Add a college to compare up to four schools
Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison.
BC NYU Tufts Babson UMass Brandeis University Lehigh Colgate Bentley George Washington RPI Harvard| Boston University | Northeastern University | College 3 | College 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|||
| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
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 |
|
|
||
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/