BU vs. Northeastern

Should I go to Boston University or Northeastern University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if BU or Northeastern is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Boston University vs. Northeastern University comparison
Boston University Northeastern University College 3 College 4
Boston University Northeastern University
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Overview

BU Northeastern
Location Boston, MA Boston, MA
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 36,714 30,013
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #79 #130
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bu.edu northeastern.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

BU Northeastern
Tuition (In State) $61,050 $59,100
Tuition (Out of State) $61,050 $59,100
Room & Board $17,400 $18,430
Avg Net Price $27,829 $35,827
Avg Grant Aid $51,565 $42,331
% Receiving Grant Aid 48% 82%

Admission

BU Northeastern
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 80,796 91,000
Admitted 11,607 6,191
Acceptance Rate 14.4% 6.8%
Enrolled % 31.3% 40.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.79 3.91
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Extreme
ACT Range 31/34 33/35
SAT Range 1350/1500 1440/1550
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 4, 2025 Jan 1, 2025

Academics

BU Northeastern
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Communication (15%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Communication (6%)

Outcomes

BU Northeastern
Graduation Rate 85% 77%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $72,000 $69,500
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 79%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $27,875
Median Loan Payment $279 $288

Diversity

BU Northeastern
% Men 43% 48%
% Women 57% 52%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 43% 48%
% Black 4% 4%
% Hispanic 11% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 20% 20%
% Unknown Race 5% 6%

Students

BU Northeastern
% In-State 14% 21%
% Out-of-State 61% 66%

Campus

BU Northeastern
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Boston University is larger than than Northeastern based on total student enrollment (36,714 students vs. 30,013 students)

BU vs. Northeastern Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BU or Northeastern?

  • Boston University is 3.3% more expensive to attend than Northeastern for in-state tuition ($61,050.00 vs. $59,100.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 3.3% higher at BU than Northeastern University ($61,050.00 vs. $59,100.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Boston University than Northeastern ($27,829 vs. $35,827)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Boston University are 5.9% lower than costs at Northeastern University ($17,400 vs. $18,430)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northeastern University than Boston University (82% vs. 48%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Boston University students is 21.8% larger than aid received Northeastern University ($51,565 vs. $42,331)

BU vs. Northeastern Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, BU or Northeastern? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Northeastern or BU .

  • The average SAT score at Northeastern University (1435) is 132 points higher than at BU (1303)
  • Incoming Northeastern students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at BU (29)
  • Accepted freshman Northeastern students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at BU (3.79)
  • BU has a higher acceptance rate (14.4%) than Northeastern (6.8%)

BU vs. Northeastern Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BU or Northeastern? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Northeastern and BU.

  • The graduation rate at BU is higher than Northeastern University (85% vs. 77%)
  • Graduates from Boston University earn on average $2,500 more per year than Northeastern graduates after ten years. ($72,000 vs. $69,500)
  • Boston University students graduate with a $875 lower median federal student loan debt than Northeastern graduates. ($27,000 vs. $27,875)
  • BU graduates are paying $9 less per month on federal student loans than Northeastern graduates. ($279 vs. $288)
  • More BU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northeastern students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 79%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/