Northeastern University is a private research university ranked among the top universities worldwide, based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. It is a very large university with around 15,000 undergraduate students. Admission is very competitive, and the overall acceptance ratio is roughly 6%. Some of the most sought-after majors at the university are Business, Computer Science, Engineering, Health Sciences, and Social Sciences. The six-year graduate rate is nearly 88%, and the median starting salary for graduates is roughly INR 12,50,000 (about $16,000 median earnings ten years after graduation).
Stony Brook University is a reputable public research university located in Stony Brook, New York, USA. It is a very large university with an approximate number of 17,000 undergraduate students. Admissions are relatively competitive with an overall acceptance ratio of nearly 49%. Some of the most common majors are Engineering, Biology, Computer Science, Business, and Psychology. The six-year graduation rate is nearly 77%, and the median starting salary for the alumni is nearly INR 8,50,000 (approximately $11,000 median earnings ten years after the graduate degree).
| Northeastern University | Stony Brook University | |
|---|---|---|
| ranking (overall) | # 201 Times Higher Education 2026 # 384 QS World University 2026 # 201 Times Higher Education 2025 | # 301 Times Higher Education 2026 # 452 QS World University 2026 # 215 Center for World University Rankings 2025 |
| Subject Strength | # 34 for Engineering by US News 2025 # 389 for Medicine by QS World University 2024 # 68 for Law by US News 2025 | # 201 for Engineering by Times Higher Education 2025 # 351 for Medicine by QS World University 2025 |
| Programs | UG Programs -90 PG Programs -92 | UG Programs -45 PG Programs -38 |
| Acceptance Rate | 5.6 % | 49.0 % |
| Exam Score | Duolingo-105 IELTS-6.5 PTE-53 TOEFL-79 | IELTS-6 SAT-1210 TOEFL-80 |
| Cost to Study | Average Tuition Fees 19700 [For UG Program] Average Tuition Fees 48000 [For PG Program] Hostel + Meal - 21000 Per Year | Average Tuition Fees 24740 [For UG Program] Average Tuition Fees 28890 [For PG Program] Hostel + Meal - 32781 Per Year |
| placement (average package) | Graduate employability rankings: #201-250
Some of the top recruiters are Amazon, iRobot, Morgan Stanley, EY, Bose, Blackstone group, Wellington Management etc | Around 94% of the bachelors program students secure employment or continue education after graduation. Some of the majors and the median salary after one year of graduation are as follows: Nursing: $92,481 Allied health: $79,891 Computer Engineering: $64,315 Civil Engineering: 63,949 Computer Science: $60,875 |
| application requirements | LOR- 2 or 3 letters of recommendation, SOP- yes, GPA- 3.5 (89% or more). | Submit official transcripts Submit LORs Submit personal essay Submit English language proficiency scores Check program specific requirements |
| CollegeDunia Reviews | 7.5/10 Read 51 reviews | 7.4/10 Read 9 reviews |
Top Courses Comparison
| ranking | # 201 for Business by QS World University 2026 # 68 for Business by US News 2025 # 176 for Business by Times Higher Education 2025 | # 301 for Business by Times Higher Education 2025 |
| exam scores | Duolingo - 105/160IELTS - 6.5/9PTE - 53/90TOEFL - 79/120 | IELTS - 6.5/9TOEFL - 80/120 |
| documents required | #Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose | #Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose |
| application dates | Nov 1, 2025 (Round 1 Application Deadline For Fall 2026 Intake) Jan 1, 2026 (Round 2 Application Deadline For Fall 2026 Intake) May 1, 2026 (Final Application Deadline For Fall 2026 Intake) | Oct 1, 2025 (Application Deadline For Spring Intake) Jan 15, 2026 (Application Deadline For Fall Intake) |
| ranking | # 27 for Computer Science by US News 2025 # 100 for Computer Science by Times Higher Education 2025 # 197 for Computer Science by QS World University 2025 | # 45 for Computer Science by US News 2025 # 101 for Computer Science by Times Higher Education 2025 # 351 for Computer Science by QS World University 2025 |
| exam scores | IELTS - 6.5/9TOEFL - 90/120 | IELTS - 6.5/9TOEFL - 80/120 |
| documents required | #Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose | #Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose |
| application dates | Nov 1, 2025 (Application Deadline for Spring 2026 Intake) May 1, 2026 (Application Deadline for Fall 2026 Intake) | Feb 15, 2026 (Application Deadline For Fall 2026 Intake) |
Other Popular Comparisons
| General Facts | Northeastern University | Stony Brook University |
|---|---|---|
| Type of University | University | University |
| Established | 1898 | 1957 |
| Student:Faculty Ratio | 16:1 | 10:1 |
| Male:Female | 44% Male, 0% Female | 46% Male, 54% Female |
| Location Facts | The campus is located near to Museum of Fine Arts and Symphony Hall. It is situated in the heart of Boston and is filled with greenery. Northeastern University lies in the neighborhood of Huntington Avenue. | The main campus is in the historic north shore hamlet of Stony Brook near the geographic midpoint of Long Island, approximately 50 miles (80 km) east of Manhattan and 62 miles (100 km) west of Montauk. The university also has campuses in Manhattan and Southampton. |
| Library | More than 50,000 printed books, 861,676 ebooks, 100,887 licenced e-journals, and 116,739 streaming audio and visual titles.The professional research available is accessible to public (open). | Stony Brook University library subscribes to hundreds of publications, journals, and online databases such as Academic Search Complete, JSTOR, Web of Science, Ebscohost, IEEE Xplore, Project MUSE, ScienceDirect, and more. The library has rare book collection of more than 30,000 special, scarce, and unique titles dating from 1493 to the present. |
| Campus Life | 32 intramural sports, 18 varsity sports, and 43 club sports. Additionally, campus offers Fall Fest, Afro Flow Yoga workshop, Field hockey, volleyball, soccer games, Night at the student center, and First pages. | Stony Brook has a wide variety of student-run organizations on campus, which include sororities and fraternities, and a count of almost 300 recognized student clubs and organizations. The Undergraduate Student Government at Stony Brook University is trusted with the responsibility of budgeting the undergraduate student activity fee which funds most student run organizations on campus. The Graduate Student Organization is responsible for budgeting the graduate student activity fee, and supplies a variety of funding opportunities, programming, student services, and funding for departmental and student organizations. Incoming freshmen are welcomed to the university in August with First Night Out, a night of events taking place on the Friday in which they move in. Organized by Student Engagement and Activities, the night consists of a "Party on the Plaza" as well as various assorted activities.Wolfieland, an annual carnival, began in 2016 and takes place during September. Stony Brook University's intercollegiate athletics teams, known as the Stony Brook Seawolves, compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division I level and are members of the Colonial Athletic Association. In 2013, Stony Brook University launched its own bike share system to provide a sustainable transportation alternative for students. |
| Hostel | #Housing Allowance - $16200 | #On campus - $13446 #Off campus (not with family) - $13999 #Off campus (with family) - $5336 |
| Famous Alumni | Shawn Fanning (Computer programmer), Wendy Williams (TV host), Reggie Lewis (basketball player), Jane Curtin (actress), James Franklin Jeffrey (American Diplomat), Jeff Clarke (Executive Chairman of FTD), Albert Sacco (Dean Whitacre College of Engineering), Yale Patt (professor), Mo Cowan (former US Senator). | Chris Algieri, professional boxer and former WBO junior welterweight title holder |
| City Life | With a huge student community, the population diversity is vast and lies within the same braoder age group. The city offers a great nightlif with gastropubs, live music, and cocktail bars. Boston’s cosmopolitan excitement is bus-ride away. Average salaries offered within the state are up to 97,5000 USD | Stony Brook, NY is an attractive city northeast of New York City full of incredible sites such as Stony Brook University displaying its distinct landscape or Avalon Park great for recreational activities; visitors can also join in the magnificent Summer Arts Festival celebrating culture through arts and music every August. |
| Weather |
Northeastern University vs Stony Brook University
Subject Strength & Global Rankings (2025/2026)
Northeastern and Stony Brook University are both highly regarded universities within the United State, providing strong programs within a variety of disciplines, although they vary in global rankings and institutional emphasis. In the QS World University Rankings for 2026, Northeastern is ranked 384th worldwide, and Stony Brook at 452nd. In the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings for the year 2026, Northeastern ranks within the 201–250 group, and Stony Brook within the 251–300 group. The US News Global Rankings for the year 2026 rank Northeastern at 220th worldwide and Stony Brook at 226th. Northeastern is especially known for its co-op programs, engineering, business, and health sciences, while Stony Brook boasts superior reputations for health sciences, computer science, and STEM research through the mandate of being a premier research university within the SUNY system.
General Information
Northeastern University is a private research university in Boston, Massachusetts, renowned for its cooperative education (co-op) program that links professional work experience with academic coursework. It enrolls more than 22,000 students and focuses on experiential learning to prepare students for careers in industry.
Stony Brook University is a public research institution in Stony Brook, New York, within the State University of New York (SUNY) system. It enrolls approximately 26,000 students and is known for research excellence in medicine, physics, engineering, and environmental sciences, targeting large-scale research initiatives and academic rigor.
Acceptance Rate & Admissions
Northeastern University is very selective, with an acceptance rate of 6%, one of the more competitive private universities in the United States. It looks for applicants with strong academic achievement, leadership potential, and a proven ability to excel in a challenging co-op-based educational program.
Stony Brook University is much less selective, with an acceptance rate of 49%, providing more access to students, particularly from New York State. It is focused on academic merit and potential, seeking to provide quality public education and research opportunities to a broad and diverse body of students.
Research Impact & Facilities
Both universities are research-active, but on different scales and emphases. Stony Brook is particularly renowned for its advances through health sciences, physics, and engineering, complemented by research facilities like the Brookhaven National Laboratory. Northeastern, also a prominent player as a research university, focuses on applied research with intense collaboration through industry and through the integration of experiential learning elements, especially through health, engineering, and business studies.
Cost & Financial Aid
Northeastern University, being a private university, tends to charge more in tuition compared to Stony Brook University, which enjoys public university tuition rates, particularly for state residents. Both universities provide merit aid and need aid, with Northeastern offering generous scholarships and co-op programs that tend to pay part of the cost of education through work experience.
Career Outcomes & Alumni Success
Northeastern University is well known for its aggressive career development model, with co-op programs providing students a superior edge in job placement, particularly in engineering, business, and health sciences. Its extensive international network and industry connections enable graduates to obtain high-value jobs across various sectors.
Stony Brook University alumni perform well in research, healthcare, engineering, and academia, with a large proportion earning advanced degrees or working in scientific research, public service, and technology industries. The university's high level of research output serves to position its graduates on solid industry and academic career tracks.
