U.S. News & World Report ranked Northeastern University 54th in its annual national college report for 2025, moving the university one spot lower than its 2024 ranking.
Northeastern was just shy of the top 50 colleges and universities for the second consecutive year, according to the rankings released Sept. 24. It tied with three other universities for the 54th slot: Florida State University, University of Minnesota Twin Cities and The College of William & Mary. Northeastern was in the top 50 schools in the 2023 ranking, according to Boston.com; however, changes in the ranking’s methodology may have contributed to it falling out of top spots, The News previously reported.
U.S. News & World uses approximately 17 indicators to determine the rankings, with each indicator having a different percentage factoring into the score. The most important factors are graduation rates and peer assessments, but the weight of some factors vary depending on whether the school reports SAT or ACT scores for at least half of its entering students. Northeastern’s applications have been test-optional since the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic and will remain so for the foreseeable future, Chancellor and Senior Vice President for Learning Ken Henderson told The News in April.
According to the rankings, the highest-rated schools in the Greater Boston area are the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University at second and third place, respectively. Other colleges included in the top 50 schools included Boston College and Tufts University, tied at 37th, and Boston University tied with Rutgers University for 44th. Boston College and Boston University both rose two spots from last year, and Tufts University went up three spots, The Boston Globe reported.
The highest rank Northeastern ever reached was 40th in the 2020 ranking, while the first time the school reached the top 50 was in the 2014 ranking when it was ranked 49th. It held a sub-50 rank for nine years until it was pushed out of the top 50 in the 2023 rankings after changes to category weights shifted many schools’ ranks.
The Huntington News is dedicated to serving the Northeastern University community with original, professional reporting and creating an environment in which student journalists can learn from one another. Support an independent, free press at Northeastern University with your donation today.
