Northeastern University is a private nonprofit 4-year college in Boston, Massachusetts with 17,326 undergraduates. It admits 5.2% of applicants, costs an average of $29,060 a year after grants and graduates 91% of its students.
Figures from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, released October 15, 2026. What each number covers.
Northeastern University acceptance rate and admissions
Northeastern University admitted 5.2% of applicants for fall 2024, about 1 in 19. The median acceptance rate at 4-year colleges is 77%.
Test scores: Considered but not required (as reported for fall 2024 admission). That means you can apply without SAT or ACT scores. Check the admissions office for the current policy.
The colored band is the middle 50% of enrolled students in fall 2024 (reading and writing 710 to 760, math 730 to 780). The tick marks the typical 4-year college. Check how your scores fit.
Northeastern University application deadlines 2026-27
| Round | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Early decision | Nov 1, 2026 (passed) |
| Early decision II | Jan 1, 2027 |
| Early action | Nov 1, 2026 (passed) |
| Regular decision | Jan 1, 2027 |
Next deadline: Early decision II, Jan 1, 2027. Application fee through the Common App: $75 for U.S. applicants. Confirm dates on Northeastern University’s admissions page; see every college on the deadline calendar.
Source: Common App 2026-27 first-year deadlines, fees and requirements grid, updated Sep 25, 2026.
Northeastern University tuition, cost and net price
| Tuition and fees (2025-26) | $69,289 |
|---|---|
| On-campus housing and food (2025-26) | $22,048 |
| Total cost of attendance (2024-25) | $88,412 |
| Average net price after grants (2024-25) | $29,060 |
Students who get federal aid pay an average of $29,060 a year after grants and scholarships, $59,352 less than the full cost of attendance.
What families pay, by income
Average yearly cost after grants for aided first-time students, by family income (2024-25):
Your own price depends on your family's full situation. Run Northeastern University's net price calculator for a personal estimate, or make a "what it costs us" card.
Northeastern University graduation rate, earnings and debt
- 91% of first-time, full-time students finished within six years (students who started in 2019).
- Former students earned a median of $99,371 a year, 10 years after they started (students who received federal aid and were working).
- Students who completed left with a median of $20,000 in federal student loans.
Earnings compared
Debt compared
Median debt is 20% of median earnings 10 years after entry. Many advisers suggest keeping total student debt below one year of expected pay. See the monthly payment.
Northeastern University majors and what graduates earn
Northeastern University awarded bachelor's degrees in 64 fields recently. The best-paid graduates four years out came from computer and information sciences ($163,708).
All 64 majors at Northeastern University
| Major | Graduates (2023-24) | Earnings 1 yr after | Earnings 4 yrs after | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and information sciences | 633 | $124,222 | $163,708 | $19,500 |
| Pharmacy | 62 | n/a | $142,985 | $21,908 |
| Computer engineering | 125 | $110,872 | $135,416 | $21,617 |
| International business | 99 | $76,290 | $125,162 | $18,258 |
| Mathematics | 99 | $94,730 | $125,084 | $20,715 |
| Electrical engineering | 88 | $96,270 | $118,150 | $21,000 |
| Business | 986 | $83,604 | $113,620 | $18,875 |
| Engineering, Other | 134 | $84,093 | $112,019 | $21,500 |
| Industrial engineering | 80 | $82,701 | $111,430 | $23,750 |
| Chemical engineering | 93 | $85,859 | $107,767 | $24,487 |
| Mechanical engineering | 244 | $87,504 | $103,384 | $22,500 |
| Economics | 197 | $78,831 | $101,423 | $20,849 |
| Civil engineering | 84 | $79,302 | $100,613 | $19,500 |
| Nursing | 96 | $84,377 | $91,003 | $20,000 |
| Biochemistry and molecular biology | 91 | $60,938 | $90,612 | $17,817 |
| Chemistry | 27 | $84,338 | $88,364 | n/a |
| Graphic and industrial design | 47 | $61,815 | $87,336 | $19,500 |
| Physical and occupational therapy | 0 | n/a | $81,320 | $29,000 |
| Health administration | 199 | $46,316 | $80,233 | $21,500 |
| Communication | 114 | $55,226 | $80,191 | $23,245 |
| Biology | 130 | $43,476 | $78,327 | $19,500 |
| Criminal justice | 72 | $41,941 | $77,477 | $17,750 |
| International relations | 47 | $59,562 | $74,816 | $20,500 |
| Journalism | 45 | $45,499 | $74,709 | $18,750 |
| Neuroscience | 160 | $47,825 | $74,617 | $22,500 |
| Architecture | 1 | n/a | $74,540 | n/a |
| Political science | 140 | $55,843 | $73,539 | $20,875 |
| Environmental science | 72 | $47,927 | $70,272 | $19,500 |
| Sociology | 22 | n/a | $69,585 | n/a |
| English | 22 | $44,153 | $67,877 | n/a |
| Research and experimental psychology | 164 | $49,000 | $66,130 | $20,250 |
| Human services | 21 | n/a | $61,152 | n/a |
| Music | 24 | $48,272 | $60,974 | $18,500 |
| Computer Software and Media Applications | 108 | $99,899 | n/a | $19,500 |
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | 74 | $54,192 | n/a | $19,500 |
| Architectural Sciences and Technology | 38 | n/a | n/a | $30,750 |
| IT and network administration | 22 | $121,048 | n/a | n/a |
| Ecology and evolutionary biology | 22 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Physics | 21 | $53,093 | n/a | $25,500 |
| History | 18 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Architectural history | 17 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Art and design, general | 16 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other | 14 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Philosophy | 11 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Linguistics | 10 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Theater | 8 | $36,309 | n/a | n/a |
| Film and photography | 8 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Graphic Communications | 7 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Speech-language pathology | 7 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Legal studies | 6 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Liberal arts and general studies | 6 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| American Sign Language | 4 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Fine and studio arts | 4 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Geology and earth sciences | 3 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Landscape Architecture | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Romance languages | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Religious studies | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Public Administration and Social Service Professions, Other | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Anthropology | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Social Sciences, Other | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Public health | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Area Studies | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Information science | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Four-year earnings: graduates of 2017-18 and 2018-19, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars. Fields with few graduates have no published earnings.
Graduate programs at Northeastern University
100 graduate programs awarded degrees recently. Largest first.
Show 100 graduate programs
| Program | Degree | Graduates (2023-24) | Earnings 1 yr after | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and information sciences | Master's | 1,133 | $131,773 | $44,988 |
| Computer engineering | Master's | 1,086 | n/a | n/a |
| Engineering, Other | Master's | 545 | $88,936 | $20,500 |
| Engineering, general | Master's | 385 | $116,350 | n/a |
| Biotechnology | Master's | 270 | $116,193 | $31,972 |
| Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies | Professional doctorate | 210 | n/a | n/a |
| Applied mathematics | Master's | 200 | n/a | n/a |
| Computer Software and Media Applications | Master's | 199 | $87,482 | $32,069 |
| Electrical engineering | Master's | 195 | $124,342 | n/a |
| Business | Master's | 160 | $129,571 | $44,112 |
| Business analytics and operations research | Master's | 153 | $109,831 | $33,500 |
| Business administration | Master's | 111 | $90,182 | $35,875 |
| Mechanical engineering | Master's | 99 | $96,589 | n/a |
| Industrial engineering | Master's | 99 | n/a | n/a |
| Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering | Master's | 94 | n/a | n/a |
| Pharmacy | Professional doctorate | 87 | $80,262 | $66,665 |
| Physical and occupational therapy | Professional doctorate | 87 | $78,649 | $36,500 |
| Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology | Master's | 84 | $91,279 | $41,000 |
| IT and network administration | Master's | 82 | $127,428 | n/a |
| Public administration | Master's | 80 | $63,923 | $41,000 |
| Clinical and counseling psychology | Master's | 69 | $56,398 | $41,000 |
| Accounting | Master's | 66 | $86,876 | $41,000 |
| Criminal justice | Master's | 64 | $62,000 | $26,340 |
| Economics | Master's | 56 | n/a | n/a |
| Speech-language pathology | Master's | 56 | $68,910 | $59,559 |
| Nursing | Master's | 54 | $139,712 | $52,979 |
| Civil engineering | Master's | 51 | $84,714 | n/a |
| Public health | Master's | 51 | $70,318 | $54,667 |
| Allied health (PA, radiography, therapy and more) | Master's | 50 | $122,071 | $110,894 |
| Architectural Sciences and Technology | Master's | 49 | n/a | n/a |
| Systems Engineering | Master's | 47 | n/a | n/a |
| Medical Illustration and Informatics | Master's | 47 | $87,464 | n/a |
| Graphic Communications | Master's | 41 | n/a | n/a |
| Environmental science | Master's | 38 | $68,871 | $40,976 |
| Computer and information sciences | Doctoral | 36 | n/a | n/a |
| Nursing | Professional doctorate | 32 | $257,670 | $172,213 |
| Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies | Master's | 31 | n/a | n/a |
| Ecology and evolutionary biology | Master's | 29 | n/a | $60,822 |
| Pharmacy | Master's | 29 | n/a | $40,614 |
| Graphic and industrial design | Master's | 28 | n/a | n/a |
| Electrical engineering | Doctoral | 25 | n/a | n/a |
| Chemical engineering | Master's | 22 | $89,939 | n/a |
| Computer engineering | Doctoral | 22 | n/a | n/a |
| Engineering, Other | Doctoral | 22 | n/a | n/a |
| Human Computer Interaction | Master's | 18 | n/a | n/a |
| Finance | Master's | 18 | $113,126 | n/a |
| Chemistry | Master's | 16 | n/a | n/a |
| Mechanical engineering | Doctoral | 15 | n/a | n/a |
| Pharmacology and Toxicology | Master's | 15 | n/a | n/a |
| Chemistry | Doctoral | 14 | n/a | n/a |
| Physics | Master's | 14 | n/a | n/a |
| International relations | Master's | 14 | $63,991 | n/a |
| Radio, TV and digital media | Master's | 13 | n/a | n/a |
| Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications | Master's | 13 | n/a | n/a |
| Urban Studies/Affairs | Master's | 13 | n/a | n/a |
| English | Master's | 12 | n/a | n/a |
| Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other | Master's | 11 | n/a | n/a |
| Biology | Doctoral | 11 | n/a | n/a |
| Physics | Doctoral | 11 | n/a | n/a |
| Biology | Master's | 10 | n/a | n/a |
| Chemical engineering | Doctoral | 9 | n/a | n/a |
| Industrial engineering | Doctoral | 9 | n/a | n/a |
| History | Master's | 9 | n/a | n/a |
| Operations Research | Master's | 8 | n/a | n/a |
| Research and experimental psychology | Master's | 8 | n/a | n/a |
| Research and experimental psychology | Doctoral | 8 | n/a | n/a |
| Journalism | Master's | 7 | n/a | n/a |
| Criminal justice | Doctoral | 7 | n/a | n/a |
| Civil engineering | Doctoral | 6 | n/a | n/a |
| Social Sciences, General | Master's | 6 | n/a | n/a |
| Political science | Master's | 6 | n/a | n/a |
| Sociology | Master's | 6 | n/a | n/a |
| Sociology | Doctoral | 6 | n/a | n/a |
| Pharmacology and Toxicology | Doctoral | 5 | n/a | n/a |
| Pharmacy | Doctoral | 5 | n/a | n/a |
| Public administration | Doctoral | 4 | n/a | n/a |
| Political science | Doctoral | 4 | n/a | n/a |
| Environmental science | Doctoral | 3 | n/a | n/a |
| Environmental Design | Master's | 3 | n/a | n/a |
| Engineering, general | Doctoral | 3 | n/a | n/a |
| Manufacturing Engineering | Master's | 3 | n/a | n/a |
| English | Doctoral | 3 | n/a | n/a |
| Systems Science and Theory | Doctoral | 3 | n/a | n/a |
| Economics | Doctoral | 3 | n/a | n/a |
| Arts management | Master's | 3 | n/a | n/a |
| Physical and occupational therapy | Master's | 3 | n/a | n/a |
| Medical Illustration and Informatics | Doctoral | 3 | n/a | n/a |
| Nursing | Doctoral | 3 | n/a | n/a |
| Taxation | Master's | 3 | n/a | n/a |
| IT and network administration | Doctoral | 2 | n/a | n/a |
| Mathematics | Master's | 2 | n/a | n/a |
| Mathematics | Doctoral | 2 | n/a | n/a |
| Kinesiology and exercise science | Master's | 2 | n/a | $35,875 |
| Public health | Doctoral | 2 | n/a | n/a |
| Physical and occupational therapy | Doctoral | 2 | n/a | n/a |
| History | Doctoral | 2 | n/a | n/a |
| Environmental engineering | Master's | 1 | n/a | n/a |
| Legal Professions and Studies, Other | Doctoral | 1 | n/a | n/a |
| Visual and Performing Arts, Other | Master's | 1 | n/a | n/a |
| Clinical and counseling psychology | Doctoral | 0 | n/a | n/a |
Students and location
- 17,326 degree-seeking undergraduates (fall 2024)
- 57% women, 43% men
- 16 students for every faculty member
- Setting: large city
- Accredited by New England Commission on Higher Education
Frequently asked questions
What is the acceptance rate at Northeastern University?
Northeastern University admitted 5.2% of applicants for fall 2024, according to the U.S. Department of Education.
How much does Northeastern University cost?
Tuition and fees for 2025-26 are $69,289. After grants and scholarships, aided students paid an average net price of $29,060 a year in 2024-25.
What SAT score do you need for Northeastern University?
The middle 50% of enrolled students scored 710 to 760 in reading and writing and 730 to 780 in math, and 33 to 35 on the ACT. Scores inside these ranges are typical for admitted students.
Is Northeastern University test-optional?
For fall 2024 admission, Northeastern University reported that test scores were: considered but not required. Policies change, so confirm with the admissions office.
What is the graduation rate at Northeastern University?
91% of first-time, full-time students finished within six years.
How much do Northeastern University graduates make?
Former students who received federal aid earned a median of $99,371 a year 10 years after they started, in 2024 dollars.
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More: all colleges in Massachusetts · colleges in Boston · Northeastern University on the College Scorecard
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, data release of October 15, 2026. What each figure means and the year it covers.