Itemized  ·  Compare  ·  Northwestern Memorial Hospital vs University of Chicago Medical Center

Northwestern Memorial Hospital vs University of Chicago Medical Center.

Side-by-side prices for 39 procedures both hospitals publish, plus CMS quality ratings and metro context. Pulled from each hospital's federally-mandated price transparency file. University of Chicago Medical Center is cheaper on more procedures (19 vs 11).

Northwestern Memorial Hospital
Chicago, IL
Northwestern Medicine
5/5 CMS
Cheaper on 11 of 39 procedures
vs.
University of Chicago Medical Center
Chicago, IL
UChicago Medicine
4/5 CMS
Cheaper on 19 of 39 procedures

Head-to-head, by procedure.

Procedure Northwestern University Cheaper
Brain MRI without contrast $3,887 $4,097 Northwestern ↓
Brain MRI with and without contrast $5,385 $7,132 Northwestern ↓
Lumbar spine MRI without contrast $3,837 $5,558 Northwestern ↓
Knee/lower-extremity MRI without contrast $3,835 $4,638 Northwestern ↓
CT abdomen and pelvis with contrast $6,049 $5,839 University ↓
Abdominal ultrasound, complete $1,772 $399 University ↓
Mammogram, screening $524 $614 Northwestern ↓
DXA bone density scan $637 $136 University ↓
Chest X-ray, single view $538 $345 University ↓
Comprehensive metabolic panel $307 $101 University ↓
Lipid panel $184 $128 University ↓
CBC with differential $78 $75 University ↓
TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) $162 $37 University ↓
Hemoglobin A1c $117 $92 University ↓
Urinalysis $22 $116 Northwestern ↓
Knee arthroscopy with meniscectomy $4,871 — tie
Total knee replacement $34,606 — tie
Total hip replacement $34,606 — tie
Laparoscopic cholecystectomy $15,823 — tie
Inguinal hernia repair, open $4,658 — tie
Cataract surgery, one eye $6,722 — tie
Colonoscopy, diagnostic $2,525 $2,790 Northwestern ↓
Colonoscopy with polyp removal $4,094 $3,949 University ↓
Upper endoscopy (EGD) with biopsy $3,218 $2,569 University ↓
Echocardiogram, complete with Doppler $3,278 $5,935 Northwestern ↓
Office visit, established patient, level 3 $151 $58 University ↓
Office visit, established patient, level 4 $165 $197 Northwestern ↓
Carpal tunnel release $12,723 $3,826 University ↓
Lumbar epidural steroid injection $2,570 $1,211 University ↓
Polysomnography (sleep study) $3,990 $388 University ↓
Septoplasty (deviated septum repair) $4,229 — tie
Total abdominal hysterectomy $48,384 — tie
Thyroid ultrasound $1,343 $408 University ↓
New patient office visit, level 3 $380 $52 University ↓
New patient office visit, level 4 $438 $360 University ↓
Ureteroscopy with lithotripsy (kidney stone) $35,981 — tie
Prostate biopsy $5,029 $1,908 University ↓
Carotid duplex ultrasound $2,337 $2,755 Northwestern ↓
Psychotherapy, 45 minutes $134 $225 Northwestern ↓

Patient experience.

CMS HCAHPS patient survey, period ending 03/31/2025. Bold = higher score.

Measure Northwestern University
HCAHPS overall star rating 4/5 3/5
Would definitely recommend 82% 73%
Hospital rating 9 or 10 of 10 80% 70%
Nurses always communicated well 81% 77%
Doctors always communicated well 81% 81%
Given clear info about recovery 88% 86%
Room and bathroom always clean 67% 61%
Staff always explained meds 61% 58%
Quiet at night, always 65% 63%

Add your insurance.

Cash-pay is one number. With your insurance plan, the actual price differs. Pick your insurer in the comparison tool to see plan-specific rates at both hospitals.

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How to read this comparison.

The cash-pay price is what an uninsured patient would be charged at each hospital. It's the cleanest apples-to-apples comparison because it doesn't depend on your insurance plan.

The CMS rating is the federal quality composite, built from ~50 measures spanning safety, mortality, readmission, patient experience, and timeliness. A 5-star hospital may not be the best at every procedure, and a 3-star hospital can have a strong specific service line. Treat the rating as one input, not the answer.

For your specific insurance plan, prices can shift dramatically. Some hospitals negotiate steep discounts with one insurer and not another. Always check the plan-specific rate before you book.