College Profiles/ Northeastern University
College Profile · Fall 2027 Entry
Northeastern University Admissions: Acceptance Rate, Cost, Financial Aid and Deadlines
Boston, MA · 22,695 undergraduates. Everything families need to apply to Northeastern University for fall 2027, verified against the school’s own Common Data Set, cost of attendance and admissions pages, with ConnectPrep’s strategic read.
By Jeremy Fine, Founder of ConnectPrep
Updated October 11, 2026 · Data verified against official sources
✓ Every figure cited
Quick answer
Northeastern University admitted 5.2% of 98,425 first-year applicants in the 2024-2025 Common Data Set.[1] Early Decision applicants were admitted at 43.0%.[1] The middle 50% SAT range for enrolled first-years is 1450 to 1520.[1] The 2026-2027 cost of attendance is $98,322.[2] First-year students who received need-based aid got an average grant of $58,707.[1] For fall 2027 entry, deadlines are Early Decision I Nov 1, Early Decision II Jan 1, Early Action Nov 1, Regular Decision Jan 1.[3]
5.2%
Overall admit rate[1]
43.0%
Early Decision admit rate[1]
1450 to 1520
Middle 50% SAT[1]
$98,322
Cost of attendance, 2026-2027[2]
$58,707
Average need-based grant[1]
$2.1B
Endowment, FY2025[4]
Northeastern University at a Glance
- Location
- Boston, MA
- Type
- Private nonprofit
- Student to faculty ratio
- 16:1[1]
- Endowment
- $2.1 billion (FY2025)[4]
- SAT/ACT, fall 2027
- Optional[3]
- Application
- Common App, Coalition[3]
- First-year retention
- 96.9%[1]
The ConnectPrep Take on Northeastern University
The ConnectPrep take
Northeastern is a hard numbers picture: 98,425 applicants and a 5.2% admit rate in its 2024-2025 Common Data Set. Early Decision changes that picture dramatically. 43.0% of 3,466 ED applicants were admitted, about 8.3 times the overall rate, though early pools are self-selected and often include recruited athletes and legacies. If Northeastern is truly first, ED I on Nov 1 or ED II on Jan 1 is the play. Testing is optional and only 24% of enrolled students sent the SAT, but the middle 50% was 1450 to 1520, so submit at 1485 or above and aim for 1520. Northeastern considers every complete application for all enrollment opportunities, including campuses beyond Boston. The mistake we see is a student who has not thought about that kind of start and is caught off guard by the offer.
What to do this fall
- If Northeastern is your student's first choice, apply ED I by Nov 1; ED II on Jan 1 is the second chance.
- Send an SAT of 1485 or higher, and keep testing toward 1520 if there is time before your round.
- Write about co-op specifically: how your student would use six-month work periods, not just that the program exists.
- File the CSS Profile and FAFSA by Nov 15 for ED I, Dec 1 for EA, Jan 15 for ED II, or Feb 15 for RD.
Applying to Northeastern University? Get a free strategy session. We map your student’s round, testing plan, essays and every scholarship deadline for this school.
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Northeastern University Admissions Statistics
| Applicant pool |
Applied |
Admitted |
Admit rate |
| All first-year applicants[1] |
98,425 |
5,133 |
5.2% |
| Early Decision[1] |
3,466 |
1,492 |
43.0% |
- Early Decision admits made up about 29% of all admitted students, so a large part of the class is filled before Regular Decision applications are read (ConnectPrep calculation from the figures above).
- The Early Decision admit rate is about 8.3 times the overall rate. Early pools are self-selected and often include recruited athletes and legacy applicants, so the true advantage for a typical applicant is smaller.
- Yield, the share of admitted students who enrolled, was 53.8%.[1]
Testing and academic profile
| Academic profile of enrolled first-years |
Middle 50% or share |
| SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing[1] |
710 to 760 |
| SAT Math[1] |
730 to 780 |
| SAT composite[1] |
1450 to 1520 |
| ACT composite[1] |
33 to 35 |
| Enrolled students who submitted the SAT[1] |
24% |
| Enrolled students who submitted the ACT[1] |
7% |
ConnectPrep score target
Aim for 1520 on the SAT, the 75th percentile here, or 35 on the ACT. When testing is optional, we generally advise submitting scores at or above about 1480, the middle of the range. A higher score is always better, and the test can be retaken. Not there yet? Take a free practice test and we will build the plan to close the gap.
What Northeastern University looks for
In its own words: Northeastern says all complete applications are fully considered for admission for all enrollment opportunities, and that applicants who apply without standardized testing will not be penalized or disadvantaged.[5]
Northeastern University Application Deadlines 2026-2027
| Round |
Deadline |
Decision |
| Early Decision I |
Nov 1 |
ED I by Jan 1; ED II by Mar 1 |
| Early Decision II |
Jan 1 |
|
| Early Action |
Nov 1 |
by Feb 15 |
| Regular Decision |
Jan 1 |
by Apr 1 |
Insider deadlines families miss
These scholarship, honors, program, interview and aid deadlines come from Northeastern University’s own pages. Anything tagged Before RD is due before the Regular Decision deadline.
| Program or rule |
Deadline |
What to know |
Early Decision NU Accelerate award
Before RD |
Nov 1 (ED I) or Jan 1 (ED II) |
ED admits receive a $17,000 NU Accelerate scholarship for up to two pre-enrollment courses, early estimated need-based aid, priority second-year housing and a $5,000 experience fund; ED admits to a non-first-choice signature program are not bound.[6] |
| Merit scholarships |
Jan 1 |
No separate application; all first-year applicants who apply by the Jan 1 RD deadline are considered. Merit estimates are not available early.[7] |
| Stamps Scholars and Torch Scholars |
See note |
Selected admits are invited to submit a Stamps video application (nominees notified mid-March); Torch Scholars must be nominated by a counselor, teacher or mentor.[7] |
| CSS Profile and FAFSA |
Nov 15 (ED I); Dec 1 (EA); Jan 15 (ED II); Feb 15 (RD) |
FAFSA and CSS Profile share the same round-specific deadlines.[3] |
See how Northeastern University compares with other colleges in the Northeast deadlines database or the full 2026-2027 college application deadlines hub.
Northeastern University Cost and Financial Aid
| Cost and aid |
Figure |
| Cost of attendance (2026-2027)[2] |
$98,322 |
| Tuition[2] |
$71,050 |
| First-years awarded need-based aid[1] |
50.6% |
| Average need-based scholarship or grant[1] |
$58,707 |
| Average total financial aid package[1] |
$60,416 |
| Average share of need met[1] |
100.0% |
| Merit (non-need) awards to first-years[1] |
358 students, average $16,112 |
First-year student on the Boston, New York City or Oakland campus, including tuition, fees, housing, food, books, personal expenses and transportation.[2]
- For a family that qualifies for need-based aid, the average grant would bring the $98,322 cost of attendance down to roughly $39,615 before loans and work-study. This is a ConnectPrep calculation for illustration; your student’s number depends on your family’s finances, so run the school’s net price calculator.
What families actually pay: net price by income
Net price is the full cost of attendance minus the average grants and scholarships for first-year students receiving aid, by family income. It comes from federal data, which runs a year or two behind the school’s current cost figures.[8]
| Family income |
Average net price per year |
| $0 to $30,000 |
$2,264 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 |
$2,436 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 |
$5,301 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 |
$16,241 |
| Over $110,000 |
$47,696 |
| All aided students |
$30,915 |
Academics and Majors at Northeastern University
Most popular fields by share of bachelor’s degrees awarded[1]
- Business/marketing22%
- Engineering18%
- Computer and information sciences16%
- Biological/life sciences10%
- Social sciences8%
Signature programs
Cooperative Education (co-op)
Students alternate semesters of study with six-month periods of full-time employment in the US or abroad, and 100% of the 2022-2023 graduating class participated.[9]
Combined majors
Northeastern offers 229 combined majors alongside 110 single majors.[4]
Global campus network
Beyond Boston, Northeastern lists undergraduate campuses in Oakland, London and New York City.[10]
Global experiences
In 2022-2023, 3,780 undergraduates had a global experience in 66 countries.[9]
Special admission paths
- Early Decision I (November 1).[10]
- Early Action (November 1).[10]
- Early Decision II (January 1).[10]
- Portfolio option for College of Arts, Media and Design applicants.[10]
- Consideration for all enrollment opportunities, including campuses beyond Boston.[10]
Northeastern University Retention and Graduation Rates
| Outcome |
Figure |
| First-year students who returned for sophomore year[1] |
96.9% |
| Graduated within six years[1] |
90.5% |
| Median earnings 10 years after starting college[8] |
$92,538 |
| Median federal loan debt of graduates[8] |
$24,250 |
| Undergraduates receiving Pell Grants[8] |
12% |
Make Northeastern University a realistic goal
ConnectPrep builds the full plan: the right round, a score target and test schedule, essays that sound like your student, and every scholarship and program deadline on one calendar. Start with a free consultation or a free practice test.
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Northeastern University FAQs
What is the Northeastern University acceptance rate?
Northeastern University admitted 5.2% of first-year applicants (5,133 of 98,425), according to its 2024-2025 Common Data Set. The Early Decision admit rate was 43.0%.
When are the Northeastern University application deadlines for 2026-27?
For students entering in fall 2027: Early Decision I Nov 1; Early Decision II Jan 1; Early Action Nov 1; Regular Decision Jan 1. 1 scholarship, honors or program deadlines come before Regular Decision; see the insider deadlines table on this page.
How much does Northeastern University cost?
The 2026-2027 cost of attendance is $98,322. First-year students who received need-based aid got an average grant of $58,707.
What SAT score do you need for Northeastern University?
The middle 50% of enrolled first-years scored 1450 to 1520 on the SAT and 33 to 35 on the ACT. ConnectPrep advises aiming for 1520, the 75th percentile. Testing policy for fall 2027 entry: Optional.
Is early decision worth it at Northeastern?
Northeastern admitted 43.0% of its 3,466 Early Decision applicants against 5.2% overall, about 8.3 times the overall rate. That pool is self-selected and often includes recruited athletes and legacies, so the true edge is smaller. ED admits also receive an NU Accelerate award, early estimated need-based aid, and priority second-year housing.
Do I need test scores for Northeastern?
No. Northeastern is test optional and says applicants who apply without testing will not be penalized or disadvantaged. Among enrolled students, 24% submitted the SAT, with a middle 50% of 1450 to 1520, and the ACT range was 33 to 35. We advise submitting an SAT at or above the 1485 midpoint.
About the author
Jeremy Fine
Jeremy Fine founded ConnectPrep in 2013 and brings more than 20 years of experience in education, spanning test preparation, college advising and academic program management. He holds a BA from Washington University in St. Louis and an MPA from the University of Pittsburgh.
ConnectPrep is based in Westport, Connecticut, and works with students from kindergarten through graduate school, in person and online. Meet the team.
This profile is an independent ConnectPrep resource and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Northeastern University. Figures come from the sources listed above as published when checked in October 2026; the Common Data Set year is noted where used. Policies and costs change, so confirm with the school before applying.
