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Northeastern University

#2 Colleges With the Biggest Early Decision Advantage
Private nonprofit Boston, MA · Urban · New England · 100% data
A+ Earnings A+ Selectivity A Graduation
Graduation Rate
90% A
Most students who enroll finish their degree here
Earnings (10yr)
$92,538 A+
Top 1% nationally — exceptional earning power
Net Price
$30,915 F
80% more than the typical college
Acceptance Rate
5% A+
Rejects about 95 of every 100 applicants
Earnings +127% vs avg
Graduation +58% vs avg
Net Price 80% vs avg
Mobility Top 18%

Bottom line: A B overall grade — strong outcomes across the board. 18.3× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $18.3 over 20 years. Ranked #2 in Colleges With the Biggest Early Decision Advantage.

18.3× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $18.3 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $2,138,884.

What The Data Says

  1. A B overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.

  2. Graduates earn 127% more than the national college median.

  3. A 90% graduation rate — 58% above the national average.

  4. A top feeder school for 7 major employers.

  5. Social mobility rate of 2.44% — an engine of upward economic mobility.

Economic Footprint

World Rank
#201-225
Times Higher Education
Employer Pipelines
7
Top feeder programs
Research Score
19/100
Times Higher Education

Why Northeastern University Matters

Northeastern University is a private research university in Boston, MA ranked #201-225 in the world by Times Higher Education, and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by exceptional admissions selectivity, a top-tier research enterprise, a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network, and a strong record of moving students up the income ladder. The result: graduates whose earnings land in the top 1% of all U.S. colleges.

Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.

Institutional Profile

Institution Type
Private Research University
Carnegie Class
R1 · Very High Research
Enrollment
17,326
Setting
Urban
Primary Strengths
Business & Marketing, Computer Science & IT, Engineering, Biology & Biomedical

Why students choose Northeastern University

Elite STEM ecosystem
Engineering, computing, and the sciences dominate its programs
Top-tier research university
R1 status: undergraduates work alongside leading researchers
Influential alumni network
High cross-class social capital and reach
Highly selective peer group
Surrounded by exceptionally high-achieving students
Exceptional earning outcomes
Graduate earnings in the top 1% of colleges
Engine of upward mobility
A strong record of moving students up the income ladder

CollegeRanker Report Card

Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.

B
Top 25% overall
A+
Earnings
$92,538 median
C+
Value
3.0× net price
F
Affordability
$30,915/yr net
A
Graduation
90% graduate
B+
Social Mobility
2.4% climb Q1→Q5
A+
Selectivity
5% admit rate
A
Diversity
0.76 index

Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.

How we grade →
1
Can I Get In?

Admissions

Highly selective
5% admit rate

Highly selective — admits about 5% of applicants, with a middle-50% SAT of 1440–1540. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.

Check your odds →
2
Can I Afford It?

Net price + aid

F
$30,915/yr net

Students pay about $30,915 a year after grants and scholarships — 80% above the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.

See cost & aid →
3
What Happens After?

Earnings + debt

A+
$92,538 median

Graduates earn a median of $92,538 ten years after enrolling — 127% above the typical college, against $24,250 in median debt.

See outcomes →
4
Does It Change Lives?

Mobility + social capital

B+
2.4% climb

Moves 2.4% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 18% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.79 economic connectedness).

See mobility →

Overview

Northeastern University in Boston is an excellent fit for students who are driven and ready to engage in a highly competitive academic environment. With an acceptance rate of just 5%, it attracts those who excel in their studies and seek a dynamic campus experience. Students here often dive into popular programs like Business & Marketing, Engineering, Computer Science & IT, Biology & Biomedical, and Social Sciences. This variety allows for a rich educational experience and a chance to connect with peers across different fields.

Looking at life after graduation, the numbers tell a promising story. Graduates can expect to earn an average of $92,538 within ten years of completing their degree. This figure highlights the potential for upward mobility, especially considering the strong graduation rate of 90%. While affordability can be a concern for many students, the financial landscape here is manageable, with a net price of $30,915 after aid. This balance between cost and earning potential is a significant advantage for graduates.

When it comes to practical considerations, the typical debt load for students at Northeastern is around $24,250. This is relatively low compared to their earning potential, making it easier for graduates to pay off loans while enjoying their careers. The environment here tends to suit those who are ambitious and ready to take advantage of the university's extensive resources and networking opportunities. If you're someone who thrives in a fast-paced setting and values real-world experience alongside academic rigor, Northeastern could be a great choice for you.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective Northeastern University is — and how your numbers stack up.

Tool

Will I Be Accepted?

Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.

3.0
Test Score
1050
21

Academics & Admissions

Is It Hard to Get Into Northeastern University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

As a private institution in Boston, Massachusetts, Northeastern University turns away the vast majority of its applicants. The acceptance rate is 5%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,497. The graduation rate is roughly 90%.

Acceptance Rate
5%
Retention Rate
97%
SAT Average
1497
ACT Midpoint
34
SAT Range
1440–1540
ACT Range
33–35
Full-Time Faculty
70%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$16,218
Student–Faculty Ratio
16:1
Diversity Index
0.76
First-Gen Students
19%
Applicants
91,000
Admitted
6,191

Inside the Admissions Office

School-reported Common Data Set · 2024-25

The acceptance rate tells you how hard Northeastern University is to get into. Its Common Data Set tells you what happens once you are admitted: how many students say yes, how many arrived without test scores, and whether applying early tilts the odds. 34% of admitted students go on to enroll here, making it a school many admits weigh against other offers.

Yield Rate
34%
of admits enroll
Submitted SAT
24%
of enrolled freshmen
Submitted ACT
7%
of enrolled freshmen
Early Decision Admit Rate
43.0%
vs 4.9% overall

Applying early pays off here. Of 3,466 Early Decision applicants, 1,492 were admitted — a 43.0% admit rate, roughly 8.7× the 4.9% rate for the overall pool. That binding round alone filled about 54% of the entering class (1,492 of 2,759 first-years). The catch: Early Decision is a commitment you make before you can compare aid offers.

Test-optional, in practice. Only about 31% of enrolled freshmen submitted an SAT or ACT score, so a strong application without test scores is genuinely competitive here, not a long shot.

Source: Northeastern University's Common Data Set, 2024-25 View the source document on collegedata.fyi →

Can I Afford It?

What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.

Cost & Financial Aid

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Northeastern University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Northeastern University is $66,162, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $30,915. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $2,264 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $24,250 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$66,162
Out-of-State
$66,162
Avg Net Price
$30,915
Median Debt
$24,250
Pell Grant Rate
12%
Federal Loan Rate
27%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$2,264
Family Income $30K–$48K
$2,436
Family Income $48K–$75K
$5,301
Family Income $110K+
$47,696

What Happens After?

Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.

Students Like You

Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Northeastern University — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.

Compare schools in the full simulator →Sources: College Scorecard, Common Data Set, Opportunity Insights · today's dollars (CPI-adjusted) · descriptive, not predictive

Graduate Outcomes

Is Northeastern University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Northeastern University earn a median of $92,538, well above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.

6 Years After Entry
$78,413
8 Years
$82,813
10 Years
$92,538
Debt-to-Earnings
0.26x
Earning > $25K
85%

Earnings Trajectory

$78,413 6yr $82,813 8yr $92,538 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

Where Grads Go

Northeastern University is a top feeder for:

Rank among programs feeding each employer.

Top employers of Northeastern University’s MBA graduates, by hires reported in the school’s employment report.

Explore the Career Destination Guide → Source: Northeastern University — Full-Time MBA Employment Report (Class of 2024)

How Northeastern Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation90%Earnings 10yr$93KNet Price$31KRetention97%Median Debt$24KPell Grant Rate12%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$2K$0-30K$2K$30-48K$5K$48-75K$48K$110K+

The Mobility Equation

Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?

ACCESS% from bottom 20%5.1%SUCCESS% who reach top 20%47.4%MOBILITY2.44%

College ROI Calculator

Is Northeastern University Worth It?

A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.

Yes — for most students, Northeastern University delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $30,915/year ($123,660 total). Graduates earn $92,538 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $2,262,544 in total earnings — a net gain of $2,138,884 (18.3× your investment). The median debt is $24,250, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 90% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$123,660
Projected 20yr Earnings
$2,262,544
Net Return
$2,138,884
ROI Multiple
18.3×
Cost Per Year
$30,915
Median Debt
$24,250
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
90%
Explore all Northeastern University ROI scenarios

Does It Change Lives?

Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?

Social Mobility

Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records

Does Northeastern University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Northeastern University is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 2.44%, among the highest in the country. About 5.1% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 47.4% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $108,300, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

Mobility Rate
2.44%
Bottom 20% → Top 20%
Success Rate
47.4%
If bottom 20% get in
From Bottom 20%
5.1%
Share of students
Parent Median Income
$147,142
today's $ (2015 cohort data)

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is Northeastern University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Northeastern University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.79, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.03), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 8% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Economic Connectedness
1.79
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
0.03
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
8.4%
Support Ratio
0.99
Community support

Research Note

267%
Low-income students at colleges in the top quartile of economic connectedness are 267% more likely to reach the top income quintile than peers at the least-connected schools.
Data from CollegeRanker’s review of 5,745 U.S. colleges (n=1,503). Quartile comparison of mean bottom-quintile success rate, split by economic connectedness (Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas × Mobility Report Card).

Innovation & Knowledge Creation

Patents, inventors, and research influence · Opportunity Insights & Times Higher Education

Research Score
19/100
Times Higher Ed
Academic Influence
70/100
Citation impact (THE)
Industry Engagement
31/100
Knowledge transfer (THE)

Institutional Finances

Data: NCES IPEDS

Investment Income
$-119,691,000

Top Programs

The fields Northeastern University awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.

Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.

Top Careers

Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Northeastern University's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Hard to Get Into Northeastern University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

As a private institution in Boston, Massachusetts, Northeastern University turns away the vast majority of its applicants. The acceptance rate is 5%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,497. The graduation rate is roughly 90%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Northeastern University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Northeastern University is $66,162, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $30,915. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $2,264 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $24,250 in federal student loans.

Is Northeastern University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Northeastern University earn a median of $92,538, well above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.

Does Northeastern University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Northeastern University is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 2.44%, among the highest in the country. About 5.1% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 47.4% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $108,300, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

How Connected Is Northeastern University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Northeastern University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.79, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.03), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 8% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

How Research-Intensive Is Northeastern University? World Rank, Teaching & Citations

Times Higher Education places Northeastern University at #201-225 worldwide. Its profile spans a research score of 19/100, teaching at 30/100, and citation impact of 70/100, reflecting both the volume of research output and how often that work is cited by scholars elsewhere.

Does Northeastern University offer Early Decision, and does it improve admission chances?

Yes. Northeastern University offers a binding Early Decision plan, and it carries a real advantage: Early Decision applicants were admitted at 43%, about 8.7 times the overall 5% acceptance rate, and ED filled roughly 54% of the entering class. Because ED is binding, it makes sense only if Northeastern University is a clear first choice and you can commit before comparing aid offers (2024-25 Common Data Set).

Is Northeastern University really test-optional?

In practice, yes. Only about 31% of enrolled first-year students submitted an SAT or ACT score, so a strong application without test scores is genuinely competitive at Northeastern University (2024-25 Common Data Set).

What percentage of admitted students enroll at Northeastern University?

About 34% of admitted students choose to enroll at Northeastern University — its yield rate (2024-25 Common Data Set). Yield reflects how often a school wins when applicants weigh competing offers.

Compare Northeastern University

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The State of American Higher Education Outcomes for 2026 — report cover Download PDF

The 2026 Annual Report

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes

Every state graded on what graduates earn, how far they climb, and what college really costs — the hidden geography of economic mobility, in one report.

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