Head-to-head · 37 cross-admits
When applicants got into both, 89% chose NUSL. Side-by-side on admissions, costs, and outcomes — sourced from 37 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 Suffolk University)
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Trend · NUSL's share
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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 EmploymentCross-admit by cycle
How preferences shifted over recent cyclesOverview
About NUSL vs Suffolk University
Across 37 applicants admitted to both schools and self-reporting on LSD, 89% enrolled at Northeastern University and 11% at Suffolk University. The split has shifted +11 points across the tracked cycles.
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 Suffolk University across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 37 applicants admitted to both.
Based on 37 applicants admitted to both schools, 89% chose to attend Northeastern University. This cross-admit data reflects real enrollment decisions from verified law school applicants on LSD.Law.
In the U.S. News rankings, Northeastern University is ranked #77 compared to #128 — a gap of 51 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 155, a gap of 9 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 Suffolk University's 61.9%.
Both schools are located in Massachusetts — Northeastern University in Boston and Suffolk University in Boston — meaning graduates often compete in the same regional legal market.
Among cross-admitted applicants, Northeastern University offered a median scholarship of $143,400 compared to $109,500, a difference of $33,900 that may factor into enrollment decisions.