Boston vs Northeastern
What each college publishes, side by side. Cost, admission, graduation, earnings and debt come from federal data.
ACompass Score: Exceptional (grade A): the top 10% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Boston UniversityBoston, MACompass Score: Exceptional · Top 4%ACompass Score: Exceptional (grade A): the top 10% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.Northeastern UniversityBoston, MACompass Score: Exceptional · Top 4%
At a glance
- For families earning up to $30,000, Northeastern has the lower price after aid: $2,264 a year, against $9,500 at Boston.
- Boston has the lower average price after aid: $24,402 a year, against $30,915 at Northeastern.
- Median earnings ten years after entry are higher at Northeastern: $92,538, against $83,238 at Boston.
Scores
Compass Score
ACompass Score: Exceptional (grade A): the top 10% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F. Top 4%
ACompass Score: Exceptional (grade A): the top 10% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F. Top 4%
Academic Excellence
A+Academic Excellence: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F. Top 3%
AAcademic Excellence: Exceptional (grade A): the top 10% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F. Top 6%
Value
B+Value: Very good (grade B+): the top 35% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F. Top 32%
B-Value: Good (grade B-): the top 75% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.
The college
Category
National universities
National universities
Location
Boston, MA
Boston, MA
Setting
City
City
Students
36,624
31,159
Sports
NCAA Division I · Patriot League
NCAA Division I · Colonial Athletic Association
Admission
Admission rate
11%
5%
Average SAT
1480
1497
ACT middle 50%
32–34
33–35
Outcomes
Graduation rate
89%
91%
First-year retention
95%
97%
Median earnings 10 years after entry
$83,238
$92,538
Median debt
$23,250
$24,250
Cost
Average price after aid
$24,402
$30,915
Price after aid, by family income
Up to $30,000
$9,500
$2,264
$30,001–$48,000
$9,342
$2,436
$48,001–$75,000
$11,778
$5,301
$75,001–$110,000
$22,517
$16,241
Over $110,000
$47,504
$47,696
Top majors by graduate earnings
Bachelor's majors
- Computer science $136,667
- Computer engineering $135,394
- Interdisciplinary studies $110,622
- Business administration $108,412
- Biomedical/Medical Engineering $99,024
- Computing and information science $163,708
- Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration $142,985
- Computer engineering $135,416
- International business $125,162
- Mathematics $125,084
Compare with another college
The Compass Score and grades are College Compass Guide’s own ratings. Cost, admission, graduation, earnings and debt are federal data. This comparison doesn’t rank the two colleges; the figures are shown as published.