Acceptance Rate History
Northeastern University Acceptance Rate (2013–2024)
MA · Current rate: 5.2%
Northeastern University admits the SAT 1440–1540 range — you might be closer than you think.
This page is one school. The call weighs it against the rest of your list, from what each school published.
What is Northeastern University's acceptance rate in 2024?
Northeastern University's acceptance rate in 2024 is 5.2%, roughly unchanged from 5.7% in 2023.
College Scorecard 2024
How many applicants does Northeastern University admit, and what is its acceptance rate?
In its 2024 admissions cycle, Northeastern University admitted 5,133 of 98,425 applicants — an overall acceptance rate of 5.2%.
Source: College Scorecard 2024
Does Northeastern University's 2024 acceptance rate include early-round applicants?
Yes. The 5.2% rate is one whole-cycle figure covering all 98,425 applicants Northeastern University received for 2024, early and regular rounds counted together; it is not the rate of any single round.
Source: College Scorecard 2024
How has Northeastern University's acceptance rate changed recently?
Northeastern University's acceptance rate was 5.7% in 2023 and 5.2% in 2024, both reported by the same source.
Source: College Scorecard 2024
Year-by-Year Data
| Year | Acceptance Rate | Applicants | Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 5.2% | 98,425 | 5,133 |
| 2023 | 5.7% | 96,631 | 5,459 |
| 2022 | 6.8% | 91,000 | 6,191 |
| 2021 | 18.4% | 75,244 | 13,829 |
| 2020 | 20.5% | 64,459 | 13,199 |
| 2019 | 18.1% | 62,263 | 11,240 |
| 2018 | 19.3% | 62,272 | 12,042 |
| 2017 | 27.4% | 54,209 | 14,876 |
| 2016 | 28.9% | 51,063 | 14,747 |
| 2015 | 28.5% | 50,523 | 14,388 |
| 2014 | 32.2% | 49,819 | 16,052 |
| 2013 | 32.3% | 47,364 | 15,301 |
Source: IPEDS Admissions Survey (NCES) · College Scorecard
Cost
The same school, two different prices
Family income under $30k: $2,264/yr · Family income over $110k: $47,696/yr (AY 2023–24)
Average paid by students receiving federal aid, by family income (College Scorecard). International students are not eligible for U.S. federal aid, so they are not in this cohort and typically pay closer to the sticker price.
High-income families typically pay closer to sticker.
Aid for international students
Northeastern University awarded institutional aid to 368 international undergraduates, averaging $24,539 (2024-2025 Common Data Set).
These figures describe only the international students who actually received aid — not what a typical international admit can expect. International students outside this group pay the full sticker price.
Source: official Common Data Set filing
Admitted Student Profile
SAT Range · Middle 50% (25th–75th)
1440–1540
College Scorecard 2024
Admitted students at Northeastern University scored between 1440 and 1540 on the SAT (middle 50%).
Source: College Scorecard · U.S. Dept of Education
What this school weighs — Northeastern University
Course rigor and GPA are not in this table. Nearly every school rates both at the top, so they tell you nothing about this one. These six are where schools differ.
| Class rank | Considered |
|---|---|
| Standardized test scores | Very important |
| Application essay | Considered |
| Recommendations | Very important |
| Extracurricular activities | Important |
| Character / personal qualities | Important |
How to read these numbers
- The 2024 rate covers Northeastern University's whole applicant pool — early and regular applications counted together in one figure. It is not the rate of any single round.
- 1440–1540 is the middle half of admitted scores, not a cutoff: a quarter of admitted students scored below 1440, and a quarter scored above 1540.
- The table above holds 12 reported years, 2013 through 2024. Across them Northeastern University's rate ranged from 5.2% to 32.3%, so any single year is one point inside that range.
Each figure above describes a class a school already admitted in a completed cycle. It is a record of who was admitted, not a measurement of any one application.
Source: College Scorecard · IPEDS Admissions Survey (NCES) · U.S. Dept. of Education
Where do you stand?
School
Northeastern University
Northeastern University
SAT
Middle 50% of admitted students scored 1440–1540.
GPA
No published GPA data for this school.
This is SAT only. Your free full score also weighs your GPA, activities, and awards.
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Trend Analysis
Northeastern University's acceptance rate has decreased from 32.3% in 2013 to 5.2% in 2024, reflecting increased selectivity. The most notable shift occurred in 2022.
Analysis compiled from official data trends.
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Data sourced from IPEDS and College Scorecard. Does not represent endorsements or guarantee admission outcomes.