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 became a founding member of the Big Ten Conference in 1896 and joined the Association of American Universities in 1917.
Ranked Top 50 worldwide across 4 major ranking systems
Ranked in 132 subject rankings
Ranking Overview
QS
THE
ARWU
US News
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Key Facts
Historical Trend
QS
THE
ARWU
US News
Top Subjects
Subject Rankings
ARWU
41 subjectsUS News
34 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 | 58 | 56.9 | 2026 |
| Education | 62 | 61.0 | 2026 |
| Computer Science | 86 | 63.6 | 2026 |
| Arts & Humanities | 101–125 | 47.9 | 2026 |