D1 swimming · Big Ten
Northwestern University Men's Swimming
Evanston, IL
Competition level
Conf. finish
4th
NCAA finish
26th
Roster event summaries
Current 2025-26 roster percentiles. Recorded times are event-specific roster facts, not coach-issued recruiting cuts.
| Event | Recorded times | Top quarter | Roster median | Lower-quarter line |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 200 Fly | 6 | 1:44.38 | 1:45.08 | 1:46.77 |
| 100 Breast | 7 | 53.34 | 53.48 | 54.15 |
| 1000 Free | 5 | 9:09.10 | 9:10.60 | 9:15.89 |
| 400 IM | 5 | 3:42.57 | 3:46.46 | 3:53.01 |
| 200 Breast | 7 | 1:55.79 | 1:57.31 | 2:00.52 |
| 50 Free | 16 | 19.99 | 20.47 | 21.14 |
| 500 Free | 7 | 4:18.89 | 4:26.11 | 4:29.03 |
| 200 Back | 7 | 1:39.47 | 1:43.95 | 1:48.19 |
| 200 IM | 8 | 1:45.73 | 1:47.33 | 1:52.80 |
| 100 Free | 14 | 43.23 | 44.73 | 45.53 |
| 100 Back | 5 | 45.37 | 45.86 | 46.14 |
| 200 Free | 14 | 1:35.89 | 1:38.47 | 1:39.18 |
| 100 Fly | 16 | 46.45 | 47.75 | 50.64 |
| 1650 Free | 4 | 15:28.97 | 15:29.16 | 15:32.06 |
Short-course yards. Events with fewer than four current swimmers with a recorded time are omitted from this summary.
Program identity
Division
D1
Conference
Big Ten
Type
Private · City
Roster health
Roster
28
Seniors
4
Intl
11%
Academics and cost
Acceptance
8%
6-yr grad
97%
Tuition
$68.3K
Academics
Northwestern is among the most selective schools in the country, with admit rates around 8%.
US News: #7 National
Selectivity
Very Selective
SAT range
1510–1570
ACT range
33–35
Median earnings
$77K
Next steps
Continue the research
Use the team facts on this page as the starting point, then compare the same event, conference, and academic priorities.
Frequently asked questions
How competitive is Northwestern's swim program?
Northwestern's swim program competes at the NCAA Championship level. The team finished 4th at the B1G Conference Championships (M) in 2025–26 and qualified 1 swimmer for NCAA D1 Championships.
What times do I need to make Northwestern's swim team?
Roster times vary by event, but a swimmer aiming for Northwestern's roster typically needs to be near or below 200 Fly (1:46.77), 100 Breast (54.15), 1000 Free (9:15.89) — the top 75% of the current roster. Use the roster event-times table above to compare the full current team by event.
Does Northwestern recruit internationally?
Yes. 10.7% of Northwestern's current roster is international (3 of 28 swimmers from outside the USA). The program has swimmers from Australia, Israel, and Hungary.
What's the academic profile at Northwestern?
Northwestern's acceptance rate is 8%, the school is ranked #7 National by US News, the 6-year graduation rate is 97%, median earnings 6 years after graduation are $77K.
How many swimmers does Northwestern send to NCAAs?
In the 2025–26 season, Northwestern sent 1 swimmer to NCAA D1 Championships. Qualifiers competed in events including 1650 Free and 500 Free.