Northeastern University: Cost, Graduate Salary, Acceptance Rate and Return on Investment
Northeastern University is a private nonprofit college in Boston, MA. Students pay about $30,915 a year in net price, and the median graduate earns $92,538 ten years after enrolling. By our Degree-ROI measure the degree pays back in about 3.2 years and adds $310,470 over a decade, ranking it #37 of 918 (top 5%) by value added.
What is Northeastern University's acceptance rate?
Northeastern University has an acceptance rate of 5.2%, which makes it highly selective. It is a private nonprofit institution in Boston, MA enrolling about 17,326 students, with a 90.5% graduation rate.
How much does Northeastern University cost?
Northeastern University costs about $30,915 per year in average net price, what a typical student actually pays after grants and scholarships. Over four years, including typical borrowing, that totals roughly $147,910. Published sticker cost of attendance is $84,641 per year.
How much do Northeastern University graduates earn?
Ten years after enrolling, the median Northeastern University student earns $92,538 per year. That is $45,838 more than the $46,700 that the typical worker with only a high-school diploma earns.
Is Northeastern University worth it? Degree ROI and payback period
Northeastern University pays back its roughly $147,910 cost in about 3.2 years, then keeps returning the earnings premium. Over the first decade the degree adds about $310,470 net of cost, a 3.1x return on the money invested. That ranks it #37 of 918 (top 5%) by value added. Its top-tier value is driven mainly by strong graduate earnings and a high graduation rate.
Top 10% value
Northeastern University graduation rate and student debt
90.5% of Northeastern University students complete their degree, and the median graduate leaves with $24,250 in federal student debt. That debt is about 26% of one year of median graduate earnings.
Northeastern University by the numbers (vs the typical college)
How Northeastern University compares to the median four-year college in our snapshot. Percentile is its rank among the 918 colleges that report both earnings and cost (higher is better).
| Metric | This school | Median college | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avg net price / yr | $30,915 | $20,299 | cheaper than 15% |
| Median earnings (10 yrs) | $92,538 | $54,768 | 97th |
| Graduation rate | 90.5% | 57.0% | 96th |
| Acceptance rate | 5.2% | 75.7% | more selective than 99% |
| 10-yr value added | $310,470 | -$28,192 | 96th |
| ROI multiple (per $1) | 3.1x | 0.73x | 92th |
| Payback period | 3.2 yrs | 8.8 yrs | faster than 89% |
Frequently asked
Is Northeastern University worth the cost compared to other colleges?
By value added net of cost, Northeastern University ranks #37 of 918 (top 5%) of the 918 four-year colleges we rank, and returns about 3.1x the money invested over a decade.
Is Northeastern University expensive compared to other colleges?
Its $30,915 average net price is above the $20,299 median for the colleges in this snapshot, making it cheaper than 15% of them.
Do Northeastern University graduates earn more than average?
Median earnings of $92,538 ten years out are above the $54,768 median, higher than 97% of the colleges here.
How hard is it to get into Northeastern University compared to other colleges?
Its 5.2% acceptance rate is below the 75.7% median, making it more selective than 99% of the colleges in the snapshot.
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