WashU vs. Northwestern: Which offers better access to Chicago careers?

Northwestern offers a practical advantage for building a Chicago-based career, especially through academic-year internships, frequent networking, and on-campus access to local employers. Evanston is directly connected to Chicago by public transit, so students can attend employer events, alumni meetings, and part-time internships in the city without treating them as a major trip.

The biggest difference is convenience during the school year. A Northwestern student can realistically interview downtown, work at a Chicago organization, or attend an evening industry event while remaining enrolled full time. That repeated in-person exposure makes it easier to build relationships before senior-year recruiting, rather than relying primarily on summer internships.

Northwestern’s Chicago-area alumni network is another tangible asset. Alumni events, student organizations, faculty connections, and employer-sponsored programming are concentrated in the region, and some Northwestern professional schools also expand the university’s visibility in Chicago. This does not mean every student automatically has an easier job search, but it creates more opportunities to meet people who hire in the city.

WashU can still lead to a Chicago job, particularly through strong academics, summer internships, alumni outreach, and national recruiting. Many employers recruit there, and a student who uses summers strategically in Chicago can be competitive. But from St. Louis, Chicago networking and semester-time internships require more planning, travel, and expense, so Northwestern has the clearer edge for someone who already knows Chicago is the target market.