Add a college to compare up to four schools
Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison.
Northeastern BC Williams NYU Babson Tufts Swarthmore Middlebury UMass Brandeis University Dartmouth Brown| Amherst College | Boston University | College 3 | College 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|||
| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
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 |
|
|
||
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/