Northeastern vs. Princeton

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

Northeastern Princeton
Location Boston, MA Princeton, NJ
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 30,013 8,842
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #130 #1
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website northeastern.edu princeton.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northeastern Princeton
Tuition (In State) $59,100 $57,410
Tuition (Out of State) $59,100 $57,410
Room & Board $18,430 $18,630
Avg Net Price $35,827 $18,698
Avg Grant Aid $42,331 $59,792
% Receiving Grant Aid 82% 61%

Admission

Northeastern Princeton
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 91,000 38,019
Admitted 6,191 2,167
Acceptance Rate 6.8% 5.7%
Enrolled % 40.7% 69.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.91 3.93
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Extreme
ACT Range 33/35 33/35
SAT Range 1440/1550 1490/1580
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

Northeastern Princeton
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 5:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (25%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • History (7%)
  • Human Services (7%)

Outcomes

Northeastern Princeton
Graduation Rate 77% 96%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $69,500 $113,900
Making Student Loan Payments 79% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,875 $7,500
Median Loan Payment $288 $77

Diversity

Northeastern Princeton
% Men 48% 53%
% Women 52% 47%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 48% 45%
% Black 4% 8%
% Hispanic 7% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 20% 11%
% Unknown Race 6% 2%

Students

Northeastern Princeton
% In-State 21% 16%
% Out-of-State 66% 69%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Northeastern University is larger than than Princeton based on total student enrollment (30,013 students vs. 8,842 students)

Northeastern vs. Princeton Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northeastern or Princeton?

  • Northeastern University is 2.9% more expensive to attend than Princeton for in-state tuition ($59,100.00 vs. $57,410.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.9% higher at Northeastern than Princeton University ($59,100.00 vs. $57,410.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Princeton University than Northeastern ($18,698 vs. $35,827)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northeastern University are 1.1% lower than costs at Princeton University ($18,430 vs. $18,630)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northeastern University than Princeton University (82% vs. 61%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Princeton University students is 41.2% larger than aid received Northeastern University ($59,792 vs. $42,331)

Northeastern vs. Princeton Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Princeton University (1490) is 55 points higher than at Northeastern (1435)
  • Incoming Princeton students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Northeastern (33)
  • Accepted freshman Princeton students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.93) than students at Northeastern (3.91)
  • Northeastern has a higher acceptance rate (6.8%) than Princeton (5.7%)

Northeastern vs. Princeton Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Northeastern or Princeton? 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 Princeton and Northeastern.

  • The graduation rate at Princeton is higher than Northeastern University (96% vs. 77%)
  • Graduates from Princeton University earn on average $44,400 more per year than Northeastern graduates after ten years. ($113,900 vs. $69,500)
  • Princeton University students graduate with a $20,375 lower median federal student loan debt than Northeastern graduates. ($7,500 vs. $27,875)
  • Princeton graduates are paying $211 less per month on federal student loans than Northeastern graduates. ($77 vs. $288)
  • More Princeton graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northeastern students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 79%)

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