Lesley University vs NorthWestern

Lesley University and Northwestern University, two esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. Lesley, a private university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, prides itself on its small class sizes, personalized attention, and focus on undergraduate education. In contrast, Northwestern, a private research university in Evanston, Illinois, boasts a larger student body, a diverse range of graduate programs, and a strong emphasis on research. With acceptance rates of 72% and 9%, respectively, these universities cater to different applicant pools. While Lesley's popular majors include education, psychology, and social work, Northwestern offers a wider array of programs, including engineering, business, and journalism. Explore the comparison table below to delve into further details about these universities, including student body demographics, graduation rates, and more, to determine which institution best aligns with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Lesley University logo

Lesley University

Northwestern University logo

Northwestern University

Overview

Location Cambridge, Massachusetts Evanston, Illinois
Campus setting City: Midsize City: Small
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Semester Quarter
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 75.0% 99.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 86.9% 7.0%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $75

Graduate: $95
SAT range N/A 1470 - 1570
ACT range N/A 34 - 35
Students submitting SAT score 43.0%
Students submitting ACT score 39.0%
Total number of applicants 2,942 47,636
Total number of admissions given out 2,558 3,321
Admitted students who chose to enroll 280 2,086
Yield rate 10.9% 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) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $41,775 $83,838
Average net price $31,928 $29,999
Tuition $29,200 $60,276
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $10,060

Meal plan: $6,900
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 $16,316
57.0%
Average amount $51,087
Students receiving federal student loan 59.0%
Average amount $5,124
23.0%
Average amount $4,625
Students taking out private loans 7.0%
Average amount $15,411
2.0%
Average amount $38,595

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 1,757
Men 23.4% Women 76.6%
8,847
Men 46.1% Women 53.9%
Graduate students 2,253
Men 13.6% Women 86.4%
14,562
Men 47.3% Women 52.7%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Moderate
Out-of-state students N/A N/A
International students 3.7% 17.8%
Campus local/setting City: Midsize City: Small
Dormitory capacity 799 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
  • Education
  • Health Professions
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Liberal Arts
  • Business
  • Business
  • Communication and Journalism
  • Engineering
  • Health Professions
  • Legal Profession
Students to faculty ratio 10:1 6:1
Institutional accreditation New England Commission on Higher Education Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 60.5% 95.2%
Dropout rate 12.4% 4.2%
Transferred out 26.3% N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Education, General (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $91,807
  • Year 2: $85,760
  • Year 3: $80,016
Special Education and Teaching (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $54,822
  • Year 2: $53,298
  • Year 3: $57,561
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $47,186
  • Year 2: $50,606
  • Year 3: $57,321
Education, Other (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $53,259
  • Year 2: $51,690
  • Year 3: $56,263
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $51,742
  • Year 2: $49,855
  • Year 3: $55,299
Education, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $52,191
  • Year 2: $44,595
  • Year 3: $50,138
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $43,470
  • Year 2: $46,869
  • Year 3: $49,494
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $42,051
  • Year 2: $41,353
  • Year 3: $44,028
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $42,433
  • Year 3: $38,957
Design and Applied Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $30,949
  • Year 2: $20,687
  • Year 3: $37,894
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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