Harvard vs. Northeastern

Should I go to Harvard University or Northeastern University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Harvard 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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Harvard University vs. Northeastern University comparison
Harvard University Northeastern University College 3 College 4
Harvard University Northeastern University
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Overview

Harvard Northeastern
Location Cambridge, MA Boston, MA
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 30,631 30,013
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #4 #130
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website harvard.edu northeastern.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Harvard Northeastern
Tuition (In State) $52,659 $59,100
Tuition (Out of State) $52,659 $59,100
Room & Board $19,502 $18,430
Avg Net Price $19,491 $35,827
Avg Grant Aid $61,801 $42,331
% Receiving Grant Aid 56% 82%

Admission

Harvard Northeastern
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 61,221 91,000
Admitted 1,984 6,191
Acceptance Rate 3.2% 6.8%
Enrolled % 83% 40.7%
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 1490/1580 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 1, 2025 Jan 1, 2025

Academics

Harvard Northeastern
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (32%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • History (9%)
  • Mathematics (6%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Communication (6%)

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 46% 48%
% Women 54% 52%
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 69% 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

  • Harvard University is larger than than Northeastern based on total student enrollment (30,631 students vs. 30,013 students)

Harvard vs. Northeastern Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Harvard or Northeastern?

  • Northeastern University is 12.2% more expensive to attend than Harvard for in-state tuition ($59,100.00 vs. $52,659.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 12.2% higher at Northeastern than Harvard University ($59,100.00 vs. $52,659.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Harvard University than Northeastern ($19,491 vs. $35,827)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northeastern University are 5.8% lower than costs at Harvard University ($18,430 vs. $19,502)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northeastern University than Harvard University (82% vs. 56%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Harvard University students is 46% larger than aid received Northeastern University ($61,801 vs. $42,331)

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 (6.8%) than Harvard (3.2%)

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/