- Acceptance rate: 5.2% for fall 2024
- SAT, middle 50%: 710–760 reading and writing, 730–780 math
- ACT, middle 50%: 33–35 composite
- Average net price: $34,770 a year (2022–23)
Northeastern University GPA calculator
On this page · 7 sections
How does your GPA compare?
Don't know your GPA? Check my GPA
Where you standEnter your GPA
Add a test score to compare it with what Northeastern University reported: an acceptance rate of 5.2% for fall 2024 and an ACT middle 50% of 33–35.
Weighted GPAs above 4.0 can't be compared directly. Many colleges recalculate on their own scale, so use your unweighted GPA here.
A guide based on reported data, not a prediction. Northeastern University reviews each application.
Northeastern University GPA requirements
Northeastern University requires a high school GPA from first-year applicants, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.
Federal data doesn't include GPA averages, and Northeastern University hasn't published one we could verify, so this page doesn't list an average GPA.
Northeastern University acceptance rate
Northeastern University admitted 5,133 of 98,425 first-year applicants for fall 2024, an acceptance rate of 5.2%, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education.
Northeastern University is a private nonprofit 4-year university in Boston, Massachusetts, with 17,432 undergraduates.
SAT and ACT scores
Scores of the first-year students who entered Northeastern University in fall 2024 and submitted them. Half of them scored between the 25th and 75th percentiles:
| Test | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Reading and Writing | 710 | 730 | 760 |
| SAT Math | 730 | 760 | 780 |
| ACT Composite | 33 | 34 | 35 |
| ACT English | 33 | 35 | 35 |
| ACT Math | 30 | 33 | 35 |
The U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard estimates an average SAT score of 1497 for admitted students.
Admission requirements
What Northeastern University looks at when it decides on first-year applicants, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024:
| Admission factor | Status |
|---|---|
| High School GPAYour cumulative high school grade point average. | Required |
| High School RecordYour transcript: the courses you took and the grades you earned. | Required |
| RecommendationsLetters of recommendation from teachers, counselors, or other mentors. | Required |
| Essay or Personal StatementA personal statement or essay written for your application. | Required |
| High School Class RankYour ranking relative to other students in your graduating class. | Considered if submitted |
| College Preparatory ProgramCompletion of a college preparatory curriculum in high school. | Considered if submitted |
| Test ScoresSAT or ACT scores. | Considered if submitted |
| Demonstration of CompetenciesEvidence of specific skills through portfolios, auditions, or other demonstrations. | Considered if submitted |
| Work ExperiencePaid or volunteer work. | Considered if submitted |
| Legacy StatusWhether a parent or other relative attended the college. | Considered if submitted |
| Other TestsOther admission tests, such as the Wonderlic or WISC-III. | Not considered |
AP credit
Northeastern University awards college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for 2024–25. The college decides which exams and scores earn credit.
It also awards credit for life experience, such as work or military service.
Average net price
First-time, full-time undergraduates who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average net price of $34,770 a year at Northeastern University in 2022–23, according to the U.S. Department of Education.
Net price is the full cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.
Frequently asked questions
Can a 3.5 GPA get you into Northeastern University?
GPA alone can't tell you here. Northeastern University admitted 5.2% of first-year applicants for fall 2024. It requires a high school GPA but hasn't published an average we could verify, so there's no admitted-student GPA to compare a 3.5 against. Your transcript and test scores are the clearer guide.
How important is GPA for getting into Northeastern University?
A lot: Northeastern University requires high school GPA, high school record, recommendations and essay or personal statement. It considers high school class rank, college preparatory program, test scores, demonstration of competencies, work experience and legacy status if you send them. It doesn't consider other tests. That's what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.
Is Northeastern University test optional?
Check Northeastern University's admissions website for the current rule: testing policies change from year to year. Northeastern University was test optional: it considered SAT or ACT scores if you sent them, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education (fall 2024). Of its fall 2024 first-year students, 24% sent SAT scores and 7% sent ACT scores.
What GPA do you need to get into Northeastern University?
Northeastern University requires a high school GPA from first-year applicants, according to its filing with the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024. It hasn't published an average GPA we could verify, so we don't list one.
Is Northeastern University hard to get into?
Yes. Fewer than 1 in 10 applicants got in, which makes it one of the hardest colleges to get into. Northeastern University admitted 5.2% of first-year applicants for fall 2024.
How many applicants get into Northeastern University?
Northeastern University's acceptance rate was 5.2% for fall 2024: it admitted 5,133 of 98,425 first-year applicants, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education.
What SAT and ACT scores do Northeastern University students have?
The middle 50% of Northeastern University's fall 2024 first-year students who sent scores had SAT 710–760 in reading and writing and 730–780 in math; ACT composite 33–35, according to what the college reported to the U.S. Department of Education. A quarter scored below that range.
Does Northeastern University consider legacy status?
Yes. Northeastern University considers whether a parent or other relative attended, though it isn't required, it said in its report to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.
What is the average net price at Northeastern University?
First-time, full-time undergraduates who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average of $34,770 a year at Northeastern University in 2022–23, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.
Does Northeastern University accept AP credit?
Yes. Northeastern University awards college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for 2024–25. The college decides which exams and scores earn credit.
Before you apply, check Northeastern University's official admissions site: requirements can differ by program and change from year to year.
Sources
- College Navigator: Northeastern UniversityU.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS (2024–25 provisional data): admissions, test scores and admission factors for fall 2024, undergraduate enrollment for fall 2024, net price for 2022–23 and credit policies for 2024–25.
- College Scorecard dataAverage SAT: an estimate by the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (June 10, 2026 release).
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