How should I compare the net cost of Northwestern University and UCLA?

Compare the actual four-year out-of-pocket cost shown by each financial-aid offer, not Northwestern’s private-school sticker price versus UCLA’s in-state tuition. As a California resident, UCLA’s base tuition and fees are substantially lower, but Northwestern may narrow the difference significantly if its need-based grant is larger. Northwestern and UCLA can also package aid differently, especially in the amounts of grants, student loans, work-study, and expected family contribution.

Start with each school’s cost of attendance, then subtract only gift aid: university grants, federal or state grants, Cal Grant if awarded, and outside scholarships that can be applied without reducing institutional aid. Treat loans as money you must repay and work-study as an opportunity to earn wages, not an automatic discount. The resulting figure is the amount your family must cover through savings, current income, payment plans, borrowing, or actual student earnings.

Make the comparison using the same expense categories for both schools: tuition and fees, housing and food, books, health insurance if applicable, travel home, and personal expenses. UCLA’s Los Angeles location may create different transportation and housing considerations than Evanston, while Northwestern’s award may include assumptions about costs that do not match your plans.

Then check whether each grant is renewable, what academic or enrollment conditions apply, whether aid is likely to change if family finances stay similar, and how outside scholarships affect the package. Build a four-year estimate, including likely tuition increases and the total projected borrowing, rather than deciding based only on first-year cost. If a family circumstance is not reflected in the FAFSA or CSS Profile information used for the award, submit a documented financial-aid appeal to the relevant school.