Babson vs. BU

Deciding between Babson College and Boston University? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Babson College
Boston University

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Babson Wellesley, MA
  • BU Boston, MA
  • Setting
  • Babson Large Suburban
  • BU Large City
  • Total enrollment
  • Babson 3,932
  • BU 37,737
  • Type
  • Babson Private 4 Year
  • BU Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Babson #108
  • BU #73
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Babson -
  • BU -
  • Status
  • Babson Non-profit
  • BU Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Babson
  • BU

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Babson $57,152
  • BU $68,102
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Babson $57,152
  • BU $68,102
  • Room & Board
  • Babson $21,550
  • BU $19,020
  • Average Net Price
  • Babson $32,019
  • BU $24,420
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Babson $48,173
  • BU $61,848
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Babson 39%
  • BU 49%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Babson 9,381
  • BU 78,769
  • Admitted
  • Babson 1,603
  • BU 8,749
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Babson 17.1%
  • BU 11.1%
  • Enrolled
  • Babson 39%
  • BU 37.4%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Babson 1460
  • BU 1480
  • Typical ACT score
  • Babson 32
  • BU 33
  • Average High School GPA
  • Babson 3.79
  • BU 3.79
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Babson A-
  • BU A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • Babson Exceptional
  • BU Exceptional
  • Applicant Competition
  • Babson Very High
  • BU Very High
  • ACT Range
  • Babson 31/34
  • BU 32/34
  • SAT Range
  • Babson 1390/1530
  • BU 1420/1530
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Babson Test optional
  • BU Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Babson Jan 3, 2027
  • BU Jan 4, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Babson 15:1
  • BU 10:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Babson
    • Business (100%)
  • BU
    • Business (21%)
    • Social Sciences (16%)
    • Communication (15%)
    • Health Professions (8%)
    • Engineering (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Babson 90%
  • BU 85%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Babson $108,500
  • BU $72,000
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Babson 88%
  • BU 82%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Babson $26,000
  • BU $27,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Babson $268
  • BU $279

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Babson 57%
  • BU 42%
  • % Women
  • Babson 43%
  • BU 58%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Babson Very High
  • BU Very High
  • HBCU
  • Babson No
  • BU No
  • % White
  • Babson 38%
  • BU 43%
  • % Asian
  • Babson 12%
  • BU 14%
  • % Black
  • Babson 5%
  • BU 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • Babson 10%
  • BU 11%
  • % Native American
  • Babson 0%
  • BU 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Babson 0%
  • BU 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Babson 2%
  • BU 4%
  • % International
  • Babson 26%
  • BU 20%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Babson 6%
  • BU 5%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Babson 18%
  • BU 15%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Babson 53%
  • BU 62%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Babson Yes
  • BU Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Babson No
  • BU No
  • Meal Plan
  • Babson Yes
  • BU Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Babson No
  • BU Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • Babson No
  • BU No

Comparable Facts

Compare Babson College in Wellesley, MA with Boston University in Boston, MA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Boston University is larger than Babson based on total student enrollment (37,737 students vs. 3,932 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Babson College is located in Wellesley, MA (Large Suburban setting); Boston University is in Boston, MA (Large City setting).
  • Babson College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Boston University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Babson College 15:1; Boston University 10:1.

Babson vs. BU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Babson or BU? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Boston University than Babson ($24,420 vs. $32,019).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Boston University are 11.7% lower than at Babson College ($19,020 vs. $21,550).
  • Boston University is 19.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than Babson (about $10,950 more per year; $68,102.00 vs. $57,152.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 19.2% higher at BU than at Babson College (about $10,950 more per year; $68,102.00 vs. $57,152.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Boston University than at Babson College (49% vs. 39%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Boston University students is 28.4% larger than aid received by Babson College students ($61,848 vs. $48,173).

Babson vs. BU Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Babson or BU? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between BU and Babson.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Boston University (1480) is 20 points higher than at Babson (1460).
  • Incoming BU students have a 1 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (33 vs. 32 at Babson).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Babson College 1390/1530; Boston University 1420/1530.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Babson College 31/34; Boston University 32/34.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Babson - Test optional; BU - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Babson Jan 3, 2027; BU Jan 4, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman Babson students have the same average high school GPA (3.79) as students at BU (3.79).
  • Babson has a higher acceptance rate (17.1%) than BU (11.1%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 39% at Babson vs. 37.4% at BU.

Babson vs. BU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Babson and BU? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Babson College's six-year graduation rate (90%) is higher than Boston University's (85%).
  • Graduates from Babson College earn a median of about $36,500 more per year than BU graduates about ten years after starting college ($108,500 vs. $72,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Babson College graduates have a $1,000 lower median loan debt than BU graduates ($26,000 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers, Babson graduates have an estimated $11 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than BU graduates ($268 vs. $279).
  • More Babson graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BU students, three years after graduation. (88% vs. 82%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.