Georgetown vs Northwestern - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
The lower acceptance rate belongs to Northwestern: 7.7% against 13.5% (Georgetown).
Ten years on, graduates of Georgetown earn noticeably more: $103K against $89K.
60 points separate the SAT profiles: 1540 (Northwestern) against 1480.
Both meet assessed financial need in full; the real cost therefore depends on your circumstances, not on tuition.
None of these figures decides on its own; what decides is which course you want to be on, and on what budget.
Every sentence above comes from a field we hold in canonical. Where the data is missing, or the gap is small enough to be noise, the sentence simply does not appear.
EXPERT TAKE
Northwestern is the more selective of the two (7.69% vs 13.5% acceptance). Northwestern ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#501-600 vs #33). Georgetown graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($103K vs $89K). Northwestern has lower sticker-price tuition ($70,589 vs $74,732 per year).
Both universities have complete, comparable data in canonical - the choice should come down to fit (campus culture, major, aid package) alongside the differences visible in the numbers below.
Choose Georgetown for: higher graduate earnings.
Choose Northwestern for: a higher world ranking, higher selectivity, a higher graduation rate.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Northwestern is more selective (7.69% vs 13.5% acceptance); Northwestern has a higher median SAT (1540 vs 1480).
Georgetown graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($103K vs $89K); Northwestern has a higher 6-year graduation rate (95.1% vs 94.8%).
Northwestern has lower sticker-price tuition ($70,589 vs $74,732); Northwestern offers a larger average aid package ($68,110 vs $63,415).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Georgetown | Northwestern |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #501-600 | #33 |
| Rank · THE | - | #31 |
| Acceptance rate | 13.5% | 7.69% |
| Yield rate | 43.9% | 55.3% |
| Median SAT | 1480 | 1540 |
| Avg. GPA | - | - |
| Number of applications | 26,822 | 49,474 |
| International students | 14.4% | 11.8% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $103K | $89K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $67K | $61K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $168K | $139K |
| Graduation rate | 94.8% | 95.1% |
| Retention rate | 96.3% | 98% |
| Median debt | $15,500 | $15,000 |
| Tuition · year | $74,732 | $70,589 |
| Avg. aid package | $63,415 | $68,110 |
| % of need met | 100% | 100% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $33,272 | $32,540 |
| Application fee | $75 | $75 |
| Enrollment | 19,905 | 23,431 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Georgetown or Northwestern?
It's harder to get into Northwestern. Georgetown accepts 13.5% of applicants, while Northwestern accepts 7.69%.
Do Georgetown or Northwestern graduates earn more?
Georgetown graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $103K vs $89K.
How much is tuition at Georgetown vs Northwestern?
Sticker-price tuition is $74,732 per year at Georgetown and $70,589 per year at Northwestern.
What SAT score do you need for Georgetown or Northwestern?
The median admitted SAT score is 1480 at Georgetown and 1540 at Northwestern; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Georgetown or Northwestern?
Northwestern ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #501-600 for Georgetown vs #33 for Northwestern.
Which university offers more financial aid - Georgetown or Northwestern?
The average aid package is $63,415 at Georgetown and $68,110 at Northwestern.
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