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BU Stanford BC Yale Johns Hopkins Princeton MIT Duke Tufts Columbia Babson Brown| Harvard University | Northeastern University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Harvard | Northeastern | ||
| Location | Cambridge, MA | Boston, MA | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 30,386 | 31,159 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #4 | #132 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | harvard.edu | northeastern.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Harvard | Northeastern | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $54,269 | $62,000 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $54,269 | $62,000 | ||
| Room & Board | $20,374 | $18,790 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $17,900 | $34,770 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $64,942 | $46,558 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 57% | 73% |
Admission |
Harvard | Northeastern | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 56,937 | 96,631 | ||
| Admitted | 1,965 | 5,459 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 3.5% | 5.6% | ||
| Enrolled % | 83.7% | 50.3% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 4.0 | 3.91 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A/A+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | Extreme | ||
| ACT Range | 34/36 | 33/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1500/1580 | 1460/1550 | ||
| 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 1, 2026 | Jan 1, 2026 |
Academics |
Harvard | Northeastern | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 7:1 | 16:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Harvard | Northeastern | ||
| Graduation Rate | 97% | 77% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $136,700 | $69,500 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 70% | 79% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $6,500 | $27,875 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $67 | $288 |
Diversity |
Harvard | Northeastern | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 32% | 26% | ||
| % Women | 38% | 23% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 44% | 48% | ||
| % Black | 6% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 10% | 7% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 6% | 4% | ||
| % International | 11% | 20% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 3% | 6% |
Students |
Harvard | Northeastern | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 15% | 21% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 70% | 66% | ||
Campus |
Harvard | Northeastern | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | Yes | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Northeastern University is larger than than Harvard based on total student enrollment (31,159 students vs. 30,386 students)
Harvard vs. Northeastern Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Harvard or Northeastern?
- Northeastern University is 14.2% more expensive to attend than Harvard for in-state tuition ($62,000.00 vs. $54,269.00)
- Out of state tuition is 14.2% higher at Northeastern than Harvard University ($62,000.00 vs. $54,269.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Harvard University than Northeastern ($17,900 vs. $34,770)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northeastern University are 8.4% lower than costs at Harvard University ($18,790 vs. $20,374)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Northeastern University than Harvard University (73% vs. 57%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Harvard University students is 39.5% larger than aid received Northeastern University ($64,942 vs. $46,558)
Harvard vs. Northeastern Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Harvard or Northeastern? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Northeastern or Harvard .
- The average SAT score at Harvard University (1497) is 62 points higher than at Northeastern (1435)
- Incoming Harvard students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Northeastern (33)
- Accepted freshman Harvard students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Northeastern (3.91)
- Northeastern has a higher acceptance rate (5.6%) than Harvard (3.5%)
Harvard vs. Northeastern Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Harvard 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 Harvard.
- The graduation rate at Harvard is higher than Northeastern University (97% vs. 77%)
- Graduates from Harvard University earn on average $67,200 more per year than Northeastern graduates after ten years. ($136,700 vs. $69,500)
- Harvard University students graduate with a $21,375 lower median federal student loan debt than Northeastern graduates. ($6,500 vs. $27,875)
- Harvard graduates are paying $221 less per month on federal student loans than Northeastern graduates. ($67 vs. $288)
- More Northeastern graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Harvard students, three years after graduation. (79% vs. 70%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/