Northwestern College

9400 S Cicero Ave.
Oak Lawn, IL 60453
Top Ranked (2025): View Rankings
  • Northwestern College is about preparing people well and quickly for a lifetime of opportunities. The faculty and staff at Northwestern College are committed to providing an excellent learning environment supported by outstanding student service and satisfaction. Northwestern College is committed to an educational and working environment that provides equal opportunity to all members of the College community.

School Highlights

Northwestern College serves 1,035 students (36% of students are full-time).
The college's student:teacher ratio of 12:1 is lower than the state community college average of 21:1.
Minority enrollment is 91% of the student body (majority Black), which is more than the state average of 53%.

Quick Stats (2025)

  • Enrollment: 1,035 students
  • Private-state tuition: $17,010
  • Acceptance Rate: 100%
  • Student:teacher ratio: 12:1
  • Minority enrollment: 91%
  • Source: Verified school update

Top Rankings

Northwestern College ranks among the top 20% of public schools in Illinois for:

School Overview

The teacher population of 86 teachers has stayed relatively flat over five years.
Northwestern College
(IL) Community College Avg.
Carnegie Classification
Special Focus Four-Year: Other Health Professions Schools
Associate's Colleges: Mixed Transfer/Career & Technical-High Nontraditional
Institution Level
Four or more years
At least 2 but less than 4 years
Institution Control
Private for-profit
Public
Total Faculty
86 staff
227 staff
This chart displays total faculty of Northwestern College and community college average number of faculty in Illinois by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.

Student Body

The student population of Northwestern College has grown by 67% over five years.
The student:teacher ratio of 12:1 has increased from 7:1 over five years.
The Northwestern College diversity score of 0.51 is less than the state average of 0.69. The school's diversity has declined by 25% over five years.
Total Enrollment
1,035 students
3,270 students
This chart displays the total enrollment of Northwestern College and community college average number of enrollment of Illinois by year, with the latest 2023-24 school year data.
Student : Teacher Ratio
12:1
21:1
This chart displays the student staff ratio of Northwestern College and community college average student staff ratio of Illinois by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
# Full-Time Students
371 students
1,007 students
This chart displays the total number of Full-time students enrollment of Northwestern College and average number of community college Full-time students enrollment of Illinois by year, with the latest 2023-24 school year data.
# Part-Time Students
664 students
2,747 students
This chart displays the total number of Part-time students enrollment of Northwestern College and average number of community college Part-time students enrollment of Illinois by year, with the latest 2023-24 school year data.
This chart displays the Full-time students and Part-time students enrollment breakdown of Northwestern College.
This chart displays community college average Full-Time students and Part-Time students enrollment breakdown of Illinois.
# Enrollment Undergraduate
103 students
328 students
# Full-Time Undergraduate Students
371 students
1,007 students
This chart displays the total number of Full-time undergraduate students enrollment of Northwestern College and average number of community college Full-time undergraduate  students enrollment of Illinois by year, with the latest 2023-24 school year data.
# Full-Time Graduate Students
n/a
43 students
# Part-Time Undergraduate Students
664 students
3,310 students
# Part-Time Graduate Students
n/a
18 students
Total Dormitory Capacity
n/a
132 students
% American Indian/Alaskan
1%
n/a
This chart displays the percentage of American Indian/Alaskan students in Northwestern College and the percentage of American Indian/Alaskan community college students in Illinois by year, with the latest 2023-24 school year data.
% Asian
1%
6%
This chart displays the percentage of Asian students in Northwestern College and the percentage of Asian community college students in Illinois by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
% Hispanic
22%
26%
This chart displays the percentage of Hispanic students in Northwestern College and the percentage of Hispanic community college students in Illinois by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
% Black
66%
13%
This chart displays the percentage of Black students in Northwestern College and the percentage of Black community college students in Illinois by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
% White
9%
47%
This chart displays the percentage of White students in Northwestern College and the percentage of White community college students in Illinois by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
This chart displays the percentage of Hawaiian students in Northwestern College and the percentage of Hawaiian community college students in Illinois by year, with the latest 2023-24 school year data.
% Two or more races
n/a
3%
This chart displays the percentage of Two or more races students in Northwestern College and the percentage of Two or more races community college students in Illinois by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
% Non Resident races
n/a
1%
% Unknown races
1%
4%
This chart displays the percentage breakdown of students of all ethnic groups in Northwestern College.
This chart displays the percentage breakdown of students of all ethnic groups in Illinois.
Diversity Score
0.51
0.69
This chart displays the diversity score of Northwestern College and the community college average diversity score of Illinois by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
College Completion Rate (Students who graduate in less than 4 years)
20%
30.59%
This chart displays completion rates for First-Time of Full-time students of Northwestern College and community college average completion rates for First-Time of Full-time students of Illinois by year, with the latest 2017-18 school year data.
College Completion Rate (Students who graduate in 4 years or more than 4 years)
0.38%
0.38%
Average Graduate Earnings (10 Years)
$31,800
$31,800
This chart displays average graduate earnings (10 Years) of Northwestern College and community college average graduate earnings (10 Years) of Illinois by year, disaggregated by student subgroups with the latest 2012-13 school year data.

Tuition and Acceptance Rate

The private state tuition of $17,010 is more than the state average of $14,511. The private state tuition has declined by 7% over four years.
Private State Tuition Fees
$17,010
$14,511
This chart displays tuition fees for an in-state student of Northwestern College and the private community college average tuition fees for an in-state student of Illinois by year, with the latest 2023-24 school year data.
% Students Receiving Some Financial Aid
100%
82%
This chart displays the percent of students who is receiving some financial aid in Northwestern College and the percent of community college students who is receiving some financial aid in Illinois by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
Median Debt for Graduates
$16,917
$8,187
This chart displays median debt for students who have completed a certificate or degree in Northwestern College and average median debt for community college students who have completed a certificate or degree in Illinois by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
Median Debt for Dropouts
$9,500
$4,618
This chart displays median debt for students who have not completed a certificate or degree in Northwestern College and average median debt for community college students who have not completed a certificate or degree in Illinois by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
Acceptance Rate
100%
89%
This chart displays the percent admitted of Northwestern College and the community college average percent admitted of Illinois by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
SAT Reading
n/a
390
SAT Math
n/a
360
SAT Writing
n/a
355
ACT Composite
n/a
17
ACT English
n/a
17
ACT Math
n/a
17
Source: 2024 (or latest year available) Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) , School Administrators

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Northwestern College cost?
Northwestern College's private state tuition is approximately $17,010.
What is the acceptance rate of Northwestern College?
The acceptance rate of Northwestern College is 100%, which is higher than the state average of 89%.
What is Northwestern College's ranking?
Northwestern College ranks among the top 20% of community college in Illinois for: Average community college minority breakdown, Percent of students receiving financial aid and Highest completion rates.

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Quick Stats (2025)

  • Enrollment: 1,035 students
  • Private-state tuition: $17,010
  • Acceptance Rate: 100%
  • Student:teacher ratio: 12:1
  • Minority enrollment: 91%
  • Source: Verified school update

Related School Videos

Did You Know?

The average community college acceptance rate in Cook County, IL is 79%. Read more about national community college acceptance rates.

Cook County, IL community colleges have a diversity score of 0.61, which is higher than the national average of 0.00. The most diverse community college in Cook County, IL is Toyota Technological Institute at Chicago. Read more about community college diversity statistics in the USA.

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