How many employees work at Northwestern University?
Northwestern University has approximately 56,006 total employees worldwide as of March 2026, according to Revelio Labs workforce intelligence data. Northwestern University’s total headcount has grown 7.9% from 51,920 employees in 2023 to 56,006 in 2026.
Is Northwestern University hiring right now?
Yes, Northwestern University is actively hiring. Northwestern University had 3,617 active job postings in 2026, a 21.0% increase from 2025 — see job openings & hiring trends.
About Northwestern University’s Workforce
Northwestern University is an Education Services company that employs 56,006 people worldwide as of March 2026. It is the 2nd-largest by headcount among its peers. Founded in 1851, the company is headquartered in Evanston, Illinois.
Northwestern University's workforce has grown 7.9% from 2023 to 2026, though it is down 1.7% year over year in 2026. Its workforce is concentrated most in North America (98.1%), followed by Arab States (0.5%) and Sub-Saharan Africa (0.4%).
Northwestern University's functional groups are Finance and Operations (61.1%), Engineering (21.2%), and Sales and Marketing (17.7%), with Finance and Operations growing fastest (up 0.6%). The average salary is $92,880, ranging from a median of $81,000 in North America to $5,000 in South Asia, up 1.1% year over year in 2026.
Northwestern University's active job postings rose 21.0% in 2026 to 3,617, with new postings per month cooling from 2,290 in 2023 to 1,929 in 2026. Overall employee sentiment is neutral but declining.
Sourced from Revelio Labs workforce data.
- Headquarters
- Evanston, Illinois
- Founded
- 1851
- Industry
- Education Services
- Employees
- 56,006
- YoY
- -1.7% (+509)
As of March 2026
Northwestern University workforce metrics
Unlock hiring rate, attrition rate, and 12 additional workforce metrics for Northwestern University. Compare to peers, export the dataset, and access the full quarterly history.
Unlock MetricsNorthwestern University Annual Employee Count (2023-2026)
- Northwestern University had 56,006 employees in 2026, a 1.7% decline (+509) from 2025.
- Northwestern University had 55,895 employees in 2025, a 1.7% decline (+510) from 2024.
- Northwestern University had 55,385 employees in 2024, a 0.3% decline (+1,262) from 2023.
- Northwestern University had 54,123 employees in 2023, a 0.7% increase (+2,543) from 2022.
Northwestern University's total workforce has grown from 51,920 employees in 2023 to 56,006 in 2026.
Northwestern University quarterly employee count
| Year | Qtr | Employees | YoY Change | YoY % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Q1 | 56,006 | +509 | -1.7% |
| 2025 | Q4 | 55,895 | +510 | -1.7% |
| 2025 | Q3 | 55,761 | +428 | -1.6% |
| 2025 | Q2 | 54,965 | +907 | -1.0% |
| 2025 | Q1 | 55,497 | +1,189 | -0.6% |
| 2024 | Q4 | 55,385 | +1,262 | -0.3% |
| 2024 | Q3 | 55,333 | +1,944 | +0.2% |
| 2024 | Q2 | 54,058 | +2,138 | +0.4% |
| 2024 | Q1 | 54,308 | +2,277 | +0.5% |
| 2023 | Q4 | 54,123 | +2,543 | +0.7% |
| 2023 | Q3 | 53,389 | +2,204 | +0.6% |
| 2023 | Q2 | 51,920 | +2,206 | +1.0% |
See Northwestern University's complete headcount history, including quarterly breakdowns.
Get the DataNorthwestern University Employee Count by Region (2026)
North America accounts for the largest share of Northwestern University's global workforce with approximately 98% of total employees, followed by Arab States and Sub-Saharan Africa.
Northwestern University employees by region
| Region | Employees | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| North America | 54,316 | 98.1% |
| Arab States | 285 | 0.5% |
| Sub-Saharan Africa | 222 | 0.4% |
| South Asia | 149 | 0.3% |
| East Asia | 120 | 0.2% |
| Northern Europe | 57 | 0.1% |
| Western Europe | 46 | 0.1% |
| Southeast Asia | 44 | 0.1% |
| Central America and the Caribbean | 42 | 0.1% |
| South America | 31 | 0.1% |
Drill into city-level data, hiring trends by region, and historic geographic shifts.
Unlock Geographic DataNorthwestern University Employee Count by Department (2026)
Northwestern University's employee groups are Finance and Operations (61.1%), Engineering (21.2%), and Sales and Marketing (17.7%).
Northwestern University employees by department
| Department | Employees | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Finance and Operations | 34,094 | 61.1% |
| Engineering | 11,834 | 21.2% |
| Sales and Marketing | 9,885 | 17.7% |
Compare Northwestern University's department mix to industry peers.
See Full DataNorthwestern University Employee Salary by Region (2026)
Northwestern University's average employee salary is $92,880 globally. Employees in North America receive the highest compensation. Pay is lowest in South Asia, at a median of $5,000.
Northwestern University median employee salary by region (USD)
| Region | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| North America | $81,000 |
| Western Europe | $76,000 |
| Pacific Islands | $56,000 |
| Northern Europe | $47,000 |
| Central and Western Asia | $36,000 |
| Southern Europe | $34,000 |
| Arab States | $30,000 |
| East Asia | $27,000 |
| Eastern Europe | $24,000 |
| South America | $21,000 |
| Southeast Asia | $16,000 |
| Central America and the Caribbean | $11,000 |
| Sub-Saharan Africa | $8,000 |
| North Africa | $7,000 |
| South Asia | $5,000 |
Unlock salary by role, level, and city — and compare to Northwestern University's industry peers.
Unlock Salary DataNorthwestern University Job Openings and Hiring Trends (2023-2026)
- Northwestern University had 3,617 active job postings in 2026, a 21.0% increase (+652) from 2025.
- Northwestern University had 2,965 active job postings in 2025, a 3.6% increase (+104) from 2024.
- Northwestern University had 2,861 active job postings in 2024, a 27.7% decline (-920) from 2023.
- Northwestern University had 3,781 active job postings in 2023, a 15.3% decline from 2022.
- Hiring velocity in 2026: 1,929 new roles/month, up from 1,649 in 2025 and 1,718 in 2024.
Northwestern University's active job postings rose 21.0% in 2026 to 3,617, with new postings per month cooling from 2,290 in 2023 to 1,929 in 2026.
Track new postings per month, role-level demand, and hiring velocity vs. peers.
Unlock Hiring DataNorthwestern University Employee Sentiment (2026)
Revelio Labs tracks employee sentiment across Northwestern University's workforce based on public professional data. Overall sentiment is neutral and has declined year over year in 2026.
Overall
Unlock the full sentiment breakdown by department, tenure, and trend over time.
Unlock SentimentSimilar Companies
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Frequently Asked Questions About Northwestern University
- How fast is Northwestern University growing?
- In 2026, Northwestern University's headcount shrank 1.7% to 56,006 employees, up from 55,497 in 2025.
- See the full headcount history
- Where are Northwestern University employees located?
- Most Northwestern University employees are based in North America (98.1% of headcount), followed by Arab States and Sub-Saharan Africa.
- Explore where the workforce is based
- What is the average salary at Northwestern University?
- The average employee salary at Northwestern University is approximately $92.9k per year.
- Analyze the salary distribution
- How many new job postings does Northwestern University open per year?
- In Q1 2026, Northwestern University opened 5,786 new job postings. In 2025, Northwestern University opened 19,791 new job postings — about 1,649 per month.
- Track hiring trends by role
- When was Northwestern University founded and where is it headquartered?
- Northwestern University was founded in 1851 and is headquartered in Evanston, Illinois.
- Compare Northwestern University to industry peers
Speak with a workforce expert about Northwestern University.
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