Location
- Northeastern University
- Boston, MA
- University of Southern California
- Los Angeles, CA
Northeastern University vs University of Southern California
Boston, MA · Los Angeles, CA · largest Scorecard gap: acceptance rate
Scorecard match plate
Pair MA:CA
PRIVATE-NP-PAIR · CROSS-STATE · ACCEPT-TIGHT · NET-PAR · EARN-PAR · DEBT-SPLIT · COMPLETE-HIGH · GAP-ACCEPT
- PRIVATE-NP-PAIR Private nonprofit pair
- CROSS-STATE MA × CA
- ACCEPT-TIGHT Tight admission
- NET-PAR Net near-par
- EARN-PAR Earnings near-par
- DEBT-SPLIT Debt split
- COMPLETE-HIGH High completion
- GAP-ACCEPT Largest gap · Acceptance Rate
Instrument codes from this pair's College Scorecard ownership, geography, acceptance, net price, earnings, debt, and completion, plus the ENROLL-RACE · narrow · 2013–2023 decade-path stamp below, not a ranking or recommendation.
Decade path · College Scorecard
Nearly parallel enrollment growth
ENROLL-RACE · narrow · 2013–2023
Undergraduate headcount rose at both Northeastern University and University of Southern California across 2013–2023 on similar paces, while acceptance rates tightened on both sides, a growth-under-squeeze pattern rather than a pure size race.
- Northeastern University: enrollment grew +19.0% over 2013–2023; fitted +303 students/yr fitted, r² 0.84.
- University of Southern California: enrollment grew +15.1% over 2013–2023; fitted +285 students/yr fitted, r² 0.94.
- Northeastern University: acceptance rate tightened -82.5% across 2013–2023 (r² 0.89).
- University of Southern California: acceptance rate tightened -49.5% across 2013–2023 (r² 0.80).
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
Undergraduate Enrollment
- Northeastern University
- 17,326
Acceptance Rate
Median Debt at Graduation
- Northeastern University
- $24,250
In-State Tuition
- Northeastern University
- $66,162
Out-of-State Tuition
- Northeastern University
- $66,162
Avg Net Price
- Northeastern University
- $30,915
Median Earnings (6 yr)
- Northeastern University
- $78,413
Loan Repayment Rate (Completers)
- Northeastern University
- 86.7%
150%-Time Completion
- Northeastern University
- 90.5%
Cards ordered by relative gap on this pair. Teal = better side.
| Metric | Northeastern University Boston, MA | University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Boston, MA | Los Angeles, CA |
| Undergraduate Enrollment | 17,326 | 20,443 |
| Acceptance Rate | 5.2% | 9.8% |
| Median Debt at Graduation | $24,250 | $18,000 |
| In-State Tuition | $66,162 | $72,097 |
| Out-of-State Tuition | $66,162 | $72,097 |
| Avg Net Price | $30,915 | $32,740 |
| Median Earnings (6 yr) | $78,413 | $74,461 |
| Loan Repayment Rate (Completers) | 86.7% | 83.9% |
| 150%-Time Completion | 90.5% | 91.9% |
Largest gaps: Northeastern University vs University of Southern California
- ACCEPTANCE-RATE Northeastern University leads on acceptance rate (5.2% vs 9.8% at University of Southern California)
- MEDIAN-DEBT-AT-GRA University of Southern California leads on median debt at graduation ($18,000 vs $24,250 at Northeastern University)
- IN-STATE-TUITION Northeastern University leads on in-state tuition ($66,162 vs $72,097 at University of Southern California)
Northeastern University profile · University of Southern California profile · Compare other colleges
Acceptance Rate and other Scorecard questions
On acceptance rate, who leads between Northeastern University and University of Southern California?▼
Northeastern University leads on acceptance rate at 5.2% versus 9.8% at University of Southern California. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
On median debt at graduation, who leads between Northeastern University and University of Southern California?▼
University of Southern California leads on median debt at graduation at $18,000 versus $24,250 at Northeastern University. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
On in-state tuition, who leads between Northeastern University and University of Southern California?▼
Northeastern University leads on in-state tuition at $66,162 versus $72,097 at University of Southern California. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard College Scorecard institution outcomes (earnings, completion, debt); acceptance rate focus for this pair · 2025