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BU BC RPI Tufts Babson NYU Brandeis University Clarkson Bentley UMass George Washington UB| Northeastern University | Rochester Institute of Technology | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Northeastern | RIT | ||
| Location | Boston, MA | Rochester, NY | ||
| Setting | Large City | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 31,159 | 16,863 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #132 | #182 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | northeastern.edu | rit.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Northeastern | RIT | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $62,000 | $56,136 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $62,000 | $56,136 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,790 | $15,516 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $34,770 | $39,753 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $46,558 | $31,931 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 73% | 99% |
Admission |
Northeastern | RIT | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 96,631 | 24,269 | ||
| Admitted | 5,459 | 17,328 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 5.6% | 71.4% | ||
| Enrolled % | 50.3% | 17.6% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.91 | 3.7 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Exceptional | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 33/35 | 29/33 | ||
| SAT Range | 1460/1550 | 1280/1460 | ||
| 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 15, 2026 |
Academics |
Northeastern | RIT | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 16:1 | 13:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Northeastern | RIT | ||
| Graduation Rate | 77% | 64% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $69,500 | $64,900 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 79% | 75% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $27,875 | $28,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $288 | $289 |
Diversity |
Northeastern | RIT | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 26% | 10% | ||
| % Women | 23% | 7% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 48% | 66% | ||
| % Black | 4% | 5% | ||
| % Hispanic | 7% | 7% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 3% | ||
| % International | 20% | 6% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 6% | 5% |
Students |
Northeastern | RIT | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 21% | 45% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 66% | 52% | ||
Campus |
Northeastern | RIT | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Northeastern University is larger than than RIT based on total student enrollment (31,159 students vs. 16,863 students)
Northeastern vs. RIT Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Northeastern or RIT ?
- Northeastern University is 10.4% more expensive to attend than RIT for in-state tuition ($62,000.00 vs. $56,136.00)
- Out of state tuition is 10.4% higher at Northeastern than Rochester Institute of Technology ($62,000.00 vs. $56,136.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northeastern University than RIT ($34,770 vs. $39,753)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rochester Institute of Technology are 21.1% lower than costs at Northeastern University ($15,516 vs. $18,790)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Rochester Institute of Technology than Northeastern University (99% vs. 73%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Northeastern University students is 45.8% larger than aid received Rochester Institute of Technology ($46,558 vs. $31,931)
Northeastern vs. RIT Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Northeastern or RIT ? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between RIT or Northeastern .
- The average SAT score at Northeastern University (1435) is 184 points higher than at RIT (1251)
- Incoming Northeastern students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at RIT (29)
- Accepted freshman Northeastern students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at RIT (3.7)
- RIT has a higher acceptance rate (71.4%) than Northeastern (5.6%)
Northeastern vs. RIT Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Northeastern or RIT ? 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 RIT and Northeastern.
- The graduation rate at Northeastern is higher than Rochester Institute of Technology (77% vs. 64%)
- Graduates from Northeastern University earn on average $4,600 more per year than RIT graduates after ten years. ($69,500 vs. $64,900)
- Northeastern University students graduate with a $125 lower median federal student loan debt than RIT graduates. ($27,875 vs. $28,000)
- Northeastern graduates are paying $1 less per month on federal student loans than RIT graduates. ($288 vs. $289)
- More Northeastern graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former RIT students, three years after graduation. (79% vs. 75%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/