Northeastern vs. RIT

Deciding between Northeastern University and Rochester Institute of Technology? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Northeastern University
Rochester Institute of Technology

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Northeastern Boston, MA
  • RIT Rochester, NY
  • Setting
  • Northeastern Large City
  • RIT Large Suburban
  • Total enrollment
  • Northeastern 32,553
  • RIT 17,098
  • Type
  • Northeastern Private 4 Year
  • RIT Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Northeastern #128
  • RIT #175
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Northeastern -
  • RIT -
  • Status
  • Northeastern Non-profit
  • RIT Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Northeastern
  • RIT

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Northeastern $66,162
  • RIT $59,274
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Northeastern $66,162
  • RIT $59,274
  • Room & Board
  • Northeastern $19,580
  • RIT $16,142
  • Average Net Price
  • Northeastern $34,207
  • RIT $39,534
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Northeastern $50,421
  • RIT $35,077
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Northeastern 66%
  • RIT 98%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Northeastern 98,425
  • RIT 27,911
  • Admitted
  • Northeastern 5,133
  • RIT 18,682
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Northeastern 5.2%
  • RIT 66.9%
  • Enrolled
  • Northeastern 53.8%
  • RIT 16.3%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Northeastern 1490
  • RIT 1380
  • Typical ACT score
  • Northeastern 34
  • RIT 31
  • Average High School GPA
  • Northeastern 3.91
  • RIT 3.7
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Northeastern A
  • RIT A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • Northeastern Elite
  • RIT Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Northeastern Extreme
  • RIT Low
  • ACT Range
  • Northeastern 33/35
  • RIT 29/33
  • SAT Range
  • Northeastern 1440/1540
  • RIT 1300/1460
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Northeastern Test optional
  • RIT Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Northeastern Jan 1, 2027
  • RIT Jan 15, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Northeastern 16:1
  • RIT 13:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Northeastern
    • Business (25%)
    • Engineering (11%)
    • Health Professions (11%)
    • Social Sciences (9%)
    • Communication (6%)
  • RIT
    • Visual and Performing Arts (16%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (14%)
    • Engineering (13%)
    • Business (13%)
    • Engineering Technology (11%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Northeastern 77%
  • RIT 64%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Northeastern $69,500
  • RIT $64,900
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Northeastern 79%
  • RIT 75%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Northeastern $27,875
  • RIT $28,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Northeastern $288
  • RIT $289

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Northeastern 48%
  • RIT 64%
  • % Women
  • Northeastern 52%
  • RIT 36%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Northeastern High
  • RIT Medium
  • HBCU
  • Northeastern No
  • RIT No
  • % White
  • Northeastern 48%
  • RIT 66%
  • % Asian
  • Northeastern 12%
  • RIT 8%
  • % Black
  • Northeastern 4%
  • RIT 5%
  • % Hispanic
  • Northeastern 7%
  • RIT 7%
  • % Native American
  • Northeastern 0%
  • RIT 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Northeastern 0%
  • RIT 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Northeastern 4%
  • RIT 3%
  • % International
  • Northeastern 20%
  • RIT 6%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Northeastern 6%
  • RIT 5%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Northeastern 27%
  • RIT 44%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Northeastern 62%
  • RIT 51%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Northeastern Yes
  • RIT Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Northeastern No
  • RIT No
  • Meal Plan
  • Northeastern Yes
  • RIT Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Northeastern Yes
  • RIT Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • Northeastern Yes
  • RIT Yes

Comparable Facts

Compare Northeastern University in Boston, MA with Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, NY on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Northeastern University is larger than RIT based on total student enrollment (32,553 students vs. 17,098 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Northeastern University is located in Boston, MA (Large City setting); Rochester Institute of Technology is in Rochester, NY (Large Suburban setting).
  • Northeastern University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Rochester Institute of Technology is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Northeastern University 16:1; Rochester Institute of Technology 13:1.

Northeastern vs. RIT Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northeastern or RIT ? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northeastern University than RIT ($34,207 vs. $39,534).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rochester Institute of Technology are 17.6% lower than at Northeastern University ($16,142 vs. $19,580).
  • Northeastern University is 11.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than RIT (about $6,888 more per year; $66,162.00 vs. $59,274.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 11.6% higher at Northeastern than at Rochester Institute of Technology (about $6,888 more per year; $66,162.00 vs. $59,274.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Rochester Institute of Technology than at Northeastern University (98% vs. 66%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northeastern University students is 43.7% larger than aid received by Rochester Institute of Technology students ($50,421 vs. $35,077).

Northeastern vs. RIT Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Northeastern or RIT ? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between RIT and Northeastern.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Northeastern University (1490) is 110 points higher than at RIT (1380).
  • Incoming Northeastern students have a 3 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (34 vs. 31 at RIT ).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Northeastern University 1440/1540; Rochester Institute of Technology 1300/1460.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Northeastern University 33/35; Rochester Institute of Technology 29/33.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Northeastern - Test optional; RIT - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Northeastern Jan 1, 2027; RIT Jan 15, 2027.
  • 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 (66.9%) than Northeastern (5.2%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 53.8% at Northeastern vs. 16.3% at RIT .

Northeastern vs. RIT Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Northeastern and RIT ? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Northeastern University's six-year graduation rate (77%) is higher than Rochester Institute of Technology's (64%).
  • Graduates from Northeastern University earn a median of about $4,600 more per year than RIT graduates about ten years after starting college ($69,500 vs. $64,900), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Northeastern University graduates have a $125 lower median loan debt than RIT graduates ($27,875 vs. $28,000).
  • Among borrowers, Northeastern graduates have an estimated $1 lower median monthly federal student loan payment 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/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.