Students wanting to earn a college degree in one of the Northeast states have a substantial number of options; in fact, there are roughly 1,500 colleges, universities, career schools, seminaries and other academic institutions located throughout the region. Using NCES statistics and U.S. News & World Report ratings, they are compared in factors that may play a role in choosing which school is the best fit for students' academic goals and budgets.
Highly Ranked Schools in the Northeast U.S.
For many students, going to a school that has been recognized for its excellence is very important. Here we look that the U.S. News & World Reports' ranks of the top universities in the north region. Below are five Northeast schools that made the top 25 on this list.
- Providence College in Providence, RI (#1)
- Providence, RI in Waltham, MA (#2)
- Fairfield University in Fairfield, CT (#3)
- University of Scranton in Scranton, PA (#5)
- The College of New Jersey in Ewing, NJ (#6)
Largest Schools in the Northeast U.S.
The NCES reports the size of a college by the total number of enrolled students. Larger universities usually offer a greater variety of academic programs, extracurricular activities and networking opportunities. Below are the five of the largest schools in the Northeast as of 2021.
- Southern New Hampshire University (145,533 enrolled students)
- University of Maryland-University College (55,323 enrolled students)
- New York University (58,226 enrolled students)
- Rutgers University-New Brunswick (50,804 enrolled students)
- University of Maryland-College Park (41,272 enrolled students)
Lowest Net Price
According to the NCES, an institution's net price is calculated by subtracting the average student financial aid package from the total cost of attendance for first-time, full-time undergraduate students. In-state undergraduate tuition rates, enrollment fees, textbook costs, housing and other academic expenses are taken into account when determining a school's total cost of attendance. Based on this formula, the following colleges had some of the lowest 2021-2022 net prices in the Northeast, per NCES data.
- Peirce College ($15,060)
- Urban College of Boston ($7,124)
- Bryant & Stratton College-Buffalo ($17,578)
- Trocaire College ($18,700)
- Plaza College ($13,450)
Highest Graduation Rate
When comparing schools, taking a look at graduation rates can give insight into the level of educational quality available at the institutions. Princeton University in Princeton, NJ was among the highest quality schools in the northeast, with a graduation rate of 98%. According to the NCES, the universities below have the highest graduation rates among the four in 2020. These figures were determined from data on full-time undergrads who entered bachelor's programs in fall 2015 and completed them within 150% of normal time.
- Harvard University in Cambridge, MA (97% graduation rate)
- Yale University in New Haven, CT (97% graduation rate)
- Brown University in Providence, RI (96% graduation rate)
- University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia (96% graduation rate)
- Onondaga Cortland Madison BOCES, NY (79% graduation rate)
Now that you have a better ideal of what some of the post-secondary schools in the Northeast have to offer in terms of ratings, student population, low net prices and graduation rates, you should be able to make a more informed decision when deciding on which schools you want to apply to.
