George Washington vs Northeastern for finance careers: which is better for recruiting and internships?

Northeastern has the clearer edge for finance careers because its co-op system gives you structured, built-in work experience, and that matters a lot when finance employers screen for relevant internships. For breaking into finance, that volume of experience can make your resume stronger earlier.

Northeastern also benefits from being in Boston, where there is a dense network of asset management firms, investment shops, consulting firms, and corporate finance employers. In finance, being able to show that you have already worked in analyst-style settings can carry a lot of weight.

George Washington’s biggest advantage is Washington, DC, which is excellent for policy, government finance, international affairs, and institutions connected to economics and regulation. If your interests lean toward the Treasury, SEC-adjacent work, public finance, economic policy, development finance, or roles connected to federal agencies and nonprofits, GW can be especially compelling. Its location gives students easy access to semester internships during the school year in a way few campuses can match.

For traditional private-sector finance recruiting, GW’s pathway is a bit less distinctive. It certainly places students into finance roles, but Northeastern’s co-op structure creates a more deliberate system for getting practical experience and converting that into full-time offers. If your goal is broad finance employability right after college, especially in corporate finance, investment-related roles, or financial services, Northeastern is the more advantageous platform.