Northeastern University is the more selective of the two, admitting 5.2% of applicants versus 12.8% at Boston University. For a family earning $48,001–$75,000, the average net price is about $11,778 per year at Boston University versus $26,890 at Northeastern University. Admitted students post SAT middle-50% ranges of 1430–1510 at Boston University and 1450–1520 at Northeastern University.
| Metric | Boston University | Northeastern University |
|---|---|---|
| Overall acceptance rate | 12.8% | 5.2% |
| Early acceptance rate | 29.5% | 40.0% |
| SAT middle 50% | 1430–1510 | 1450–1520 |
| Avg unweighted GPA | 3.7 | 3.9 |
| Yield rate | 31.0% | 53.0% |
| Class size | 3,268 | 2,759 |
| Net price, $48,001–$75,000 income | $11,778 | $26,890 |
| Net price, over $110,000 income | $47,504 | $58,567 |
Admissions and cost data as of July 3, 2026 (CDS 2024–25 cycle), from the most recent Common Data Set, IPEDS, and College Scorecard. Rows appear only where both colleges report the statistic.
No. Northeastern University is more selective: it admits 5.2% of applicants, versus 12.8% at Boston University, based on the most recent Common Data Set.
For a family earning $48,001–$75,000, the average net price is about $11,778 per year at Boston University and $26,890 at Northeastern University, so Boston University is the lower-cost option at that income level (source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard/IPEDS data).
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