B+
Very Good
Score: 76/100
Overall (traditional)
A+
Outcome Rating
94/100 · earnings-weighted

Northeastern University

4-Year Private Non-Profit
📍 Boston, Massachusetts 02115
Northeastern University campus, Boston, MA
Northeastern University campus, Boston, MA. Photo: Edward Orde, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
Outcomes
A+
94/100
Affordability
F
19/100
Resources
B+
80/100
Experience
A
87/100
Prestige
A+
100/100

Two ratings: the overall grade compares colleges the conventional way (outcomes, cost, resources, experience, reputation). The Outcome Rating asks what students earn: 60% wage-adjusted earnings 10 years after enrolling, 25% graduation, 15% retention. Methodology

Quick Stats

31,159
Total Enrollment
90%
Graduation Rate
98%
Retention Rate
16.0:1
Student-Faculty Ratio
6%
Acceptance Rate
N/A
Avg Net Price

Earnings, Debt & Completion

What happens to students who enroll at Northeastern University, from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.

$92,538
Median earnings 10 yrs after entry
$78,413
Median earnings 6 yrs after entry
$24,250
Median debt at graduation
90.5%
Completion rate (within 150% of normal time)
1,497
Average SAT
34
Median ACT
12.3%
Students receiving Pell grants

Typical debt at graduation equals about 26% of one year’s median earnings ten years after entry.

Earnings rank: 94th percentile among bachelor’s-degree-focused colleges after a partial adjustment for local wage levels (MA wage index 1.29). This drives the Outcome Rating.

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, retrieved Oct 2026. Earnings are for federally aided students who enrolled, whether or not they graduated.

Earnings by Major at Northeastern University

Median pay of bachelor's degree graduates by field of study, and how each program ranks against every college reporting that major — by raw pay and adjusted for state wage levels. Same school, very different paychecks.

Major1 yr after4 yrs aftervs. nationalRank (pay)Rank (wage-adj.)Median debt
Computer and Information Sciences$115,587$163,708+77%#10 of 459#15$22,583
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration—$142,985+23%#2 of 29#8$31,000
Computer Engineering$99,499$135,416+24%#19 of 189#40$25,002
International Business$80,848$125,162+71%#2 of 115#5$25,625
Mathematics$76,392$125,084+80%#10 of 309#16$21,750
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering$92,222$118,150+17%#14 of 258#98$24,583
Business/Commerce$74,868$113,620+66%#6 of 271#9$22,500
Engineering$75,253$112,019+19%#2 of 19#6$22,525
Industrial Engineering$77,066$111,430+13%#13 of 94#54$25,000
Chemical Engineering$81,880$107,767+10%#22 of 158#96$26,623
Mechanical Engineering$80,255$103,384+12%#24 of 318#181$25,547
Economics$70,531$101,423+23%#62 of 368#100$23,250
Civil Engineering$76,362$100,613+16%#10 of 233#87$24,750
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing$78,713$91,003+2%#344 of 966#831$22,250
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology$63,781$90,612+38%#2 of 110#8$23,250
Chemistry$62,511$88,364+36%#3 of 209#20$21,641
Design and Applied Arts$49,727$87,336+70%#7 of 299#10$25,500
Finance and Financial Management Services—$83,023+-0%#163 of 452#309$24,375
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions—$81,320+46%#2 of 85#16$27,479
Health and Medical Administrative Services$41,557$80,233+37%#24 of 275#58$26,500
Communication and Media Studies$47,465$80,191+42%#8 of 660#31$21,500
Biology$45,494$78,327+37%#30 of 841#97$24,802
Criminal Justice and Corrections$51,363$77,477+40%#10 of 660#39$20,889
International Relations and National Security Studies—$74,816+12%#28 of 118#52$21,000
Journalism$51,855$74,709+33%#7 of 187#20$24,005
Neurobiology and Neurosciences$43,894$74,617+19%#9 of 67#21$24,000
Architecture—$74,540+11%#15 of 78#48$27,500
Political Science and Government$52,516$73,539+16%#85 of 565#195$21,625
Natural Resources Conservation and Research$51,137$70,272+28%#16 of 265#46$22,973
Sociology$41,624$69,585+32%#17 of 462#51$27,000
English Language and Literature$49,639$67,877+40%#19 of 576#44$21,250
Research and Experimental Psychology$38,463$66,130+19%#19 of 82#33$23,250
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences$65,551————$21,493
Human Services$45,799$61,152+26%#4 of 94#14$23,250
Music$21,978$60,974+42%#5 of 268#38$25,500
Physics$49,399————$26,797
Visual and Performing Arts$27,246—————

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study data. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid and were working; small programs are not reported.

For parents & investors

The Northeastern University Town Property Report

  • Avg home value near campus: $869,482
  • Avg rent near campus: $3,297/mo — vs ~$1,179/mo campus room rate
  • Top nearby ZIP by cap rate: 02119 (4.0% cap, Boston)

Get the free 1-page report: rent-vs-dorm math, the 3 best nearby ZIPs by yield, and the “kiddie condo” strategy parents use.

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🏆 Where Northeastern University Ranks

Rankings based on Repit College Grade among schools offering each program.

🥇
Business/Commerce, General
of 100 schools
🥇
Health and Medical Administrative Services, Other
of 24 schools
🥉
Data Modeling/Warehousing and Database Administration
of 24 schools
#4
Computer Software Engineering
of 44 schools
#7
Biotechnology
of 35 schools
#9
Engineering, Other
of 29 schools
#9
Engineering, General
of 100 schools
#13
Computer and Information Sciences, General
of 100 schools
#13
Industrial Engineering
of 75 schools
#14
Advanced Legal Research/Studies, General
of 30 schools

Costs & Financial Aid

Tuition & Fees

Category In-State Out-of-State
Tuition $62,000 $62,000
Room $10,610
Board $8,180
Total Cost (On-Campus) $84,731 $84,731

Financial Aid

80%
Receive Any Aid
16%
Receive Pell Grants
39%
Take Out Loans
N/A
Avg Net Price

Programs & Career Paths

Top Degree Programs

Programs ranked by number of degrees awarded annually.

Computer and Information Sciences, General 1,744 grads/yr Business/Commerce, General 1,146 grads/yr Computer Software Engineering 1,086 grads/yr Engineering, Other 701 grads/yr Engineering, General 388 grads/yr Mechanical Engineering 358 grads/yr Electrical and Electronics Engineering 308 grads/yr Data Modeling/Warehousing and Database Administration 307 grads/yr Biotechnology 270 grads/yr Econometrics and Quantitative Economics 247 grads/yr Advanced Legal Research/Studies, General 241 grads/yr Health and Medical Administrative Services, Other 199 grads/yr Industrial Engineering 188 grads/yr Research and Experimental Psychology, Other 180 grads/yr Financial Mathematics 164 grads/yr Neuroscience 160 grads/yr Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse 159 grads/yr Business Statistics 153 grads/yr Computer Engineering, General 147 grads/yr Pharmacy 145 grads/yr

Related Career Paths

Careers that graduates from Northeastern University's top programs commonly pursue.

Computer and information systems managers
$171k/yr 667,100 jobs
Computer and information research scientists
$141k/yr 40,300 jobs
Database architects
$136k/yr 66,900 jobs
Computer network architects
$130k/yr 179,200 jobs
Computer occupations, all other
$109k/yr 472,000 jobs
Database administrators
$105k/yr 78,000 jobs
Computer systems analysts
$104k/yr 521,100 jobs
Software quality assurance analysts and testers
$103k/yr 201,700 jobs

Student Demographics

31,159
Total Students
52%
Women
98%
Traditional Age (18-24)

👥 Race & Ethnicity

White 30%
Hispanic 7%
Black 4%
Asian 14%
Two or More 4%
Non-Resident 39%

🏠 Living Arrangements

💻 Learning Mode

In-Person 73%
Hybrid (Some Online) 23%
Fully Online 4%

📊 Age Distribution

18-24 (Traditional) 98%
25-64 (Adult) 1%

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the acceptance rate at Northeastern University?
Northeastern University has an acceptance rate of 6%. This makes it a highly selective institution where admission is very competitive.
How much does it cost to attend Northeastern University?
Tuition at Northeastern University is $62,000 for in-state students and $62,000 for out-of-state students .
What is the graduation rate at Northeastern University?
The graduation rate at Northeastern University is 90%. This is considered an excellent graduation rate, indicating strong student success and support systems.
Is Northeastern University a good school?
Northeastern University has a Repit College Score of 76/100 (Grade: B+). Our rating evaluates five key factors:
  • Outcomes (A+): Graduation and retention rates
  • Affordability (F): Net cost and financial aid access
  • Resources (B+): Class sizes and selectivity
  • Experience (A): Campus life and learning format
  • Prestige (A+): Reputation and recognition
How many students attend Northeastern University?
Northeastern University has a total enrollment of 31,159 students. Most students (98%) are traditional college-age (18-24).

Deciding between a dorm and buying near campus? Run the numbers for Northeastern University — four years of dorm costs vs. owning, including what you’d recover at resale. Buy vs Dorm calculator →

🎓 Similar Colleges to Northeastern University

Compare with other 4-Year private non-profit institutions of similar size.

B+
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA · 15,280 students
A
Boston University
Boston, MA · 36,624 students
A
Tufts University
Medford, MA · 13,274 students
A
Harvard University
Cambridge, MA · 30,386 students
A
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA · 11,920 students
B+
Wellesley College
Wellesley, MA · 2,418 students

Data source: IPEDS 2023-24 | Last updated: October 2026 | Methodology