Northeastern University
What Northeastern University's own numbers say, from its Common Data Set 2025-26.
See your odds at Northeastern University →All 6 insights at Northeastern University PRO
Northeastern University's ED number is inflated.
35% of Early Decision applicants get in, but that pool includes recruited athletes and legacies, admitted at far higher rates. Without them, our estimate is about 29%. Everyone else: 4.0%.
Getting into Northeastern University is 3.4× harder than in 2018.
The admit rate fell from 19% (2018-19) to 5.6% (2025-26).
At most 28% of Northeastern University's first-years sent an SAT or ACT.
22% sent an SAT and 6% an ACT (some sent both), so most enrolled without a score. SAT middle 50% among those who sent: 1440–1510.
70% of Northeastern University's class is filled in Early Decision.
That leaves about 826 seats for 99,852 applicants outside ED.
Applications to Northeastern University are up 69%.
From 62,272 in 2018-19 to 105,256 in 2025-26.
Northeastern University meets 100% of need.
The average need-based grant is $64,845 a year, against tuition of $71,050.
7 more things the data says PRO
- ED applicants were admitted at 35%, against 4.0% for everyone else: 8.8 times the rate.
- Early Decision filled about 70% of the 2025-26 first-year class, more than every similar college.
- The admit rate has moved down steadily, from 19.3% in 2018-19 to 5.6% in 2025-26. If the trend holds, expect about 1.0% in 2026-27.
- After ED, 826 of 2,736 seats were left for 99,852 other applicants: about one seat for every 121.
- Only 22% of enrolled first-years sent an SAT score, so its SAT range describes a minority of the class.
- It reports meeting 100% of financial need for first-years who have need.
- Applications rose 69% from 2018-19 to 2025-26 (62,272 to 105,256), faster than 78% of colleges here.
What students say PRO
From students' own posts on Reddit and admissions forums: self-reported, unverified, never used in your odds.
- Most admits who named a round applied Early Action (about 22 of 32), with a few Early Decision and about 7 Regular Decision.
- Admits aiming at CS and engineering often built real things: apps, a Discord bot, robotics teams, hackathons, startups or an AI project.
- Many admits had research or published work, including first-author papers, lab assistant roles and conference presentations.
- Test scores shared were mostly high, with an SAT of 1450-1590 or ACT 32-36, and GPAs mostly 3.8 and above.
- Many admits founded or led organizations, such as clubs, nonprofits, a design agency or a business, and some had paid internships in their field.
- Students report the published ~5-6% admit rate covers only Boston, while NU.in and other alternate-start programs are left out, so the real picture is less selective.
- Students report many admits start at another campus, in the second semester, or through NU.in, and recent waitlist offers were only to NU.in.
- Students report strong EA applicants were deferred, and rejections can feel arbitrary since stats weigh heavily.
- Students report merit aid is awarded at admission and most admits get none, with roughly half getting need-based aid; cost near $90-100k a year.
- Students report ED results post in one batch around 7 PM Eastern, with an email about 15 minutes later.
Every number, year by year: Northeastern University on Open College Data. Something wrong? Suggest a correction.