The Computer Science major is part of the computer & information sciences program at Northwestern University.
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We’ve gathered data and other essential information about the program, such as the average salary of graduates, ethnicity of students, how many students graduated in recent times, and more. In addition, we cover how Northwestern ranks in comparison to other schools with compsci programs.
- The master of science in computer science at Northwestern University is renowned for its award-winning faculty members, state-of-the-art research, and the considerable resources offered by a great university
- Graduate students in the program can tailor a curriculum to fit their research interests and career aspirations
- Students can choose from courses and research in artificial intelligence, human-computer interaction, distributed interactive systems, theoretical computer science, and computer graphics and human-computer interfaces for spatial applications, visualization, and computer entertainment
- Students can choose from: Thesis, Project or Coursework track
Prestige: While it’s true that the Northwestern “brand name” seems more prestigious than the UIUC brand (since it’s generally harder to get admitted to NU), I would not let prestige become a major factor in my decision making. In fields like CS, employers will care much more about your skill-set and technical abilities than where your degree was from (and after 3-5 years of work experience, recruiters don’t even bother to look at where you received your academic training). Indeed, as my own experience shows, at least in the past it was relatively easy to obtain an IT position without a degree in the field (or in fact, without having any degree at all – one of my best managers, a truly gifted programmer, is a high school grad with some community college experience, who taught himself all the way along how to become a great developer).
Curriculum: As the other answers have noted, there still seems to be a significant difference in how the course curriculum is structured at these two universities. Northwestern strongly emphasizes the concept of a “well rounded (balanced) education”; thus only one-quarter to one-third of your classes will be in your major field throughout your years there. Your first year, in particular, will probably include a very diverse range of classes across many different fields of study (i.e. the humanities, the social sciences, the natural sciences, mathematics, foreign languages, etc.). While UIUC also requires that you take elective courses outside of your major field of study, the overall curriculum is more directly focused on topics related to your major.
I personally believe that the Northwestern model would be much better for most people. This isn’t simply due to the fact that it’s always good to “broaden your horizons”, or even due to the belief that a college education should “prepare you for living” versus training you for a profession. The true value of a diverse education, in my opinion, comes from the fact that no field of study is completely isolated from any other. In other words, you will become a better IT professional to the extent that you understand many things outside the realm of CS – and that includes human behavior, economics, other cultures, and a whole lot more.
Classroom Size: One of the most important factors which I would use to determine where I wanted to attend school is classroom size. Students don’t often think about this when deciding where to attend college, but I think that it is definitely worth more consideration. Back when I was in college, Northwestern had a “freshman seminar” requirement – at least 2 courses taken during your first year had to be seminar classes, with 15 or fewer participants, in a class led by a professor (as opposed to a graduate student). While I don’t believe that either of the seminars “transformed my life”, I can say that I remember the discussions in one of those seminars vividly to this day. Indeed, my most positive memories of college come from classes where the class size was quite small, and I was able to directly interact with my professor and the other students in the classroom.
I also remember the opposite phenomenon – what I like to call “drop-out courses”. All American universities seem to have large introductory courses, especially in their most popular fields. These intro courses will have somewhere between 50 to 300 students in each class, and usually are held within a very large auditorium. More often than not, these classes are graded on a bell curve, meaning that (no matter how good the entire class is) some students will inevitably fail or receive low grades. The purpose of this class structure, in my opinion, is to “weed out” the less motivated students from a course of study that’s in high demand. I will never forget being told, in a graduate-level course at UIUC, by a professor that “there are too many students enrolled in this class – this class should be half of its current size – and frankly, I intend to make the course work as difficult as possible until at least half of this class decides to drop out“. While all universities have large classes (and arrogant professors) like these, I always felt that UIUC (like most public universities) had more of a “sink or swim” attitude in terms of its grading policy and large class sizes.
Social Life: Both schools are well known for have a strong “Greek community” (fraternities and sororities); however, the atmosphere at UIUC seems more “party friendly” than at NU. The real difference, though, between the campuses seems to be how the non-Greeks (“independent” students) live. While I was there, Northwestern was deeply committed to creating “residential colleges” and other themed living communities. In these dorms, every resident was committed to engage in planned activities which were related to the dorm’s “theme”. In other words, there was an expectation that almost everyone would have a structured social life, and get “involved” in activities beyond the classroom.
While UIUC also offers plenty of events, clubs, activities, and the like, it also offers something else – the opportunity to be a truly “independent” student, who may live on or off-campus, and whose goal is strictly to focus on their coursework while they are there. In other words, the public American land-grant universities like UIUC are more “libertarian” than the elite colleges like Northwestern and the Ivy League universities – they don’t try to get you involved in all sorts of activities that aren’t directly related to your degree program. Whether this is a good thing or not depends upon what you are looking for during your college experience.
Non-Academic Resources: This is a big topic covering lots of different considerations about the two colleges (both on-campus and off-campus). What are the housing options like? If you decide to live off-campus, are there lots of stores and other services available? If you need a part-time job to cover your costs, are there work opportunities available? In general, I would say that UIUC has great “on campus” resources (the university itself is huge!), but the “off campus” world is that of a small Midwestern college town. Northwestern has a somewhat smaller “on campus” environment, but is based in suburban Chicago – “off campus” is one of the largest cities in the US! During my life, I certainly enjoyed both kinds of college experiences – yet perhaps UIUC was, in some ways, a little more enjoyable than Northwestern, since you’re living in an entire community centered around a young, college age population.
Northeastern University Campus
Since its establishment in 1898, Northeastern University has had its flagship campus in Boston. The university is spread across 9 campuses in Boston, Charlotte, London, San Francisco, Seattle, Silicon Valley, Toronto, Vancouver, and Portland. Northeastern University Boston campus is spread over 73 acres in the heart of the city.
It hosts over 26,000 events in an academic year. You can always find on-campus performances, conferences, film screenings, or other activities to participate in. A detail of the student life at Northeastern University campus is provided below:
- Northeastern University campus boasts 20 restaurants, cafes, and dining facilities.
- Northeastern University is home to nearly 400 student organizations with 19,100 participant students.
- The university campus offers a variety of support systems through 9 student support centers.
- NU embraces cultural diversity through 9 cultural centers. The university reflects its vibrant student body with students from 135 countries.
- You can engage in sports and athletic events along with health and counseling services on campus.
- The Marino Recreation Center and the SquashBusters Center is the main area of student recreation.
- Nearly 2,200 students of the university annually participate in the on-campus service learning activity.
Northeastern University Accommodation
Northeastern University accommodations are available for first-year, sophomores, and upperclassmen in the university housing through Housing and Residential Life programs.
On Campus Housing
Undergraduate students entering Northeastern University through the fall and spring intakes are required to live on campus for the first 2 years. Students pursuing global experience or co-op experience are excluded from this.All the first year students at Northeastern University must have a meal plan, which range from $2400-$4400 (depending on the number of meals in the plan)
| Buildings | Amount in CAD | Amount in INR |
|---|---|---|
| Kerr Hall | USD 4,695- USD 5,125 | 3.82 lakhs- 4.17 lakhs |
| Light Hall | USD 3,800- USD 5,870 | 3.09 lakhs- 4.77 lakhs |
| Melvin Hall | USD 4,105- USD 5,870 | 3.34 lakhs- 4.77 lakhs |
| Smith Hall | USD 3,800- USD 5,870 | 3.09 lakhs- 4.77 lakhs |
| Stetson Hall‐ East | USD 5,125- USD 5,870 | 4.17 lakhs- 4.77 lakhs |
Off-Campus Housing
Upperclassmen of Northeastern University, unable to secure on-campus accommodation, along with new or returning graduate students and law students can live off-campus. Off-campus housing in the Boston area can be found with the assistance of Off-Campus Housing and Support Services. Students can also register to the online Off-Campus Housing database of Northeastern University. Mentioned below are the average rent of off-campus accommodation for students:
| Accommodation | Average Rent (USD/Year) | Average Rent (INR/Year) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Bedroom | USD 9612 | 7.84 lakhs |
| 2 Bedroom | USD 6347 | 5.18 lakhs |
| 3 Bedroom | USD 5767 | 4.70 lakhs |
| 4 Bedroom | USD 5715 | 4.66 lakhs |
Northeastern University Courses
Northeastern University has 318 undergraduate majors including 110 single and 208 combined courses. Northeastern University has 259 master’s, professional doctorate, and certificate programs through on-campus, online, and hybrid modes of study. Some of the programs at Northeastern University are listed in the following table:
Northeastern University Top Program Fees
| Top Programs | Annual Tuition Fees (USD) | Annual Tuition Fees (INR) |
|---|---|---|
| Master of Science [M.S], Computer Science | INR 41,61,456 | USD 51,300 |
| Master of Science [M.S], Counseling Psychology | INR 82,01,232 | USD 101,100 |
| Master of Science [M.S], Data Analytics Engineering | INR 21,90,240 | USD 27,000 |
| Master of Science [M.S], Data Science | INR 43,23,696 | USD 53,300 |
| Master of Science [M.S], Information Systems | INR 21,90,240 | USD 27,000 |
| Master of Science [M.S], Robotics | INR 27,40,234 | USD 33,780 |
| Bachelor of Science [B.S], Finance and Accounting Management | INR 38,93,760 | USD 48,000 |
| Master of Business Administration [M.B.A] | INR 36,58,512 | USD 45,100 |
| Master of Science [M.S], Finance | INR 39,91,104 | USD 49,200 |
| Bachelor of Science [B.S], Business Administration | INR 44,10,332 | USD 54,368 |
| Bachelor of Science [B.S], Electrical Engineering | INR 44,09,683 | USD 54,360 |
Northeastern University Admissions
Northeastern University admissions are decently competitive with an acceptance rate of 18.4%. The majority of the students enrolled in the university belong to the top 10% students of their previous academic course. The details of admission to Northeastern University are as follows:
Northeastern University UG Admission
| Particulars | Undergraduate Admission Requirements |
|---|---|
| Admission Portal | Common app | Coalition app |
| Application Fee | 75 USD (5,980 INR) |
| Transcripts | High school transcripts |
| Minimum GPA | 3.5 on a 4.0 scale (87-89%) |
| Standardized test scores | Middle 50% score SAT: 1470-1540 ACT: 33-35 |
| Minimum TOEFL score | 99-108 or equivalent |
| Letter of Recommendation | Not required |
| Statement of Purpose | Not required |
| Other requirements | Declaration and Certification of Finances (DCF), waiver requests, English proficiency interview |
Northeastern University PG Admission
| Particulars | Graduate Admission Requirements |
|---|---|
| Admission Portal | University’s Portal |
| Application Fee | 75 USD to 100 USD (5,980 INR to 7,970 INR) |
| Transcripts | All academic transcripts |
| Minimum GPA | 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (83-86%) |
| Standardized test scores | Average scores GMAT: 654 GRE: 320 LSAT: 163 |
| Minimum TOEFL score | 79 or equivalent |
| Letter of Recommendation | 1-3 LOR(s) |
| Statement of Purpose | Personal statement with details of academic interest and future goal (500-1000 words) |
| Other requirements | Resume |
Average scores required in standardized tests of Indian students
Northeastern University Cost
The 4-year undergraduate tuition cost at Northeastern University is around $230,000 (~1.88 crores INR). This cost is quite higher than the national average of $145,000 (~1.2 crores INR). The estimated annual tuition fees of Northeastern University programs are as follows:
Undergraduate Fees
| Expense Type | Undergraduate Cost in USD | Undergraduate Cost in INR |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | USD 56,500 | 47.09 Lakhs |
| Fees | USD 1,060 | 0.87 Lakhs |
| Room and Board | USD 17,810 | 6.73 Lakhs |
| Books and Personal Expenses | USD 2,800 | 2.28 Lakhs |
Graduate Fees
| Expense Type | Graduate Cost in USD | Graduate Cost in INR |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | USD 40,000 – USD 70,000 | 32 Lakhs- 57.5 Lakhs |
| Fees | USD 350 | 0.28 Lakhs |
| Room and Board | USD 2,400 – USD 6,100 | 1.95 Lakhs- 4.96 lakhs |
| Books and Personal Expenses | USD 2,400 | 1.95 Lakhs |
Northeastern University Scholarships
- Northeastern University scholarships are offered to 78% of the total students.
- The university has endowed 339 million USD in institutional aid for 2021-2022.
International students are eligible for merit-based scholarships at Northeastern University. Incoming students are automatically considered for merit-based scholarships while applying to undergraduate programs. Some of the available scholarships for international students are as follows:
International Scholars Award: Competitive merit-based scholarships offered as a partial cost of attendance. Students can get from $10,000 up to $28,000 per year.
Northeastern University Placement
Northeastern University is one of the best in terms of student placement. The university is ranked at #201-250 in QS Graduate Employability Rankings, 2022.97% of the graduates secured Northeastern University placements within 9 months after graduation. Northeastern University graduates are employed across leading companies like Amazon, Deloitte, Accenture, KPMG, EY, PwC, Accenture, Dell, Goldman Sachs, and IBM among others.
Northeastern University MBA Placement
Northeastern University MBA graduates recorded 91% placement within 4 months of graduation and 98% placement within 9 months after graduation. MBA graduates earn an average salary of 88,915 USD (72.74 Lakhs INR) per annum with the highest annual salary of around 137,000 USD (1.12 Crores INR). The average salary of the MBA graduates of Northeastern University, 2021, according to their respective functions are as follows:
| Function | Average Salary in USD | Average Salary in INR | Top hiring companies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technology | $98,400 | 80.61 lakhs | IBM, Walmart |
| Finance | $87,525 | 71.70 lakhs | American Express, Oaktree Capital Management |
| Marketing/ Sales | $85,636 | 70.15 lakhs | Lego, Hasbro |
| Consulting | $77,176 | 63.22 lakhs | Accenture, PwC |
| Operations/ Logistics | $84,047 | 68.85 lakhs | P&G, Schneider Electric |
Northeastern University Notable Alumni
Northeastern University Alumni Relations community includes 282,143 active alumni spread across 179 countries. The university has received a total of 194.4 million USD in donations for FY 2021.Some of the most notable alumni of Northeastern University are:
| Alumni | Company | Designation |
|---|---|---|
| Nikesh Arora | SoftBank | President and Chief Operating Officer |
| Jeff Clarke | Kodak | CEO |
| Shawn Fanning | Napster | Founder |
| Biz Stone | Co-founder | |
| George D. Behrakis | Tylenol | Inventor of Tylenol |
Northeastern University has a diverse range of academic programs, including in fields such as business, engineering, computer science, and health sciences. Northeastern has a strong reputation for its co-op program, which allows students to gain real-world work experience while completing their degrees. Overall, Northeastern University is considered a good option for students looking for a well-rounded, high-quality education in a diverse and dynamic setting.
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