Northeastern vs. Tufts

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

Northeastern Tufts
Location Boston, MA Medford, MA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 30,013 13,431
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #130 #32
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website northeastern.edu tufts.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northeastern Tufts
Tuition (In State) $59,100 $63,804
Tuition (Out of State) $59,100 $63,804
Room & Board $18,430 $16,778
Avg Net Price $35,827 $30,479
Avg Grant Aid $42,331 $51,613
% Receiving Grant Aid 82% 39%

Admission

Northeastern Tufts
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 91,000 34,882
Admitted 6,191 3,381
Acceptance Rate 6.8% 9.7%
Enrolled % 40.7% 50.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.91 3.91
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Very High
ACT Range 33/35 33/35
SAT Range 1440/1550 1450/1550
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

Northeastern Tufts
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (25%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Social Sciences (31%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

Northeastern Tufts
Graduation Rate 77% 90%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $69,500 $83,100
Making Student Loan Payments 79% 91%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,875 $18,000
Median Loan Payment $288 $186

Diversity

Northeastern Tufts
% Men 48% 41%
% Women 52% 59%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 48% 58%
% Black 4% 4%
% Hispanic 7% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 20% 9%
% Unknown Race 6% 7%

Students

Northeastern Tufts
% In-State 21% 21%
% Out-of-State 66% 65%

Campus

Northeastern Tufts
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
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 Tufts based on total student enrollment (30,013 students vs. 13,431 students)

Northeastern vs. Tufts Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northeastern or Tufts?

  • Tufts University is 8% more expensive to attend than Northeastern for in-state tuition ($63,804.00 vs. $59,100.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 8% higher at Tufts than Northeastern University ($63,804.00 vs. $59,100.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Tufts University than Northeastern ($30,479 vs. $35,827)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Tufts University are 9.8% lower than costs at Northeastern University ($16,778 vs. $18,430)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northeastern University than Tufts University (82% vs. 39%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Tufts University students is 21.9% larger than aid received Northeastern University ($51,613 vs. $42,331)

Northeastern vs. Tufts Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northeastern University (1435) is 11 points higher than at Tufts (1424)
  • Incoming Northeastern students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Tufts (32)
  • Accepted freshman Northeastern students have at the same average high school GPA (3.91) as students at Tufts (3.91)
  • Tufts has a higher acceptance rate (9.7%) than Northeastern (6.8%)

Northeastern vs. Tufts Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Tufts is higher than Northeastern University (90% vs. 77%)
  • Graduates from Tufts University earn on average $13,600 more per year than Northeastern graduates after ten years. ($83,100 vs. $69,500)
  • Tufts University students graduate with a $9,875 lower median federal student loan debt than Northeastern graduates. ($18,000 vs. $27,875)
  • Tufts graduates are paying $102 less per month on federal student loans than Northeastern graduates. ($186 vs. $288)
  • More Tufts graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northeastern students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 79%)

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