Boston College vs Northeastern University

This page compares Boston College and Northeastern University across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 42 applicants admitted to both.

Based on 42 applicants admitted to both schools, 88% chose to attend Boston College. This cross-admit data reflects real enrollment decisions from verified law school applicants on LSD.Law.

In the U.S. News rankings, Boston College is ranked #25 compared to #68 — a gap of 43 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.

There is a meaningful difference in admissions competitiveness: Boston College has a median LSAT of 168 compared to 164, a gap of 4 points. This suggests applicants to Boston College face a more competitive admissions pool.

Boston College is significantly more selective, with an acceptance rate of 8.5% compared to Northeastern University's 24.2%.

Both schools are located in Massachusetts — Boston College in Newton and Northeastern University in Boston — meaning graduates often compete in the same regional legal market.

Employment outcomes differ substantially: Boston College places 43.7% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 19.6% for the other school. This 24 percentage point gap is significant for applicants targeting BigLaw careers.

On cost, Northeastern University has lower tuition at $65,652 per year compared to $72,380. Combined with employment rates of 94.7% (BC) and 91.1% (NUSL), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.

Among cross-admitted applicants, Northeastern University offered a median scholarship of $150,000 compared to $77,250, a difference of $72,750 that may factor into enrollment decisions.