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Northwestern University
(NU)
About
Northwestern University (NU) is a private research university in Evanston, Illinois, United States. Established in 1851, it is the oldest chartered university in Illinois. Northwestern was initially affiliated with the Methodist Episcopal Church but later became non-sectarian. By 1900, the university was the third-largest university in the United States, after Michigan and Harvard. Northwestern be...
Northwestern University (NU) is a private research university in Evanston, Illinois, United States. Established in 1851, it is the oldest chartered university in Illinois. Northwestern was initially affiliated with the Methodist Episcopal Church but later became non-sectarian. By 1900, the university was the third-largest university in the United States, after Michigan and Harvard. Northwestern became a founding member of the Big Ten Conference in 1896 and joined the Association of American Universities in 1917.
Ranking Overview
Ranked Top 50 worldwide across 4 major ranking systems
Ranked in 110 subject rankings
QS World University Rankings
Times Higher Education World University Rankings
Academic Ranking of World Universities
U.S. News Best Global Universities Rankings
Key Facts
- Students
- 20,611
- Student-Staff Ratio
- 8.2 : 1
- Int'l Students
- 24%
- Female : Male
- 54 : 46
- Staff
- 3,915
Historical Trend
Longitudinal View
QS
THE
ARWU
US News
Top Subjects
Best-performing areasSubject Rankings
Detailed breakdownARWU
41 subjectsUS News
38 subjectsQS
46 subjectsTHE
11 subjects|
Subject
|
Rank
|
Score
|
Year
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Business & Economics | 17 | 83.3 | 2026 |
| Psychology | 22 | 75.7 | 2026 |
| Social Sciences | 28 | 74.1 | 2026 |
| Engineering & Technology | 33 | 77.5 | 2026 |
| Physical Sciences | =35 | 78.2 | 2026 |
| Clinical & Health | 51 | 71.0 | 2026 |
| Life Sciences | 52 | 72.1 | 2026 |
| Law & Legal Studies | 58 | 56.9 | 2026 |
| Education & Training | 62 | 61.0 | 2026 |
| Computer Science | 86 | 63.6 | 2026 |
| Arts & Humanities | 101–125 | 47.9 | 2026 |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the ranking of Northwestern University?
Northwestern University's performance in the latest university rankings: QS Rank =45, THE Rank 30, ARWU Rank 31, US News Rank 24.
When was Northwestern University founded?
Northwestern University was founded in 1851.
What are the top subjects at Northwestern University?
Top subjects at Northwestern University include: Materials Science, Sociology, Communication & Media Studies, Chemistry, Economics & Econometrics.
Where is Northwestern University located?
Northwestern University is located in Evanston, United States.