Northeastern University Oakland: Cost, Graduate Salary, Acceptance Rate and Return on Investment
Northeastern University Oakland is a private nonprofit college in Oakland, CA. Students pay about $25,181 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 2.7 years and adds $333,406 over a decade, ranking it #32 of 918 (top 4%) by value added.
What is Northeastern University Oakland's acceptance rate?
Northeastern University Oakland has an acceptance rate of 16.7%, which makes it highly selective. It is a private nonprofit institution in Oakland, CA enrolling about 464 students, with a graduation rate not reported in the federal data.
How much does Northeastern University Oakland cost?
Northeastern University Oakland costs about $25,181 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 $124,974. Published sticker cost of attendance is $85,418 per year.
How much do Northeastern University Oakland graduates earn?
Ten years after enrolling, the median Northeastern University Oakland 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 Oakland worth it? Degree ROI and payback period
Northeastern University Oakland pays back its roughly $124,974 cost in about 2.7 years, then keeps returning the earnings premium. Over the first decade the degree adds about $333,406 net of cost, a 3.67x return on the money invested. That ranks it #32 of 918 (top 4%) by value added. Its top-tier value is driven mainly by strong graduate earnings and a small, focused program.
Top 10% value
Northeastern University Oakland graduation rate and student debt
A graduation rate is not reported for Northeastern University Oakland, 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 Oakland by the numbers (vs the typical college)
How Northeastern University Oakland 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 | $25,181 | $20,299 | cheaper than 30% |
| Median earnings (10 yrs) | $92,538 | $54,768 | 97th |
| Graduation rate | Not reported | 57.0% | n/a |
| Acceptance rate | 16.7% | 75.7% | more selective than 95% |
| 10-yr value added | $333,406 | -$28,192 | 97th |
| ROI multiple (per $1) | 3.67x | 0.73x | 94th |
| Payback period | 2.7 yrs | 8.8 yrs | faster than 92% |
How Northeastern University Oakland compares with its nearest rivals
Northeastern University Oakland ranks #32 of 918 by ten-year value added. The five profiled colleges closest to it in that ranking are compared below on the same federal data: 4 of them cost less per year and 1 of them produces higher median earnings ten years after entry.
Northeastern University Oakland is a private nonprofit college in Oakland, CA with 464 undergraduates. Its published cost of attendance is $85,418 a year, but the average aided family pays $25,181, a 71% discount from the sticker price. The median borrower leaves owing $24,250, equal to 26% of one year of median earnings ten years out. Northeastern University Oakland admits 16.7% of applicants.
- Williams College (Williamstown, MA; #31 of 918; 95.1% graduate) costs $7,465 less per year ($17,716 net), and its graduates earn $3,873 less ten years out ($88,665). Williams College adds $2,619 more ten-year value than Northeastern University Oakland. Williams College pays back its cost in 2 years.
- Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore, MD; #33 of 918; 94.2% graduate) costs $6,372 less per year ($18,809 net), and its graduates earn $4,983 less ten years out ($87,555). Northeastern University Oakland adds $10,342 more ten-year value than Johns Hopkins University. Johns Hopkins University pays back its cost in 2.1 years.
- Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (Terre Haute, IN; #30 of 918; 80.0% graduate) costs $17,332 more per year ($42,513 net), and its graduates earn $8,715 more ten years out ($101,253). Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology adds $17,072 more ten-year value than Northeastern University Oakland. Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology pays back its cost in 3.6 years.
- University of California-San Diego (La Jolla, CA; #34 of 918; 86.8% graduate) costs $12,711 less per year ($12,470 net), and its graduates earn $7,595 less ten years out ($84,943). Northeastern University Oakland adds $16,356 more ten-year value than University of California-San Diego. University of California-San Diego pays back its cost in 1.7 years.
- California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo (San Luis Obispo, CA; #29 of 918; 85.7% graduate) costs $8,516 less per year ($16,665 net), and its graduates earn $1,770 less ten years out ($90,768). California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo adds $22,114 more ten-year value than Northeastern University Oakland. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo pays back its cost in 1.9 years.
| College | Value rank | Net price / yr | Earnings (10 yrs) | Graduation | 10-yr value added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | #29 | $16,665 | $90,768 | 85.7% | $355,520 |
| Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology | #30 | $42,513 | $101,253 | 80.0% | $350,478 |
| Williams College | #31 | $17,716 | $88,665 | 95.1% | $336,025 |
| Northeastern University Oakland | #32 | $25,181 | $92,538 | n/a | $333,406 |
| Johns Hopkins University | #33 | $18,809 | $87,555 | 94.2% | $323,064 |
| University of California-San Diego | #34 | $12,470 | $84,943 | 86.8% | $317,050 |
Paying for Northeastern University Oakland
Net price is what a family pays after grants, so the aid a student qualifies for moves every figure above. Our sister sites cover that side of the decision: the Pell Grant 2026-2027 guide sets out who qualifies and the maximum award, the education grants guide lists federal, state and institutional grants beyond Pell, and the best AI tools for students compares what is worth paying for once enrolled.
Frequently asked
Is Northeastern University Oakland worth the cost compared to other colleges?
By value added net of cost, Northeastern University Oakland ranks #32 of 918 (top 4%) of the 918 four-year colleges we rank, and returns about 3.67x the money invested over a decade.
Is Northeastern University Oakland expensive compared to other colleges?
Its $25,181 average net price is above the $20,299 median for the colleges in this snapshot, making it cheaper than 30% of them.
Do Northeastern University Oakland 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 Oakland compared to other colleges?
Its 16.7% acceptance rate is below the 75.7% median, making it more selective than 95% of the colleges in the snapshot.
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Federal data behind this page
What a programme costs, what its graduates earn, and what aid is available are published by federal statistical agencies rather than by any provider's marketing page, and the sources below are the primary ones. They are linked so a reader can check a figure here directly.
- College Scorecard publishes the federal cost, completion and post-enrolment earnings data used to compare programmes.
- National Center for Education Statistics is the federal statistical agency for education and the source most published figures trace back to.
- IPEDS holds the institution-level survey data behind enrolment, price and completion comparisons.
- Federal Student Aid states what aid exists, who qualifies, and what repayment actually obligates a borrower to.
- CFPB paying for college documents how education financing works and where its common traps are.
- US Department of Education sets the policy framework the accreditation and aid systems operate under.
- Department of Education laws and policy carries the rules that decide whether a provider or credential is recognised.
This page compares programmes on published data. Outcomes vary by student, and a reader's own aid package and circumstances decide what a programme actually costs them.