

Temple vs Northeastern - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
These are two different admissions games: Northeastern admits 5.2% of applications, Temple admits 80.5%.
The share of international students differs sharply: 13.1% (Northeastern) against 4.4% (Temple).
The tuition gap is $29,145 a year: $40,144 (Temple) against $69,289.
The higher median salary ten years after enrolment belongs to Northeastern: $93K against $64K.
The indicators describe a university as a whole, and your own course can sit a long way from that average.
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 80.45% acceptance). Northeastern ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#401-500 vs #201-300). Northeastern graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($93K vs $64K). Temple has lower sticker-price tuition ($40,144 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 Temple for: lower tuition.
Choose Northeastern for: a higher world ranking, higher selectivity, higher graduate earnings.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Northeastern is more selective (5.2% vs 80.45% acceptance); Northeastern has a higher median SAT (1490 vs 1250).
Northeastern graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($93K vs $64K); Northeastern has a higher 6-year graduation rate (90.5% vs 75%).
Temple has lower sticker-price tuition ($40,144 vs $69,289); Northeastern offers a larger average aid package ($46,555 vs $17,833).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Temple | Northeastern |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #401-500 | #201-300 |
| Rank · THE | - | - |
| Acceptance rate | 80.45% | 5.2% |
| Yield rate | 15% | 53.8% |
| Median SAT | 1250 | 1490 |
| Avg. GPA | 3.42 | - |
| Number of applications | 40,817 | 98,425 |
| International students | 4.4% | 13.1% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $64K | $93K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $41K | $62K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $92K | $135K |
| Graduation rate | 75% | 90.5% |
| Retention rate | 83% | 96.9% |
| Median debt | $24,395 | $24,250 |
| Tuition · year | $40,144 | $69,289 |
| Avg. aid package | $17,833 | $46,555 |
| % of need met | 60.5% | 86.7% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $41,808 | $32,461 |
| Application fee | $55 | $75 |
| Enrollment | 29,637 | 39,774 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Temple or Northeastern?
It's harder to get into Northeastern. Temple accepts 80.45% of applicants, while Northeastern accepts 5.2%.
Do Temple or Northeastern graduates earn more?
Northeastern graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $93K vs $64K.
How much is tuition at Temple vs Northeastern?
Sticker-price tuition is $40,144 per year at Temple and $69,289 per year at Northeastern.
What SAT score do you need for Temple or Northeastern?
The median admitted SAT score is 1250 at Temple and 1490 at Northeastern; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Temple or Northeastern?
Northeastern ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #401-500 for Temple vs #201-300 for Northeastern.
Which university offers more financial aid - Temple or Northeastern?
The average aid package is $17,833 at Temple and $46,555 at Northeastern.
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