Northeastern Acceptance Rate: Class of 2030 Admissions Statistics

For the Class of 2029, Northeastern University received a record 105,092 applications and admitted roughly 5,885 students, resulting in an acceptance rate of 5.6%.

As for the Class of 2030, Early Decision (ED) results for both rounds were released in January and March 2026, but Northeastern has not yet published a detailed breakdown of admissions statistics. Regular Decision (RD) results are expected in April 2026, and complete data is typically released later through the Common Data Set once the admissions cycle concludes.

In this guide, we’ll break down Northeastern’s overall, ED, RD, waitlist, and transfer acceptance rates, along with how they’ve changed in recent years.

• Northeastern Acceptance Rates
• Northeastern Early Decision Acceptance Rate
• Northeastern Regular Decision Acceptance Rate
• Northeastern Transfer Acceptance Rate
• Northeastern Waitlist Acceptance Rate
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Takeaways

Northeastern Acceptance Rates

Northeastern had an overall acceptance rate of 5.6% for the Class of 2029, a slight uptick from 5.22% for the Class of 2028. Applications grew from 98,425 to 105,092, while admitted students increased from 5,133 to roughly 5,885. Despite admitting more students, the growing applicant pool kept the acceptance rate below 6% for the third year in a row.

Over the past decade, Northeastern’s acceptance rate has plummeted from 27% to under 6%. Here’s how it changed year by year:

Note: Class of 2029 data is sourced from Northeastern’s official admissions announcements. All other data is from the Common Data Set.

Back then, Northeastern admitted more than one in four applicants. Today, it admits closer to one in eighteen. The university’s acceptance rate has dropped significantly from 27.44% for the Class of 2021 to 5.6% for the Class of 2029, placing Northeastern among the most selective private universities in the country.

Much of this shift began with the Class of 2025, when Northeastern adopted a test-optional policy and applications surged past 75,000. The following year, applications climbed to over 91,000 while admits dropped from nearly 14,000 to just over 6,000. Northeastern also doesn’t require supplemental essays, encouraging even more students to apply. As applications rose and admits fell, the acceptance rate dropped sharply and has stayed low since.

Northeastern Early Decision Acceptance Rate

The most recent ED data available is from the Class of 2028, when Northeastern received 3,466 ED applications and admitted 1,492 students, resulting in an ED acceptance rate of 43.05%.

Northeastern has not yet released ED statistics for the Class of 2029 and has also delayed publishing its 2025–2026 Common Data Set, which would typically include those figures. As for the Class of 2030, ED decisions were already released earlier in the cycle, but Northeastern has not provided a detailed admissions breakdown. As in past years, these numbers will likely appear later in the Common Data Set once the admissions cycle concludes.

Northeastern Early Decision acceptance rate trends

Northeastern’s ED acceptance rate has consistently exceeded its overall rate, reflecting the advantage of applying through the binding ED round. Here’s how the numbers break down:

Note: All early admissions data is sourced from Northeastern’s Common Data Set, which reports Early Decision statistics only. Separate Early Action data is not publicly available.

Northeastern’s ED acceptance rate has remained far higher than its overall rate in recent years, typically ranging from about 33% to 51%. For example, the 43.05% ED acceptance rate for the Class of 2028 stands in sharp contrast to the university’s overall acceptance rate of 5.22% that year, giving ED applicants more than eight times higher odds of admission.

This gap partly reflects Northeastern’s effort to enroll students who are ready to commit early. In fact, the university recommends applying ED if Northeastern is your unequivocal first choice and offers additional benefits to ED applicants, including application fee waivers, early need-based financial aid review, and priority second-year housing for those admitted through the program.

Northeastern Regular Decision Acceptance Rate

The most recent RD data is from the Class of 2028, when Northeastern received 94,959 RD applications and admitted 3,641 students, resulting in an RD acceptance rate of just 3.83%.

As for the Classes of 2029 and 2030, Northeastern has not yet released RD statistics for the same reasons mentioned earlier. These figures may appear later if the university shares additional announcements, but they are typically published in the Common Data Set after the admissions cycle has ended.

Northeastern Regular Decision acceptance rate trends

Northeastern’s RD acceptance rate has fallen sharply over the past decade, mirroring the overall decline in selectivity. Here’s the full breakdown:

Note: RD figures are estimates derived by subtracting ED data from overall totals in Northeastern’s Common Data Set.

Northeastern’s RD acceptance rate fell from 27.26% for the Class of 2021 to just 3.83% for the Class of 2028. The sharpest drop came between the Classes of 2025 and 2026, when the RD rate plunged from 17.49% to 6.00% as applications surged during the same period.

With far more students applying through the RD round while the number of available spots remained limited, admission through RD has become dramatically more competitive. By the Class of 2028, fewer than 1 in 25 RD applicants received an offer.

Northeastern Transfer Acceptance Rate

Northeastern’s most recent transfer acceptance rate of 19.74% is from Fall 2024. Here’s the breakdown:

Note: Fall 2024 transfer data is from Northeastern’s Common Data Set for 2024-2025, the same reporting year that includes Class of 2028 first-year admissions data.

Northeastern’s 19.74% transfer acceptance rate for Fall 2024 is much higher than its 5.22% freshman acceptance rate for the Class of 2028, meaning transfer admission is comparatively less competitive. However, with only 675 students admitted out of 3,420 applicants, the transfer pool remains selective.

Northeastern Waitlist Acceptance Rate

Northeastern does not publicly release waitlist statistics, so an official waitlist acceptance rate is not available. According to Undergraduate Admissions, the number of students placed on the waitlist and admitted from it varies significantly from year to year, and Northeastern does not believe sharing those figures meaningfully helps applicants evaluate their chances.

Because the waitlist is so variable, it’s difficult for students to estimate their odds of admission in any given year. If you find yourself on Northeastern’s waitlist, our comprehensive Northeastern waitlist guide explains the strategic steps you can take next to strengthen your position while you consider your other options.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is Northeastern’s current acceptance rate?

Northeastern’s acceptance rate is 5.6% for the Class of 2029. Out of 105,092 applicants, roughly 5,885 students were admitted.

2. Is it easier to get into Northeastern through Early Decision or Regular Decision?

Statistically, applying ED gives you a significantly better chance of admission. The most recent ED data available is from the Class of 2028, when the ED acceptance rate was 43.05%, compared to an RD rate of just 3.83%. That said, ED applicants are often among the strongest candidates in the pool, so admission through ED is still highly competitive.

3. How hard is it to transfer to Northeastern?

Transfer admissions at Northeastern are considerably less competitive than freshman admissions. The transfer acceptance rate for Fall 2024 was 19.74%, compared to the overall freshman acceptance rate of 5.22% for the Class of 2028.

4. Does Northeastern share waitlist data?

No. Northeastern does not release waitlist statistics because the number of students admitted from the waitlist varies widely each year and the university does not believe those figures help applicants evaluate their chances.

5. Why is Northeastern’s acceptance rate so low?

Northeastern’s acceptance rate fell from 27.44% for the Class of 2021 to 5.6% for the Class of 2029 as applications surged while the number of admitted students remained limited. Much of this growth has been driven by Northeastern’s continued test-optional policy and no supplemental essay requirement, which makes it easier for more students to apply.

Takeaways

• Northeastern’s acceptance rate has dropped sharply, falling from 27.44% for the Class of 2021 to 5.6% for the Class of 2029 as applications surged while the number of admitted students remained relatively limited.
• ED applicants have a much higher chance of admission than RD applicants. For the Class of 2028, the ED acceptance rate was 43.05%, compared to just 3.83% for RD.
• Transfer admission can be a more accessible pathway to Northeastern. The Fall 2024 transfer acceptance rate was 19.74%, compared to just 5.22% for first-year applicants that same year.
• Northeastern does not publicly release waitlist statistics. The university has noted that waitlist outcomes vary significantly from year to year, making the numbers difficult to interpret in a meaningful way.
• With acceptance rates now in the single digits, getting into Northeastern is highly competitive. Working with an admissions expert can help you put together a strong application and stand out from the pool.