University of Massachusetts-Lowell vs. Northeastern

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

University of Massachusetts-Lowell Northeastern
Location Lowell, MA Boston, MA
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 17,153 30,013
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #406 #130
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uml.edu northeastern.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

University of Massachusetts-Lowell Northeastern
Tuition (In State) $15,462 $59,100
Tuition (Out of State) $33,830 $59,100
Room & Board $13,930 $18,430
Avg Net Price $17,240 $35,827
Avg Grant Aid $11,983 $42,331
% Receiving Grant Aid 82% 82%

Admission

University of Massachusetts-Lowell Northeastern
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 12,253 91,000
Admitted 10,532 6,191
Acceptance Rate 86% 6.8%
Enrolled % 18.4% 40.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.67 3.91
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme
ACT Range 25/31 33/35
SAT Range 1170/1348 1440/1550
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 Feb 15, 2025 Jan 1, 2025

Academics

University of Massachusetts-Lowell Northeastern
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (13%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (12%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Communication (6%)

Outcomes

University of Massachusetts-Lowell Northeastern
Graduation Rate 50% 77%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,300 $69,500
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 79%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $27,875
Median Loan Payment $258 $288

Diversity

University of Massachusetts-Lowell Northeastern
% Men 57% 48%
% Women 43% 52%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 64% 48%
% Black 6% 4%
% Hispanic 10% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 4% 20%
% Unknown Race 5% 6%

Students

University of Massachusetts-Lowell Northeastern
% In-State 87% 21%
% Out-of-State 10% 66%

Campus

University of Massachusetts-Lowell Northeastern
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Northeastern University is larger than than University of Massachusetts-Lowell based on total student enrollment (30,013 students vs. 17,153 students)

University of Massachusetts-Lowell vs. Northeastern Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, University of Massachusetts-Lowell or Northeastern?

  • Northeastern University is 282.2% more expensive to attend than University of Massachusetts-Lowell for in-state tuition ($59,100.00 vs. $15,462.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 74.7% higher at Northeastern than University of Massachusetts Lowell ($59,100.00 vs. $33,830.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Massachusetts Lowell than Northeastern ($17,240 vs. $35,827)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Massachusetts Lowell are 32.3% lower than costs at Northeastern University ($13,930 vs. $18,430)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at University of Massachusetts Lowell as Northeastern University (82% vs. 82%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northeastern University students is 253.3% larger than aid received University of Massachusetts Lowell ($42,331 vs. $11,983)

University of Massachusetts-Lowell vs. Northeastern Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northeastern University (1435) is 238 points higher than at University of Massachusetts-Lowell (1197)
  • Incoming Northeastern students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at University of Massachusetts-Lowell (26)
  • Accepted freshman Northeastern students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at University of Massachusetts-Lowell (3.67)
  • University of Massachusetts-Lowell has a higher acceptance rate (86%) than Northeastern (6.8%)

University of Massachusetts-Lowell vs. Northeastern Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, University of Massachusetts-Lowell or Northeastern? 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 Northeastern and University of Massachusetts-Lowell.

  • The graduation rate at Northeastern is higher than University of Massachusetts Lowell (77% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from Northeastern University earn on average $14,200 more per year than University of Massachusetts-Lowell graduates after ten years. ($69,500 vs. $55,300)
  • University of Massachusetts Lowell students graduate with a $2,875 lower median federal student loan debt than Northeastern graduates. ($25,000 vs. $27,875)
  • University of Massachusetts-Lowell graduates are paying $30 less per month on federal student loans than Northeastern graduates. ($258 vs. $288)
  • More Northeastern graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of Massachusetts-Lowell students, three years after graduation. (79% vs. 63%)

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