BC vs. BU

Should I go to Boston College or Boston University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if BC 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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Boston College vs. Boston University comparison
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Overview

BC BU
Location Chestnut Hill, MA Boston, MA
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 15,287 36,714
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #45 #79
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bc.edu bu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

BC BU
Tuition (In State) $62,950 $61,050
Tuition (Out of State) $62,950 $61,050
Room & Board $16,120 $17,400
Avg Net Price $30,559 $27,829
Avg Grant Aid $49,992 $51,565
% Receiving Grant Aid 40% 48%

Admission

BC BU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 40,494 80,796
Admitted 6,748 11,607
Acceptance Rate 16.7% 14.4%
Enrolled % 34.6% 31.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.86 3.79
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High Very High
ACT Range 33/35 31/34
SAT Range 1435/1540 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 1, 2025 Jan 4, 2025

Academics

BC BU
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Communication (15%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Engineering (7%)

Outcomes

BC BU
Graduation Rate 91% 85%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $90,900 $72,000
Making Student Loan Payments 90% 82%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $196 $279

Diversity

BC BU
% Men 45% 43%
% Women 55% 57%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 62% 43%
% Black 4% 4%
% Hispanic 10% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 6% 20%
% Unknown Race 6% 5%

Students

BC BU
% In-State 21% 14%
% Out-of-State 71% 61%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Boston University is larger than than BC based on total student enrollment (36,714 students vs. 15,287 students)

BC vs. BU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BC or BU?

  • Boston College is 3.1% more expensive to attend than BU for in-state tuition ($62,950.00 vs. $61,050.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 3.1% higher at BC than Boston University ($62,950.00 vs. $61,050.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Boston University than BC ($27,829 vs. $30,559)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Boston College are 7.9% lower than costs at Boston University ($16,120 vs. $17,400)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Boston University than Boston College (48% vs. 40%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Boston University students is 3.1% larger than aid received Boston College ($51,565 vs. $49,992)

BC vs. BU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Boston College (1380) is 77 points higher than at BU (1303)
  • Incoming BC students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at BU (29)
  • Accepted freshman BC students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.86) than students at BU (3.79)
  • BC has a higher acceptance rate (16.7%) than BU (14.4%)

BC vs. BU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BC 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 BC.

  • The graduation rate at BC is higher than Boston University (91% vs. 85%)
  • Graduates from Boston College earn on average $18,900 more per year than BU graduates after ten years. ($90,900 vs. $72,000)
  • Boston College students graduate with a $8,000 lower median federal student loan debt than BU graduates. ($19,000 vs. $27,000)
  • BC graduates are paying $83 less per month on federal student loans than BU graduates. ($196 vs. $279)
  • More BC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BU students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 82%)

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