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BU BC Middlebury Babson Amherst NYU Vassar Brandeis University Emory Bentley Dartmouth Colby College| Northeastern University | Tufts University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Northeastern | Tufts | ||
| Location | Boston, MA | Medford, MA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 31,159 | 13,274 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #132 | #33 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | northeastern.edu | tufts.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Northeastern | Tufts | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $62,000 | $66,358 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $62,000 | $66,358 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,790 | $17,660 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $34,770 | $33,333 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $46,558 | $51,267 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 73% | 41% |
Admission |
Northeastern | Tufts | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 96,631 | 34,003 | ||
| Admitted | 5,459 | 3,444 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 5.6% | 10.1% | ||
| Enrolled % | 50.3% | 50.5% | ||
| 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 | 1460/1550 | 1460/1550 | ||
| 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, 2026 | Jan 1, 2026 |
Academics |
Northeastern | Tufts | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 16:1 | 10:1 | ||
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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 | 26% | 18% | ||
| % Women | 23% | 30% | ||
| 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% | 22% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 66% | 64% | ||
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 (31,159 students vs. 13,274 students)
Northeastern vs. Tufts Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Northeastern or Tufts?
- Tufts University is 7% more expensive to attend than Northeastern for in-state tuition ($66,358.00 vs. $62,000.00)
- Out of state tuition is 7% higher at Tufts than Northeastern University ($66,358.00 vs. $62,000.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Tufts University than Northeastern ($33,333 vs. $34,770)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Tufts University are 6.4% lower than costs at Northeastern University ($17,660 vs. $18,790)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Northeastern University than Tufts University (73% vs. 41%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Tufts University students is 10.1% larger than aid received Northeastern University ($51,267 vs. $46,558)
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 (10.1%) than Northeastern (5.6%)
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/