Boston, MA · private · 17,326 undergraduates
Northeastern University acceptance rate, SAT range and net price
Northeastern admitted 5.22% of almost a hundred thousand applicants in its newest published cycle, and families under $48,000 paid little on federal figures.
Net price per year at Northeastern
$16,241
Reach · admit rate 5.22%
| Admit rate, Fall 2024 entering class (Class of 2028), fallback: CDS 2025-2026 not published | 5.22% (1 in 19) |
| Middle 50% of enrolled students (SAT) | 1,450 to 1,520 |
| Enrolled students scoring below you (approx.) | 1% |
| This site’s label | Reach |
| Sticker price 2026-27 | $98,322 |
| Paid by families with $75,001-$110,000 (2023-24) | $16,241 |
| Share of the sticker price | 17% |
Net price: average paid after grants by students on federal aid in that income band (2023-24), not a quote. The label is a fixed rule of this site (admit rate under 15% is a reach for everyone), not a prediction. Your exact price: Northeastern net price calculator. How this is calculated.
Admissions: Northeastern University Common Data Set 2024-2025, C1 (residency table totals) · net price: College Scorecard, 2023-24 · figures checked · Built by Radif Partners · Method and data
- Admit rate, newest cycle
- 5.22%
- SAT middle 50%
- 1,450 to 1,520
- Sticker price 2026-27
- $98,322
- Net price, income $48k to $75k
- $5,301
Northeastern University's newest published admissions counts, in its Common Data Set 2024-2025, describe the class that entered in fall 2024: 5,133 admitted out of 98,425 first-year applicants, an acceptance rate of 5.22%, with 2,759 enrolling. Its news office has since reported more than 105,000 applicants for fall 2025 and 106,300 for fall 2026, but no admit counts for those years. Testing is optional and only 24% of the enrolled class sent an SAT, whose middle 50% was 1,450 to 1,520. The 2026-27 cost of attendance is $98,322. Northeastern meets full demonstrated need, and the federal figures for 2023-24 show it: families under $30,000 paid an average of $2,264, families between $48,001 and $75,000 paid $5,301, among the lowest averages on this site for those two bands.
One of the most applied-to private universities
Few private universities draw a pool this size. Northeastern's applications have hovered around a hundred thousand for three cycles, while its first-year class stays under three thousand. That arithmetic puts its admit rate in the same band as the Ivy League, which surprises families who remember it as a regional school. The four rounds matter here: Early Decision I and Early Action on November 1, Early Decision II and regular decision on January 1. In fall 2024, Northeastern admitted 1,492 of 3,466 Early Decision applicants, a rate many times the overall figure, so binding early application is the clearest signal a student can send.
Northeastern: where your SAT score lands
Enrolled students scoring below you (approx.)
54%
| Middle 50% | 1,450 to 1,520 |
| Your score is | inside the middle 50% |
Fall 2024 entering class (Class of 2028), fallback: CDS 2025-2026 not published, CDS 2024-2025, C9, fall 2024 enrolled (653 SAT submitters, 203 ACT submitters). Normal curve fitted to the two published percentiles.
Starting abroad and the co-op years
Northeastern admits some students to a first semester or year outside Boston, through N.U.in or the London Scholars program. These options change the price in ways the main budget does not show: the N.U.in fall semester has its own direct cost and is not eligible for federal aid. The co-op program, six-month professional jobs alternating with classes, is the other singularity. Most students spend part of their five years at work, often paid, and many receive a job offer from a former co-op employer. Tuition is not charged during co-op periods, but rent usually is, which is why the five-year cost should be planned with care.
What families on aid paid
Northeastern commits to meeting the full demonstrated need of every student who attends, and reports record grant spending. The 2023-24 federal net prices are among the lowest on this site for low incomes, $2,264 under $30,000 and $2,436 between $30,001 and $48,000, before rising steeply to $47,696 above $110,000. The 2026-27 budget of $98,322 includes tuition of $71,050 and $22,822 for housing and food in Boston.
Northeastern: net price for your family income
Average net price, 2023-24
$5,301
| Income band | $48,001-$75,000 |
| Share of the 2023-24 cost | 6% |
Federal figure for first-year students on federal aid.
Boston alternatives
Students admitted to Northeastern often hold offers from Boston University, Tufts or Boston College. Their aid rules differ sharply above $75,000 of income; the comparison tool shows the gap for your family.
From Northeastern University’s own documents
- Northeastern is one of the most applied-to private universities: 105,283 first-year applicants for fall 2025 and 106,300 for fall 2026, while fall 2024 saw 5,133 admits from 98,425 applicants. source
- The co-op program places students in six-month professional jobs, so graduates leave with up to 18 months of work experience; 58 percent are offered a job by a previous co-op employer. source
- Some admits start their first year abroad: the N.U.in fall semester costs $46,600 in direct costs (tuition plus a program fee covering housing and flights) and is not eligible for federal aid; the London Scholars year costs $93,200 in direct costs. source
- Northeastern offers four rounds: binding Early Decision I (November 1) and II (January 1), non-binding Early Action (November 1) and Regular Decision (January 1); in fall 2024, 1,492 of 3,466 ED applicants were admitted. source
- Testing is optional and only 24 percent of the fall 2024 enrolled class submitted SAT scores; the university reports an average two-part SAT of 1480 and an average high school GPA of 4.2 for the Class of 2029. source
Net price at Northeastern University by family income
| Family income | Average net price 2023-24 | Share of the 2023-24 cost |
|---|---|---|
| $0-$30,000 | $2,264 | 3% |
| $30,001-$48,000 | $2,436 | 3% |
| $48,001-$75,000 | $5,301 | 6% |
| $75,001-$110,000 | $16,241 | 19% |
| $110,001 and up | $47,696 | 56% |
| All aided students | $30,915 | 37% |
Cost of attendance at Northeastern University, 2026-27
| Item | Amount | |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | $71,050 | |
| Fees | $1,650 | |
| Housing and food | $22,822 | |
| Books and supplies | $1,000 | |
| Personal | $900 | |
| Travel | $900 | |
| Total | $98,322 |
Northeastern University admissions by cycle
| Entering class | Applicants | Admitted | Enrolled | Admit rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2024 entering class (Class of 2028), fallback: CDS 2025-2026 not published | 98,425 | 5,133 | 2,759 | 5.22% |
| Fall 2024 (federal IPEDS figure) | n/a | n/a | n/a | 5.22% |
SAT and ACT scores at Northeastern University
| Score | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT total (Fall 2024 entering class (Class of 2028), fallback: CDS 2025-2026 not published, CDS 2024-2025, C9, fall 2024 enrolled (653 SAT submitters, 203 ACT submitters)) | 1,450 | 1,490 | 1,520 |
| ACT composite (Fall 2024 entering class (Class of 2028), fallback: CDS 2025-2026 not published (CDS 2024-2025, C9, fall 2024 enrolled (653 SAT submitters, 203 ACT submitters))) | 33 | 34 | 35 |
| SAT sections, fall 2024 (Scorecard) | 710 + 730 | n/a | 760 + 780 |
Outcomes at Northeastern University
| Measure | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Graduated within 6 years | 91% | fall 2018 entering cohort |
| Returned for a second year | 97% | fall 2023 entering cohort |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $92,538 | measured 2020-2021, 10 years after entry, 2022 dollars |
| Median federal debt of graduates | $24,250 | students who finished in 2019-20 and 2020-21 |
| Undergraduates | 17,326 | fall 2024 |
| Students with a Pell Grant | 12% | 2023-24 |