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Northwestern University salary estimate

$59,770yearly

$28.74 hourly rate

Entry-level salary
$36,000 yearly salary
Updated December 15, 2025

Understanding Northwestern University Salaries

At Northwestern University, the average salary is approximately $59,770, but this figure masks a wide range of earnings across different roles and departments. For example, business teachers earn an impressive $215,377 annually, while economics teachers make around $152,138. In contrast, positions like graduate researchers average only $39,047 per year.

Salary by Department

Salaries vary significantly by department. The engineering department offers the highest average salary at $78,005, followed closely by education at $76,674. On the other hand, administrative roles average $45,599, while nonprofit and government functions offer about $51,136.

Comparative Salary Insights

When compared to competitors in higher education, Northwestern's pay scales are competitive. For instance, Stanford University reports an average salary of $78,439, while New York University and Icahn School of Medicine pay $73,429 and $72,919 respectively. Understanding these salary dynamics can help prospective employees gauge their earning potential and make informed career decisions.

Highest paying jobs at Northwestern University

The highest paying jobs at Northwestern University are business teacher, economics teacher, associate professor, and assistant professor. Business teacher jobs at Northwestern University earn an average yearly salary of $215,377, Northwestern University economics teacher jobs average $152,138, and Northwestern University associate professor jobs average $119,151.

The lowest paying Northwestern University roles include graduate researcher and research assistant. Northwestern University graduate researcher average salary is $39,047 per year. So while the average Northwestern University salary is $59,770 there is a big variation in pay depending on the role.

Highest paying jobs at Northwestern University

RankJob titleAverage Northwestern University salaryHourly rate
1Business Teacher$215,377$103.55
2Economics Teacher$152,138$73.14
3Associate Professor$119,151$57.28
4Assistant Professor$107,525$51.69
5Senior Software Engineer$94,049$45.22
6Job Developer$88,023$42.32
7Project Manager$82,526$39.68
8Software Developer$81,173$39.03
9Instructor$76,097$36.59
10Laboratory Manager$74,525$35.83
11Consultant$73,990$35.57
12Graduate Student Clinician$72,443$34.83
13Statistical Analyst$65,506$31.49
14Project Coordinator$62,206$29.91
15Lecturer$61,307$29.47
16Postdoctoral Scholar$60,447$29.06
17Research Associate$59,591$28.65
18PHD Researcher$58,014$27.89
19Doctoral Fellow$57,595$27.69
20Laboratory Technician$55,920$26.88

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How much does Northwestern University pay by location?

The average Northwestern University salary varies by location. Northwestern University salaries are the highest in Davis, CA, at $65,169 per year. Northwestern University pays the second highest average salary in Evanston, IL, at $62,886 per year. It's important to factor in the cost of living when negotiating a salary or choosing a place to work.

Highest paying Northwestern University locations

RankLocationAverage Northwestern University salaryHourly rate
1Davis, CA$65,169$31.33
2Evanston, IL$62,886$30.23
3Coral Gables, FL$55,052$26.47

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Northwestern University salaries by department

Salaries at Northwestern University vary depending on the department you work in. Northwestern University salaries in the engineering department are the highest with an average salary of $78,005. Employees in the education department at Northwestern University receive relatively high salaries as well, with an average salary of $76,674 per year. Departments that don't pay as well at Northwestern University include the administrative and the non profit/government organizational functions, with employees earning average salaries of $45,599 and $51,136, respectively.

Average Northwestern University salary by department

RankDepartmentAverage Northwestern University salaryHourly rate
1Engineering$78,005$37.50
2Education$76,674$36.86
3IT$75,200$36.15
4Healthcare$68,898$33.12
5Finance$62,685$30.14
6Human Resources$60,572$29.12
7Research & Development$57,598$27.69
8Marketing$56,827$27.32
9Non Profit/Government$51,136$24.58
10Administrative$45,599$21.92

How much does Northwestern University pay by department?

Best paying Northwestern University research & development salaries

RankPositionAverage Northwestern University salaryHourly rate
1Laboratory Manager$74,525$35.83
2Postdoctoral Scholar$60,447$29.06
3Research Associate$59,591$28.65
4PHD Researcher$58,014$27.89
5Doctoral Fellow$57,595$27.69
6Laboratory Technician$55,920$26.88
7Graduate Student Assistant$55,233$26.55
8Study Coordinator$50,509$24.28
9Research Assistant$49,187$23.65
10Graduate Researcher$39,047$18.77

Best paying Northwestern University education salaries

RankPositionAverage Northwestern University salaryHourly rate
1Economics Teacher$152,138$73.14
2Associate Professor$119,151$57.28
3Adjunct Faculty$110,188$52.98
4Assistant Professor$107,525$51.69
5Science Teacher$85,606$41.16
6Instructor$76,097$36.59
7Director Of Student Affairs$75,038$36.08
8Librarian$69,215$33.28
9Strength And Conditioning Internship$65,804$31.64
10Education Program Manager$63,985$30.76
11Lecturer$61,307$29.47
12Peer Advisor$58,590$28.17
13Personal Coach$56,376$27.10
14Teaching Fellow$55,311$26.59
15Teaching Assistant$52,499$25.24
16Student Coordinator$51,054$24.55
17Tutor$37,777$18.16
18Peer Mentor$29,703$14.28

Best paying Northwestern University administrative salaries

RankPositionAverage Northwestern University salaryHourly rate
1Caller$74,598$35.86
2Business Administrator$64,856$31.18
3Administrative Coordinator$53,109$25.53
4Department Administrator$52,230$25.11
5Administrative Assistant$49,260$23.68
6Data Entry Associate$48,085$23.12
7Secretary$44,631$21.46
8Receptionist$40,600$19.52
9Office Assistant$36,640$17.62
10Mail Clerk$34,912$16.78
11Office Clerk$34,188$16.44
12Front Desk Staff$33,287$16.00
13Clerical Aide$31,629$15.21
14Student Internship$29,422$14.15
15Student Worker$25,461$12.24

Northwestern University competitors’ average salaries

Average salaries at Northwestern University competitors, like Stanford University, New York University, and Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, vary. Stanford University employees earn the highest salaries, with an average yearly salary of $78,439. The average salary at New York University is $73,429 per year, and the average salary at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai is $72,919 per year.

Highest paying Northwestern University competitors

Recently added Northwestern University salaries

JobLocationDate addedSalary
Pediatric PsychologistChicago, IL05/29/2025$127,500
Child and Adolescent PsychiatristChicago, IL05/29/2025$262,000
Pediatric NeuropsychologistChicago, IL05/29/2025$127,500
Clinical Research CoordinatorChicago, IL05/29/2025$60,000
Research Project ManagerChicago, IL05/29/2025$63,079

What employees say about salary at Northwestern University

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A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2023
Pros of working at Northwestern University

Positive attitude of management.

Cons of working at Northwestern University

Under Appreciation Favoritism

Northwestern University benefits

Tuition benefits

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Zippia gives an in-depth look into the details of Northwestern University, including salaries, political affiliations, employee data, and more, in order to inform job seekers about Northwestern University. The employee data is based on information from people who have self-reported their past or current employments at Northwestern University. The data on this page is also based on data sources collected from public and open data sources on the Internet and other locations, as well as proprietary data we licensed from other companies. Sources of data may include, but are not limited to, the BLS, company filings, estimates based on those filings, H1B filings, and other public and private datasets. While we have made attempts to ensure that the information displayed are correct, Zippia is not responsible for any errors or omissions or for the results obtained from the use of this information. None of the information on this page has been provided or approved by Northwestern University. The data presented on this page does not represent the view of Northwestern University and its employees or that of Zippia.

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