ranked				✓
Most Popular			✓
Music
Top Ranked			✓
Most Popular			✓

How Does Northwestern University Rank in Athletics?

In College Factual’s 2027 athletics rankings, Northwestern University earned 32 badges across 23 sports, 32 of them in the top 5% or better; its highest placement is #1 of 596 in Football.

College Overall

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Overall Athletics (D1)				✓
Overall Athletics				✓

Men’s Sports

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Baseball				✓
Baseball (D1)				✓
Basketball				✓
Basketball (D1)				✓
Football				✓
Football (D1)				✓
Golf			✓
Golf (D1)			✓
Soccer				✓
Soccer (D1)			✓
Tennis			✓
Tennis (D1)				✓
Wrestling				✓
Wrestling (D1)				✓

Women’s Sports

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Basketball				✓
Basketball (D1)			✓
Cross Country				✓
Cross Country (D1)				✓
Golf			✓
Golf (D1)				✓
Lacrosse			✓
Lacrosse (D1)			✓
Soccer				✓
Soccer (D1)				✓
Softball				✓
Softball (D1)				✓
Tennis			✓
Tennis (D1)				✓
Volleyball				✓
Volleyball (D1)				✓

How Does Northwestern University Rank for Online Students?

In College Factual’s 2027 online-program rankings, Northwestern University earned 3 badges across 2 online programs, 2 of them in the top 5% or better; its highest placement is #3 of 140 in Most Popular Online for Management Sciences & Methods.

College Overall

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Most Popular Online			✓

Business, Management & Marketing

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Management Sciences & Methods
Most Popular Online			✓

Psychology

Ranking	Top 15%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
Clinical & Counseling Psychology
Most Popular Online		✓

How Does Northwestern University Rank for Veterans?

Northwestern University earned no veterans badge in the 2027 edition; its highest placement in College Factual’s veterans rankings is #2,547 of 4,939 in Best for Veterans.

Continue Your Research on Northwestern

• All rankings for Northwestern
• Northwestern overview
• Best Colleges ranking
• Northwestern official website
• Northwestern on Wikipedia
• Northwestern on Twitter
• Northwestern on Facebook

Notes and References

College Factual’s rankings are based primarily on data from the U.S. Department of Education, 2027 edition. Northwestern University appears in 507 of the College Factual rankings covered on this page.

• The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
• Some other college data, including much of the earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).

More about our data sources and methodologies.