Northeastern University
Boston, Massachusetts · Private, a large city · 17,326 undergraduates
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Is it hard to get into Northeastern?
The middle half of admitted students scored in these ranges: a quarter scored lower, a quarter higher. Fall 2024 admissions, from the College Scorecard.
Acceptance rate
5.2%
96,631 applied
SAT, middle half
1440 to 1540
Reading plus math, out of 1600
ACT, middle half
33 to 35
Composite, out of 36
Test scores this year
Optional: considered if sent
50% of admitted students enrolled
- What they look at
- High school GPARequired
- Class rankConsidered
- Courses takenRequired
- College-prep programConsidered
- RecommendationsRequired
- EssayRequired
- PortfolioConsidered
How much does Northeastern cost?
Sticker prices and what students actually paid after grants, by family income. A year means tuition, fees, room, board, books and other costs.
Tuition and fees
$69,289
A full year, sticker price
$88,412
Living on campus
Average price after grants
$29,060
Students who got federal aid
What a year cost, by family income
| Family income | Average paid after grants |
|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | Not published |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | Not published |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $2,038 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $11,758 |
| Over $110,000 | $49,705 |
- Room and board on campus
- $22,048 a year
- Books and supplies
- $1,000 a year
- The school's own grants
- 72% of full-time first-years get one, averaging $44,353
Tuition over the years
Tuition and fees for a year, as reported to the federal government.
How much do Northeastern students borrow?
Federal student loans only, for students who borrowed.
Typical debt at graduation
$20,000
About $227 a month over ten years
Students who borrow
23.6%
Get a Pell Grant
16%
Federal grant for lower-income families
Over 25 when they start
0.7%
What do Northeastern graduates earn?
Typical yearly pay of everyone who started here with federal aid, whatever they studied and whether or not they finished.
Six years after starting
$86,147
Ten years after starting
$99,371
Middle half: $67,112 to $142,338
Best-paid program, five years out
$167,960
Computer and Information Sciences, General
Lowest-paid program, five years out
$58,011
English Language and Literature, General
Do Northeastern students finish?
Of the students who started full time, first time.
Back for second year
96.9%
Graduate in six years
90.7%
The four-year figure is for a later, smaller group, so it is not shown
After eight years
91% graduated
6% transferred, 0% still enrolled
Who goes to Northeastern?
Women
56.6%
First in their family at college
18.5%
Part-time
0%
Students per teacher
16
- Background
- White 40%, Hispanic 10%, Black 5%, Asian 22%, Two or more 7%, International 14%
- Housing
- Campus housing, 11,759 beds
What do Northeastern graduates earn, by program?
Every bachelor's program the school awards, with what its graduates earn and owe. The government hides pay for small programs, so some rows have no figure.
Computer science
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | 1,191 | $124,222 | $167,960 | $19,500 |
| Computer Software and Media Applications | 171 | $99,899 | Hidden | $19,500 |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | 46 | $121,048 | Hidden | Hidden |
| Information Science/Studies | 3 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
Engineering
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chemical Engineering | 217 | $85,859 | $119,441 | $24,487 |
| Civil Engineering | 180 | $79,302 | $104,927 | $19,500 |
| Computer Engineering | 257 | $110,872 | $155,629 | $21,617 |
| Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians | 0 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 176 | $96,270 | $121,127 | $21,000 |
| Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians | 0 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Engineering, Other | 291 | $84,093 | Hidden | $21,500 |
| Industrial Engineering | 146 | $82,701 | $120,854 | $23,750 |
| Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians | 0 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Mechanical Engineering | 475 | $87,504 | $114,647 | $22,500 |
| Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians | 0 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering | 0 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
Business and commerce
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 0 | $40,275 | $100,275 | $27,334 |
| Business/Commerce, General | 1,944 | $83,604 | $123,077 | $18,875 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 0 | Hidden | $91,189 | $24,074 |
| International Business | 178 | $76,290 | $137,495 | $18,258 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | 0 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
Nursing
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 208 | $84,377 | $96,926 | $20,000 |
Health sciences and kinesiology
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | 13 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | 331 | $46,316 | $87,019 | $21,500 |
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | 125 | Hidden | $142,517 | $21,908 |
| Public Health | 1 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | 48 | Hidden | $89,568 | $29,000 |
Life sciences
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 179 | $60,938 | $94,850 | $17,817 |
| Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other | 25 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Biology, General | 267 | $43,476 | $96,949 | $19,500 |
| Biotechnology | 0 | Hidden | Hidden | $18,167 |
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | 145 | $54,192 | Hidden | $19,500 |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | 41 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 142 | $47,927 | $76,939 | $19,500 |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | 284 | $47,825 | $73,164 | $22,500 |
Math and physical sciences
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chemistry | 54 | $84,338 | $93,198 | Hidden |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 4 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Mathematics | 185 | $94,730 | $126,208 | $20,715 |
| Physics | 48 | $53,093 | Hidden | $25,500 |
Arts and humanities
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Sign Language | 12 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| English Language and Literature, General | 40 | $44,153 | $58,011 | Hidden |
| Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Other | 0 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| History | 34 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | 21 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Philosophy | 17 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Religion/Religious Studies | 2 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 3 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
Fine and performing arts
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Design and Applied Arts | 87 | $61,815 | $78,063 | $19,500 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 19 | $36,309 | Hidden | Hidden |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | 15 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 6 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Graphic Communications | 10 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Music | 56 | $48,272 | $63,513 | $18,500 |
| Visual and Performing Arts, General | 29 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
Architecture and design
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural History, Criticism, and Conservation | 31 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Architectural Sciences and Technology | 73 | Hidden | Hidden | $30,750 |
| Architecture | 5 | Hidden | $79,556 | Hidden |
| Landscape Architecture | 1 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
General arts and science (major chosen later)
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 14 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
Compare Northeastern with other universities
Side by side: acceptance rates, scores, costs and pay.
Where these numbers come from
College Scorecard release 10152026, Most Recent Cohorts files, fetched 2026-10-20. Test policy: the school's page (opens in a new tab). Tuition history, housing and the school's own grants: the federal IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) survey.
How every figure in this part of the site is sourced, and the check of every link.
Careerhelp is not affiliated with Northeastern University. Figures describe past students; check the school's own pages before you apply.
Social sciences