Northeastern vs. Wellesley

Should I go to Northeastern University or Wellesley College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Northeastern or Wellesley 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

BU BC Tufts Babson Barnard NYU Brandeis University Vassar Bentley UMass George Washington RPI
Northeastern University vs. Wellesley College comparison
Northeastern University Wellesley College College 3 College 4
Northeastern University Wellesley College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Northeastern Wellesley
Location Boston, MA Wellesley, MA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 30,013 2,447
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #130 #17
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website northeastern.edu wellesley.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northeastern Wellesley
Tuition (In State) $59,100 $61,584
Tuition (Out of State) $59,100 $61,584
Room & Board $18,430 $19,080
Avg Net Price $35,827 $21,362
Avg Grant Aid $42,331 $61,328
% Receiving Grant Aid 82% 59%

Admission

Northeastern Wellesley
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 91,000 8,491
Admitted 6,191 1,152
Acceptance Rate 6.8% 13.6%
Enrolled % 40.7% 50.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.91 3.86
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 1430/1550
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 8, 2025

Academics

Northeastern Wellesley
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 7:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (25%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Social Sciences (28%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Ethnic Studies (9%)
  • Foreign Languages (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

Northeastern Wellesley
Graduation Rate 77% 92%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $69,500 $68,100
Making Student Loan Payments 79% 86%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,875 $8,900
Median Loan Payment $288 $92

Diversity

Northeastern Wellesley
% Men 48% 1%
% Women 52% 99%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 48% 40%
% Black 4% 6%
% Hispanic 7% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 6%
% International 20% 12%
% Unknown Race 6% 4%

Students

Northeastern Wellesley
% In-State 21% 11%
% Out-of-State 66% 73%

Campus

Northeastern Wellesley
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 Wellesley based on total student enrollment (30,013 students vs. 2,447 students)

Northeastern vs. Wellesley Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northeastern or Wellesley?

  • Wellesley College is 4.2% more expensive to attend than Northeastern for in-state tuition ($61,584.00 vs. $59,100.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.2% higher at Wellesley than Northeastern University ($61,584.00 vs. $59,100.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wellesley College than Northeastern ($21,362 vs. $35,827)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northeastern University are 3.5% lower than costs at Wellesley College ($18,430 vs. $19,080)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northeastern University than Wellesley College (82% vs. 59%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wellesley College students is 44.9% larger than aid received Northeastern University ($61,328 vs. $42,331)

Northeastern vs. Wellesley Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northeastern University (1435) is 66 points higher than at Wellesley (1369)
  • Incoming Northeastern students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Wellesley (30)
  • Accepted freshman Northeastern students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at Wellesley (3.86)
  • Wellesley has a higher acceptance rate (13.6%) than Northeastern (6.8%)

Northeastern vs. Wellesley Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Wellesley is higher than Northeastern University (92% vs. 77%)
  • Graduates from Northeastern University earn on average $1,400 more per year than Wellesley graduates after ten years. ($69,500 vs. $68,100)
  • Wellesley College students graduate with a $18,975 lower median federal student loan debt than Northeastern graduates. ($8,900 vs. $27,875)
  • Wellesley graduates are paying $196 less per month on federal student loans than Northeastern graduates. ($92 vs. $288)
  • More Wellesley graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northeastern students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 79%)

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