Franklin W Olin College of Engineering vs NorthWestern

Franklin W Olin College of Engineering and Northwestern University, two esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences for aspiring engineers. Olin, a small, private college, boasts a highly selective admissions process with an acceptance rate of 14%, while Northwestern, a larger, private research university, has a more accessible acceptance rate of 9%. Olin's focus on engineering is reflected in its curriculum, which emphasizes hands-on learning and project-based coursework, while Northwestern offers a broader range of academic programs, including engineering, liberal arts, and business. Both institutions attract talented students, with Olin's student body comprising 52% male and 48% female students, and Northwestern's student body comprising 51% male and 49% female students. While Olin's graduation rate stands at an impressive 93%, Northwestern's graduation rate is slightly lower at 91%. To help you make an informed decision about your academic journey, we present a comprehensive
Franklin W Olin College of Engineering logo

Franklin W Olin College of Engineering

Northwestern University logo

Northwestern University

Overview

Location Needham, Massachusetts Evanston, Illinois
Campus setting Suburb: Large City: Small
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Semester Quarter
Degrees offered Undergraduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 100.0% 99.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 18.0% 7.0%
Application fees $85
Undergraduate: $75

Graduate: $95
SAT range 1490 - 1580 1470 - 1570
ACT range 34 - 35 34 - 35
Students submitting SAT score 41.0% 43.0%
Students submitting ACT score 23.0% 39.0%
Total number of applicants 907 47,636
Total number of admissions given out 163 3,321
Admitted students who chose to enroll 91 2,086
Yield rate 55.8% 62.8%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Not required
Recommendation letters Required Required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Not required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $73,649 $83,838
Average net price $36,494 $29,999
Tuition $55,612 $60,276
Room & board $17,984
Room/dormitory: $11,271

Meal plan: $6,993
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

100.0%
Average amount $38,069
57.0%
Average amount $51,087
Students receiving federal student loan 23.0%
Average amount $4,382
23.0%
Average amount $4,625
Students taking out private loans 2.0%
Average amount $33,500
2.0%
Average amount $38,595

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 382
Men 47.9% Women 52.1%
8,847
Men 46.1% Women 53.9%
Graduate students N/A 14,562
Men 47.3% Women 52.7%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Moderate
Out-of-state students N/A N/A
International students 8.4% 17.8%
Campus local/setting Suburb: Large City: Small
Dormitory capacity 363 4,409
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Engineering
  • Business
  • Communication and Journalism
  • Engineering
  • Health Professions
  • Legal Profession
Students to faculty ratio 8:1 6:1
Institutional accreditation New England Commission on Higher Education Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 97.4% 95.2%
Dropout rate 2.6% 4.2%
Transferred out N/A N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Engineering, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $91,352
  • Year 2: $75,706
  • Year 3: $104,429
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $78,343
  • Year 3: $79,692
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $76,460
  • Year 3: N/A
Medical Clinical Sciences/Graduate Medical Studies (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $150,242
  • Year 2: $188,472
  • Year 3: $221,242
Business/Commerce, General (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $188,472
  • Year 3: $216,176
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $187,194
  • Year 2: $170,971
  • Year 3: $206,288
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $120,709
  • Year 2: $189,565
  • Year 3: $194,961
Business/Commerce, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $162,478
  • Year 2: $163,561
  • Year 3: $177,652
Engineering-Related Fields (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $111,200
  • Year 2: $157,779
  • Year 3: $159,304
Engineering, Other (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $140,321
  • Year 2: $141,586
  • Year 3: $154,556
Medical Illustration and Informatics (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $88,288
  • Year 2: $118,465
  • Year 3: $132,325
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $118,780
  • Year 2: $111,323
  • Year 3: $130,124
Community Organization and Advocacy (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $115,760
  • Year 2: $113,668
  • Year 3: $128,046

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