Head-to-head · 17 cross-admits
When applicants got into both, 88% chose NUSL. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 17 self-reported decisions and ABA 509 filings.
Choice, not ranking
These are decisions, not opinions. Scholarship offers, location, intended practice, and personal fit are all priced into the split.
Cross-admit decision
Median scholarship (chose NUSL)
Median scholarship (chose New England)
View all-time (27 cross-admits)
Admissions
Rankings, LSAT/GPA, acceptance & yield 2025 ABA 509Financial
Sticker price, scholarships, and debt burden 2025 ABA 509Employment & outcomes
Post-graduation placement and bar passage 2024 ABA EmploymentOverview
About NUSL vs New England
Across 17 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 88% enrolled at Northeastern University and 12% at New England Law | Boston.
These numbers reflect every factor that goes into a real decision: scholarship offers, geographic preference, intended practice area, and fit. Choosing one school doesn't mean it's "better" — it means the pool of cross-admits, weighing their options, ended up there more often. Pair this with the scholarship distribution and employment outcomes above for full context.
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Detailed comparison narrative
This page compares Northeastern University and New England Law | Boston across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes using official ABA 509 disclosures.
In the U.S. News rankings, Northeastern University is ranked #77 compared to #168 — a gap of 91 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.
There is a meaningful difference in admissions competitiveness: Northeastern University has a median LSAT of 164 compared to 153, a gap of 11 points. This suggests applicants to Northeastern University face a more competitive admissions pool.
Northeastern University is significantly more selective, with an acceptance rate of 24.2% compared to New England Law | Boston's 61.3%.
Both schools are located in Massachusetts — Northeastern University in Boston and New England Law | Boston in Boston — meaning graduates often compete in the same regional legal market.
Employment outcomes differ substantially: Northeastern University places 19.6% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 2.3% for the other school. This 17 percentage point gap is significant for applicants targeting BigLaw careers.
Among cross-admitted applicants, New England Law | Boston offered a median scholarship of $170,000 compared to $82,500, a difference of $87,500 that may factor into enrollment decisions.