Northeastern vs Virginia - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
A place is harder to win where the bar sits higher: Northeastern admits 5.2%, Virginia admits 16.8%.
The larger international cohort belongs to Northeastern: 13.1% of students against 4.9% (Virginia).
If you are applying from outside the US, budget without institutional support where there is none: only Northeastern reports aid for international students ($24,539 on average), Virginia does not.
The tuition gap is $6,366 a year: $62,923 (Virginia) against $69,289.
These numbers describe the cohorts already enrolled, not your chances; treat them as a starting point rather than a forecast.
Every sentence above comes from a field we hold in canonical. Where the data is missing, or the gap is small enough to be noise, the sentence simply does not appear.
EXPERT TAKE
Northeastern is the more selective of the two (5.2% vs 16.81% acceptance). Northeastern graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($93K vs $87K). Virginia has lower sticker-price tuition ($62,923 vs $69,289 per year).
Both universities have complete, comparable data in canonical - the choice should come down to fit (campus culture, major, aid package) alongside the differences visible in the numbers below.
Choose Northeastern for: higher selectivity, higher graduate earnings, a larger aid package.
Choose Virginia for: a higher graduation rate, higher retention, lower tuition.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Northeastern is more selective (5.2% vs 16.81% acceptance); Northeastern has a higher median SAT (1490 vs 1470).
Northeastern graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($93K vs $87K); Virginia has a higher 6-year graduation rate (95.6% vs 90.5%).
Virginia has lower sticker-price tuition ($62,923 vs $69,289); Northeastern offers a larger average aid package ($46,555 vs $37,123).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Northeastern | Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #201-300 | #201-300 |
| Rank · THE | - | - |
| Acceptance rate | 5.2% | 16.81% |
| Yield rate | 53.8% | 40% |
| Median SAT | 1490 | 1470 |
| Avg. GPA | - | - |
| Number of applications | 98,425 | 58,951 |
| International students | 13.1% | 4.9% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $93K | $87K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $62K | $59K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $135K | $130K |
| Graduation rate | 90.5% | 95.6% |
| Retention rate | 96.9% | 97.9% |
| Median debt | $24,250 | $17,500 |
| Tuition · year | $69,289 | $62,923 |
| Avg. aid package | $46,555 | $37,123 |
| % of need met | 86.7% | 100% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $32,461 | $25,137 |
| Application fee | $75 | $75 |
| Enrollment | 39,774 | 26,470 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Northeastern or Virginia?
It's harder to get into Northeastern. Northeastern accepts 5.2% of applicants, while Virginia accepts 16.81%.
Do Northeastern or Virginia graduates earn more?
Northeastern graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $93K vs $87K.
How much is tuition at Northeastern vs Virginia?
Sticker-price tuition is $69,289 per year at Northeastern and $62,923 per year at Virginia.
What SAT score do you need for Northeastern or Virginia?
The median admitted SAT score is 1490 at Northeastern and 1470 at Virginia; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university offers more financial aid - Northeastern or Virginia?
The average aid package is $46,555 at Northeastern and $37,123 at Virginia.
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