Stony Brook 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 49% (Stony Brook).
Average aid for an international student is $74,103 (Northwestern) and $2,834 (Stony Brook).
The order of prices reverses once aid is counted: Northwestern starts at $96,182 against $55,085 and ends at $28,072 against $39,824 (Stony Brook).
The gap in median earnings after a decade favours Northwestern: $89K against $75K.
The indicators describe a university as a whole, and your own course can sit a long way from that average.
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 49.04% acceptance). Northwestern ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#301-400 vs #33). Northwestern graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($89K vs $75K). Stony Brook has lower sticker-price tuition ($32,741 vs $70,589 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 Stony Brook for: lower tuition, lower graduate debt.
Choose Northwestern for: a higher world ranking, higher selectivity, higher graduate earnings.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Northwestern is more selective (7.69% vs 49.04% acceptance); Northwestern has a higher median SAT (1540 vs 1410).
Northwestern graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($89K vs $75K); Northwestern has a higher 6-year graduation rate (95.1% vs 75.6%).
Stony Brook has lower sticker-price tuition ($32,741 vs $70,589); Northwestern offers a larger average aid package ($68,110 vs $15,261).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Stony Brook | Northwestern |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #301-400 | #33 |
| Rank · THE | - | #31 |
| Acceptance rate | 49.04% | 7.69% |
| Yield rate | 14.7% | 55.3% |
| Median SAT | 1410 | 1540 |
| Avg. GPA | - | - |
| Number of applications | 55,880 | 49,474 |
| International students | 10.2% | 11.8% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $75K | $89K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $49K | $61K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $107K | $139K |
| Graduation rate | 75.6% | 95.1% |
| Retention rate | 89.7% | 98% |
| Median debt | $18,228 | $15,000 |
| Tuition · year | $32,741 | $70,589 |
| Avg. aid package | $15,261 | $68,110 |
| % of need met | 0.6% | 100% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $23,558 | $32,540 |
| Application fee | - | $75 |
| Enrollment | 26,689 | 23,431 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Stony Brook or Northwestern?
It's harder to get into Northwestern. Stony Brook accepts 49.04% of applicants, while Northwestern accepts 7.69%.
Do Stony Brook or Northwestern graduates earn more?
Northwestern graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $89K vs $75K.
How much is tuition at Stony Brook vs Northwestern?
Sticker-price tuition is $32,741 per year at Stony Brook and $70,589 per year at Northwestern.
What SAT score do you need for Stony Brook or Northwestern?
The median admitted SAT score is 1410 at Stony Brook and 1540 at Northwestern; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Stony Brook or Northwestern?
Northwestern ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #301-400 for Stony Brook vs #33 for Northwestern.
Which university offers more financial aid - Stony Brook or Northwestern?
The average aid package is $15,261 at Stony Brook and $68,110 at Northwestern.
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