Amherst vs. BU

Should I go to Amherst College or Boston University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Amherst or BU is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Amherst College vs. Boston University comparison
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Overview

Amherst BU
Location Amherst, MA Boston, MA
Setting Town Fringe Large City
Enrollment 1,898 36,714
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #16 #79
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website amherst.edu bu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Amherst BU
Tuition (In State) $63,500 $61,050
Tuition (Out of State) $63,500 $61,050
Room & Board $16,750 $17,400
Avg Net Price $21,367 $27,829
Avg Grant Aid $58,693 $51,565
% Receiving Grant Aid 58% 48%

Admission

Amherst BU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,864 80,796
Admitted 1,079 11,607
Acceptance Rate 7.3% 14.4%
Enrolled % 43.3% 31.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.91 3.79
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Extreme Very High
ACT Range 32/35 31/34
SAT Range 1420/1550 1350/1500
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 2, 2025 Jan 4, 2025

Academics

Amherst BU
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Communication (15%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Engineering (7%)

Outcomes

Amherst BU
Graduation Rate 96% 85%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $82,000 $72,000
Making Student Loan Payments 83% 82%
Median Student Loan Debt $12,975 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $134 $279

Diversity

Amherst BU
% Men 48% 43%
% Women 52% 57%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 42% 43%
% Black 12% 4%
% Hispanic 13% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 10% 20%
% Unknown Race 4% 5%

Students

Amherst BU
% In-State 13% 14%
% Out-of-State 74% 61%

Campus

Amherst BU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Boston University is larger than than Amherst based on total student enrollment (36,714 students vs. 1,898 students)

Amherst vs. BU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Amherst or BU?

  • Amherst College is 4% more expensive to attend than BU for in-state tuition ($63,500.00 vs. $61,050.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4% higher at Amherst than Boston University ($63,500.00 vs. $61,050.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Amherst College than BU ($21,367 vs. $27,829)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Amherst College are 3.9% lower than costs at Boston University ($16,750 vs. $17,400)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Amherst College than Boston University (58% vs. 48%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Amherst College students is 13.8% larger than aid received Boston University ($58,693 vs. $51,565)

Amherst vs. BU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Amherst or BU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between BU or Amherst .

  • The average SAT score at Amherst College (1451) is 148 points higher than at BU (1303)
  • Incoming Amherst students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at BU (29)
  • Accepted freshman Amherst students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at BU (3.79)
  • BU has a higher acceptance rate (14.4%) than Amherst (7.3%)

Amherst vs. BU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Amherst or BU? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between BU and Amherst.

  • The graduation rate at Amherst is higher than Boston University (96% vs. 85%)
  • Graduates from Amherst College earn on average $10,000 more per year than BU graduates after ten years. ($82,000 vs. $72,000)
  • Amherst College students graduate with a $14,025 lower median federal student loan debt than BU graduates. ($12,975 vs. $27,000)
  • Amherst graduates are paying $145 less per month on federal student loans than BU graduates. ($134 vs. $279)
  • More Amherst graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BU students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 82%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/