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Evanston, IL · History

History at Northwestern

Northwestern graduates about 52 history majors a year, 3% of its graduating class. That puts it 18th of 692 schools we score for history, a standout program at 91 out of 100. Its current catalog lists 114 undergraduate courses in the field, more than 75% of the schools we've counted. Graduates in the major earn a median $79,000 four years out, 1.56× what the same major pays nationally. Research spending in the field runs about $4 million a year, a rough guide to how many labs and projects undergraduates can join.

91/100Standout#18 of 692 for history →
Graduates a year523% of the class
Courses in the catalog114more than 75% of schools
Median pay 4 years out$79,0001.56× the same major nationally
Research in the field$4Ma year, NSF
Admit rate7%whole school
SAT middle 50%1490–1570whole school

Around Northwestern

A photo of the interior of Dearborn Observatory. The dome is open, the red light
Dearborn Telescope with open domePhoto: Jackricono · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
The Shakespeare Garden in Evanston (1915). It was established by the Garden Club
Shakespeare Garden (8105928197)Photo: Teemu008 from Palatine, Illinois · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source
Aggelos Katsaggelos
Aggelos KatsaggelosPhoto: Leandros89 · CC0 · source
This represents what PDMS looks like.
FabricwithinPDMSPhoto: Ih2283 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

Where history happens

Buildings on campus that fit the field: Northwestern University Library, Seeley G. Mudd Science and Engineering Library, Deering Library.

Named buildings on the campus map: Academic 96 · Dorm 44 · Fraternity or sorority house 13 · Arts 8 · Chapel 5 · Athletics 3.

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Nearby in the history ranking

  1. Wake Forest University 92
  2. Wesleyan University 92
  3. University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill 91
  4. William & Mary 91
  5. Dartmouth College 91
  6. Tufts University 91
  7. Brandeis University 91
  8. Stanford University 91

Other strong majors at Northwestern

How the score works

The score is out of 100 and compares Northwestern with every school we score in history. It weighs the school's overall strength; how many students graduate in the major and what share of the class they are; research spending in the field (NSF); early pay against the same major nationally; how many courses the catalog lists; and test scores. 80+ is a standout program, 65+ strong, 45+ solid. Sources: US Department of Education (College Scorecard, IPEDS), NSF HERD, each school's current course catalog, OpenStreetMap and Wikimedia Commons.

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