Northeastern University vs University of Pennsylvania

Boston, MA · Philadelphia, PA · largest Scorecard gap: median debt at graduation

Scorecard match plate

Pair MA:PA

PRIVATE-NP-PAIR · CROSS-STATE · ACCEPT-TIGHT · NET-PAR · EARN-SPLIT · DEBT-SPLIT · COMPLETE-HIGH · GAP-DEBT

  • PRIVATE-NP-PAIR Private nonprofit pair
  • CROSS-STATE MA × PA
  • ACCEPT-TIGHT Tight admission
  • NET-PAR Net near-par
  • EARN-SPLIT Earnings split
  • DEBT-SPLIT Debt split
  • COMPLETE-HIGH High completion
  • GAP-DEBT Largest gap · Median Debt at Graduation

Instrument codes from this pair's College Scorecard ownership, geography, acceptance, net price, earnings, debt, and completion, plus the ENROLL-1SIDE · modest · 2013–2023 decade-path stamp below, not a ranking or recommendation.

Decade path · College Scorecard

Only one enrollment path is a trend

ENROLL-1SIDE · modest · 2013–2023

Size changed directionally at one school over 2013–2023; the peer's series stays a range. Both acceptance rates still tightened, so the shared frame is selectivity, not enrollment.

  • Northeastern University: enrollment grew +19.0% over 2013–2023; fitted +303 students/yr fitted, r² 0.84.
  • University of Pennsylvania: enrollment ranged 10,507–10,774 (2013–2023, 11 points) without a stable fitted direction.
  • Northeastern University: acceptance rate tightened -82.5% across 2013–2023 (r² 0.89).
  • University of Pennsylvania: acceptance rate tightened -52.0% across 2013–2023 (r² 0.89).

College Scorecard institution series; dollars are nominal. Direction claims require r² ≥ 0.40 on the fitted annual slope, otherwise the page reports the observed range. Descriptive history, not a recommendation.

Scorecard metrics

Cards ordered by relative gap on this pair. Teal = better side.

Largest gaps: Northeastern University vs University of Pennsylvania

  1. MEDIAN-DEBT-AT-GRA University of Pennsylvania leads on median debt at graduation ($15,715 vs $24,250 at Northeastern University)
  2. MEDIAN-EARNINGS-(1 University of Pennsylvania leads on median earnings (10 yr) ($111,371 vs $92,538 at Northeastern University)
  3. MEDIAN-EARNINGS-(6 University of Pennsylvania leads on median earnings (6 yr) ($90,555 vs $78,413 at Northeastern University)

Northeastern University profile · University of Pennsylvania profile · Compare other colleges

Median Debt at Graduation and other Scorecard questions

On median debt at graduation, who leads between Northeastern University and University of Pennsylvania?
University of Pennsylvania leads on median debt at graduation at $15,715 versus $24,250 at Northeastern University. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
On median earnings (10 yr), who leads between Northeastern University and University of Pennsylvania?
University of Pennsylvania leads on median earnings (10 yr) at $111,371 versus $92,538 at Northeastern University. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
On median earnings (6 yr), who leads between Northeastern University and University of Pennsylvania?
University of Pennsylvania leads on median earnings (6 yr) at $90,555 versus $78,413 at Northeastern University. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard College Scorecard institution outcomes (earnings, completion, debt); median debt at graduation focus for this pair · 2025