Big Ten Universities

Various postsecondary institutions in the US are members of several different conferences, including athletic ones. As far as football goes, the Big Ten Conference, or also known as Big Ten Universities, is one of the oldest and most popular.

The Big Ten Universities, despite its name, consists of 14 member schools, all of which are some of the most highly ranked research universities in the nation.

Founded in 1896, the conference is older than its regulating institution, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), which came into being in 1906.

Here are the ten original members of the Big Ten Universities:

• Indiana University
• Michigan State University
• Northwestern University
• Ohio State University
• Purdue University
• University of Illinois
• University of Iowa
• University of Michigan
• University of Minnesota
• University of Wisconsin

It’s worth noting that the University of Chicago was one of the founding members of the Big Ten Universities, but it formally withdrew from the conference in 1946. Michigan State University was added to the group in 1949.

Since 1990 and onward, the following institutions became Big Ten members:

• Pennsylvania State University
• Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey
• University of Maryland
• University of Nebraska

In this post, we’ll look at each of the large research institutions of higher education that are a part of the Big Ten Conference, according to selectivity level — from the hardest to get into to the easiest to get into.

Northwestern University

• Location: Evanston, Illinois
• Campus size: 231 acres
• Acceptance rate: 7%
• Tuition and fees: $65,997
• Retention rate: 98%
• Graduation rate: 95%
• Alumni starting salary: $66,776
• Year of membership into the conference: 1896

Founded in 1851, Northwestern University is the oldest chartered university in the state of Illinois. It’s also the only private research institution in the Big Ten Conference — all the rest are public schools.

NU has 22,732 students as of this writing, only around 38% of whom are pursuing undergraduate degrees.

Speaking of which, undergraduate students attending NU can choose from more than 40 minors and 80 plus majors, some of the most popular of which include:

• Economics
• Digital communication and multimedia
• Psychology
• Biology
• Political science and government
• Communications
• Computer science

A student’s high school GPA is a very important criterion in the admissions process. Unfortunately, NU does not publish the average GPA of admitted first-time, first-year students.

However, it says that 96% of admitted freshmen students graduated in the top 10% of their high school class.

Other than the GPA and class rank, the following also have the most weight in the review process:

• Rigor of high school record
• Application essay
• Letter of recommendation
• Extracurricular activities
• Talent
• Personal qualities

University of Michigan

• Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
• Campus size: 3,207 acres
• Acceptance rate: 18%
• In-state tuition and fees: $17,786
• Out-of-state tuition and fees: $57,273
• Retention rate: 97%
• Graduation rate: 94%
• Alumni starting salary: $59,818

Year of membership into the conference: 1896 and also in 1917 after withdrawing in 1908

Ranked #21 in National Universities 2024, #3 in Top Public Schools 2024 by US News, the University of Michigan is one of the founding members of the Big Ten Conference.

UMich came into being in 1817, which makes it the oldest university in the state of Michigan.

The public research institution is the largest, too — currently, it’s being attended by 51,225 students, of whom around 64% are undergraduates and about 35% are students from minority groups.

Freshmen students who are admitted to UMich have an average high school GPA of 3.9. Their SAT and ACT scores, on the other hand, range from 1350 to 1530 and 31 to 34, respectively. The institution is a test-optional school.

Its massive campus with a city setting is home to 19 colleges and schools, all of which are offering a total of 250 degree programs. Students can also choose from over 1,600 registered student clubs and organizations.

There are 85 plus majors available at UMich, and the following are some of the most popular:

• Information science
• Economics
• Business
• Research and experimental psychology
• Mechanical engineering
• Communications
• Political science and government

University of Maryland

• Location: College Park, Maryland
• Campus size: 1,340 acres
• Acceptance rate: 44%
• In-state tuition and fees: $11,505
• Out-of-state tuition and fees: $40,306
• Retention rate: 95%
• Graduation rate: 88%
• Alumni starting salary: $52,665
• Year of membership into the conference: 2014

Other than being the flagship school of the University System of Maryland, the University of Maryland is also the largest institution in Maryland as well as the greater Washington DC area.

Almost 92% of admitted freshmen students have an average high school GPA of 4.0. Meanwhile, around 66% of them graduated in the top 10% of their high school class.

Various factors are considered in the admissions process at UMD, except for the following:

• Interview
• Alumni relation
• Religious affiliation
• Demonstrated interest

Currently, the public research university, which was founded in 1856, has more than 40,790 students — approximately 74% of whom are undergraduates and about 51% are minority students.

The following are some of the most popular among UMD’s 100 plus majors:

• Computer science
• Information science
• Biology
• Economics
• Public health
• Finance
• Psychology
• Criminology
• Mechanical engineering

Around 38% of the students attending UMD receive financial aid, each one receiving an average of $13,412. Around 65% of the demonstrated need of those who receive such are met.

University of Illinois

• Location: Champaign, Illinois
• Campus size: 1,783 acres
• Acceptance rate: 45%
• In-state tuition and fees: $17,572
• Out-of-state tuition and fees: $36,068
• Retention rate: 94%
• Graduation rate: 85%
• Alumni starting salary: $50,616
• Year of membership into the conference: 1896

Ranked #9 in Top Party Schools in America 2024 and #1 in Top Party Schools in Illinois 2024 by Niche, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is the flagship school of the entire University of Illinois system.

U of I consists of 15 colleges and schools, including highly ranked ones like:

• College of Business
• College of Engineering
• College of Law
• Department of Psychology
• School of Information Sciences

The average high school GPA of admitted first-time, first-year students isn’t published by U of I, although it’s one of the most important academic factors considered in the review process.

Other important criteria the public research institution’s admissions officers consider include:

• Rigor of secondary school record
• Standardized test scores (if submitted)
• Application essay
• Extracurricular activities
• Talent
• Personal qualities
• First generation

Students attending U of I can choose from more than 800 clubs, 30 cultural organizations as well as 49 fraternities and 38 sororities — less than 20% of all undergraduates are members of those.

On the other hand, they can choose from over 90 majors, some of the most popular of which are:

• Research and experimental psychology
• Computer hardware and engineering
• Economics
• Statistics
• Accounting
• Cellular biology
• Communications
• Computer science

University of Wisconsin

• Location: Madison, Wisconsin
• Campus size: 936 acres
• Acceptance rate: 49%
• In-state tuition and fees: $11,205
• Out-of-state tuition and fees: $40,603
• Retention rate: 94%
• Graduation rate: 89%
• Alumni starting salary: $50,967
• Year of membership into the conference: 1848

Founded in 1848 just when Wisconsin attained statehood, the University of Wisconsin – Madison is considered the official state university of Wisconsin. It’s also the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin system.

The high school GPA of admitted freshmen students is 3.8.

UW-Madison is a test-optional school. But for reference purposes, the SAT and ACT scores of admits who chose to submit their standardized test scores range from 1350 to 1510 and 28 to 33, respectively.

Its campus is home to 13 colleges and schools and 49,880 plus students, around 75% of whom are undergraduates. On the other hand, about 24% of the public research university’s attendees are from minority groups.

Undergrads can choose from 145 majors, and the following are some of the most popular:

• Information science
• Economics
• Biology
• Psychology
• Political science and government
• Environmental science
• Mathematics

Around 31% of the students attending UW-Madison receive financial aid, each one receiving an average package of $20,697. Meanwhile, approximately 81% of the demonstrated need of those who receive such are met.

Ohio State University

• Location: Columbus, Ohio
• Campus size: 1,714 acres
• Acceptance rate: 53%
• In-state tuition and fees: $12,485
• Out-of-state tuition and fees: $36,722
• Retention rate: 93%
• Graduation rate: 88%
• Alumni starting salary: $45,201
• Year of membership into the conference: 1912

The last institution to be added to the original ten schools of the Big Ten Universities, the Ohio State University was founded in 1870 and became the ninth university in the state of Ohio.

While the high school GPA is a very important criterion in the admissions process, OSU does not publish the average GPA of admitted freshmen. It does reveal, however, that around 64% of them graduated in the top 10% of their class.

Other factors with the most weight in the review process include:

• Rigor of secondary school record
• Class rank
• Standardized test scores (if submitted)
• Application essay
• Extracurricular activities
• Talent
• First generation
• Volunteer work
• Work experience

All unmarried full-time students at OSU are required to reside on campus for the first two years.

Undergraduate students, which make up around 76% of the institution’s entire population, can choose from more than 1,400 clubs and organizations as well as 100 plus majors, the most popular of which include:

• Finance
• Psychology
• Communications
• Computer hardware engineering
• Biology
• Marketing
• Accounting
• Medical assistance

OSU is ranked #20 in Top Party Schools in America 2024 and #2 in Top Party Schools in Ohio 2022 by Niche.

Purdue University

• Location: West Lafayette, Indiana
• Campus size: 2,468 acres
• Acceptance rate: 53%
• In-state tuition and fees: $9,992
• Out-of-state tuition and fees: $28,794
• Retention rate: 91%
• Graduation rate: 83%
• Alumni starting salary: $56,360
• Year of membership into the conference: 1896

Ranked #43 in National Universities 2024 and #17 in Top Public Schools 2024 by US News, Purdue University was founded in 1869 and named after a businessman who donated land for the creation of a science, technology and agriculture school.

Currently, it has 13 colleges and schools, including prestigious ones such as:

• College of Education
• College of Engineering
• College of Pharmacy
• Krannert School of Management

Undergraduate students, which make up around 75% of its 50,880 plus attendees, can choose from over 130 minors and more than 100 majors, some of the most popular of which include:

• Business
• Computer science
• Mechanical engineering
• Industrial engineering
• Aerospace engineering
• Computer hardware engineering
• Information technology
• Research and experimental psychology
• Finance

Purdue has a rolling admissions policy and admitted freshmen students have an average GPA of 3.7. Around 53% of them, meanwhile, graduated in the top 10% of their high school class.

Among the various admissions criteria, the following have the most weight:

• Rigor of secondary school record
• High school GPA
• Test scores

Speaking of which, starting from the fall 2024 applicants, SAT and ACT scores must be submitted.

Many other factors are taken into account in the admissions process, with the exception of alumni interview, relationship to an alumni member and religious affiliation.

By the way, Purdue is one of the founding members of the Big Ten Conference.

Pennsylvania State University

• Location: University Park, Pennsylvania
• Campus size: 7,958 acres
• Acceptance rate: 55%
• In-state tuition and fees: $19,835
• Out-of-state tuition and fees: $38,651
• Retention rate: 93%
• Graduation rate: 73%
• Alumni starting salary: $50,100
• Year of membership into the conference: 1990

After over 40 years of having only ten members, the Big Ten Conference added Pennsylvania State University to its roster, thus making the public research university the eleventh member.

Students at Penn State can choose from over 500 clubs as well as 40 plus fraternities and nearly 30 sororities — Niche ranks it #10 in Best Greek Life Colleges in America 2024 and #1 in Best Greek Life Colleges in Pennsylvania 2024.

Undergraduates, meanwhile, can choose from more than 275 majors, and some of the most popular are:

• Information science
• Computer and information systems security
• Mechanical engineering
• Business
• Biology
• Psychology
• Accounting
• Finance
• Economics
• Nursing

The average high school GPA of admitted first-time, first-year students is 3.7. Meanwhile, their SAT and ACT scores range from 1210 to 1390 and 26 to 31. Penn State, by the way, is a test-optional school.

Approximately 40% of the students attending Penn State receive financial aid, each one receiving an average package of $10,491. Meanwhile, about 63% of the demonstrated need of those who receive such are met.

Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey

• Location: Piscataway, New Jersey
• Campus size: 2,656 acres
• Acceptance rate: 66%
• In-state tuition and fees: $17,239
• Out-of-state tuition and fees: $36,001
• Retention rate: 92%
• Graduation rate: 84%
• Alumni starting salary: $49,190
• Year of membership into the conference: 2014

When it was chartered in 1766, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey was referred to as Queen’s College. It’s also one of the nine US colonial colleges established prior to the American Revolution.

Together with the University of Maryland, Rutgers was the last one to be admitted to the Big Ten Universities.

As of this writing, it has 50,637 attendees, of which 59% are minorities and 72% are undergraduates.

Speaking of which, undergraduates at Rutgers can choose from 150 plus majors, the most popular of which are:

• Information science
• Economics
• Finance
• Biology
• Psychology
• Communications
• Human resources
• Public health
• Nursing

High school GPA is one of the very important admissions factors together with academic rigor and test scores (if submitted), although the public research university refuses to publish the average GPA of admitted freshmen students.

Class rank and application essay are considered, too, but with less weight.

The only factors that Rutgers’ admissions officers do not take into account are the following:

• Letters of recommendation
• Alumni relation
• Religious affiliation
• Demonstrated interest

Rutgers is ranked by US News #40 in National Universities 2024 and #15 in Top Public Schools 2024. Meanwhile, Niche ranks it #33 in Top Public Universities in America 2024 and #1 in Top Party Schools in New Jersey 2024.

University of Minnesota

• Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
• Campus size: 1,204 acres
• Acceptance rate: 75%
• In-state tuition and fees: $16,488
• Out-of-state tuition and fees: $36,402
• Retention rate: 90%
• Graduation rate: 84%
• Alumni starting salary: $45,291
• Year of membership into the conference: 1848

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is one of the founding members of the Big Ten Conference. Other than being the University of Minnesota system’s oldest and largest campus, it’s also the US’ ninth-largest as far as enrollment goes.

Currently, its large urban campus is being shared by 54,955 students, around 71% of whom are undergrads.

U of M’s attendees can choose from more than 1,000 official clubs and organizations as well as over 46 fraternities and sororities, which has 2,500 plus members — Niche ranks U of M #1 in Best Greek Life Colleges in Minnesota 2024.

Meanwhile, there are almost 300 majors undergraduates can choose from, the most popular of which include:

• Psychology
• Liberal arts and humanities
• Computer science
• Economics
• Biology
• Finance
• Journalism
• Political science and government
• Mathematics
• Education

There is no hard deadline applicants must meet given that U of M has a rolling admissions policy.

The average high school GPA of the most recently admitted first-time, first-year students isn’t published by U of M, although it indicates that nearly 41% of them graduated in the top 10% of their class.

Speaking of which, class rank is a very important admissions factor. The same is true with high school GPA and rigor of secondary school record. Various other criteria are taken into account, too, but with less weight.

The only factors U of M’s admissions officers do not consider are interview and demonstrated interest.

University of Nebraska

• Location: Lincoln, Nebraska
• Campus size: 861 acres
• Acceptance rate: 79%
• In-state tuition and fees: $10,108
• Out-of-state tuition and fees: $27,748
• Retention rate: 82%
• Graduation rate: 66%
• Alumni starting salary: $42,368
• Year of membership into the conference: 2011

The University of Nebraska – Lincoln was the 12th institution that became a member of the Big Ten University.

Founded in 1869, UNL is the flagship campus of the University of Nebraska system as well as the oldest university in Nebraska — it has more than 23,800 students as of this writing, around 81% of whom are undergraduates.

Freshmen students admitted have an average high school GPA of 3.6 — around 17% of them have a GPA of 4.0, and about 31% graduated in the top 10% of their high school class.

UNL’s admissions officers consider only the following criteria when reviewing applications:

• Rigor of secondary school record
• Class rank
• High school GPA
• Test scores (if submitted)

So, in other words, the rest such as application essay, recommendations and extracurriculars mean nothing.

Undergraduate students can also choose from more than 150 majors, some of the most popular of which include:

• Business
• Psychology
• Finance
• Public relations
• Marketing
• Food, nutrition and wellness studies
• Family studies and consumer sciences
• Information science
• Mechanical engineering
• Biology

Around 41% of the students attending UNL receive financial aid, each one receiving an average of $16,278. Approximately 68% of the demonstrated need of those who receive such, meanwhile, are met.

Indiana University

• Location: Bloomington, Indiana
• Campus size: 1,953 acres
• Acceptance rate: 82%
• In-state tuition and fees: $11,790
• Out-of-state tuition and fees: $40,482
• Retention rate: 90%
• Graduation rate: 81%
• Alumni starting salary: $45,746
• Year of membership into the conference: 1899

There are 16 colleges and schools, plus the Hutton Honors College, on the massive city campus of Indiana University – Bloomington. It’s also home to a little more than 47,000 students, around 75% of whom are undergraduates.

Speaking of which, IU Bloomington’s undergraduates can choose from over 200 majors, the most popular of which are:

• Business
• Public administration
• Biology
• Computer and information sciences
• Computer science
• Kinesiology and exercise science
• Communications
• Liberal arts and humanities
• Public health

It has a rolling admissions policy, and 3.8 is the average high school GPA of admitted freshmen students.

Around 31% of them also graduated in the top 10% of their class — IU Bloomington’s admissions officers consider class rank a very important factor in the review process.

The following are not taken into account in admissions:

• Alumni relation
• Religious affiliation
• Demonstrated interest

Founded in 1820, IU Bloomington started as a state seminary. It acquired its current name in 1838 and it’s the flagship campus (and also the largest in terms of enrollment) of the Indiana University system.

University of Iowa

• Location: Iowa City, Iowa
• Campus size: 2,122 acres
• Acceptance rate: 86%
• In-state tuition and fees: $10,964
• Out-of-state tuition and fees: $32,927
• Retention rate: 89%
• Graduation rate: 74%
• Alumni starting salary: $44,564
• Year of membership into the conference: 1899

The University of Iowa, which was founded in 1847, is the oldest university in the state of Iowa. It’s also one of the founding members of the Big Ten Conference.

There are 12 colleges and schools on U of I’s massive city campus, which is also currently being shared by 30,015 enrollees — of whom around 73% are undergraduates and approximately 21% are minority students.

Here are the most important academic criteria in the public research institution’s admissions process:

• Rigor of secondary school record
• Class rank
• High school GPA
• Test scores (if submitted)

U of I does not consider application essay. While its admissions officers take letters of recommendation into consideration, they do not carry as much weight as the ones mentioned above.

Please take note that while U of I is test-optional, it highly encourages applicants to submit their test scores.

More than 600 clubs and organizations are available for students to choose from. Undergraduate attendees, meanwhile, have 200 plus majors to choose from, and here are some of the most popular:

• Business
• Kinesiology and exercise science
• Liberal arts and humanities
• Finance
• Psychology
• Marketing
• Nursing
• Communications
• English

Michigan State University

• Location: East Lansing, Michigan
• Campus size: 5,192 acres
• Acceptance rate: 88%
• In-state tuition and fees: $15,372
• Out-of-state tuition and fees: $41,958
• Retention rate: 89%
• Graduation rate: 82%
• Alumni starting salary: $47,200
• Year of membership into the conference: 1949

There was a time when the Big Ten Universities were only nine schools — the University of Chicago, which was one of the founding members of the conference, officially withdrew its membership in 1946.

But then Michigan State University was added to the group, making it a ten-school association all over again.

Ranked #60 in National Universities 2024 and #28 in Top Public Schools 2024 by US News, MSU was founded in 1855, and back then it was known as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan.

The average high school GPA of admitted freshmen students is 3.8.

On the other hand, their SAT scores range from 1100 to 1340 and their ACT scores range from 24 to 30. It’s worth pointing out that MSU is test-optional, and its admissions officers will consider test scores in the review process only if submitted.

Other than the GPA, also a very important criterion in admissions is the application essay. And unlike most large public institutions, the admissions office of MSU considers demonstrated interest when evaluating applications.

The following are some of the most popular among the over 400 majors at MSU:

• Advertising
• Communications
• Biology
• Psychology
• Kinesiology and exercise science
• Economics
• Finance
• Information Science
• Mechanical engineering