Massachusetts Institute of Technology vs Northeastern University: Acceptance Rate, SAT & Net Price

Massachusetts Institute of Technology is the more selective of the two, admitting 4.6% of applicants versus 5.2% at Northeastern University. For a family earning $48,001–$75,000, the average net price is about $9,013 per year at Massachusetts Institute of Technology versus $26,890 at Northeastern University. Massachusetts Institute of Technology's yield rate is 87.0%, versus 53.0% at Northeastern University.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology vs Northeastern University: admissions and cost statistics from the most recent Common Data Set, IPEDS, and College Scorecard
MetricMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyNortheastern University
Overall acceptance rate4.6%5.2%
Early acceptance rate6.0%40.0%
SAT middle 50%1520–15701450–1520
Avg unweighted GPA3.963.9
Yield rate87.0%53.0%
Class size1,1002,759
Net price, $48,001–$75,000 income$9,013$26,890
Net price, over $110,000 income$41,291$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.

Frequently asked questions

Is Massachusetts Institute of Technology harder to get into than Northeastern University?

Yes. Massachusetts Institute of Technology admits 4.6% of applicants, compared with 5.2% at Northeastern University, making it the harder school to get into, based on the most recent Common Data Set.

Which is cheaper for a middle-income family, Massachusetts Institute of Technology or Northeastern University?

For a family earning $48,001–$75,000, the average net price is about $9,013 per year at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and $26,890 at Northeastern University, so Massachusetts Institute of Technology is the lower-cost option at that income level (source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard/IPEDS data).

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