BC vs. BU

Deciding between Boston 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.

Boston College
Boston University

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • BC Chestnut Hill, MA
  • BU Boston, MA
  • Setting
  • BC Small City
  • BU Large City
  • Total enrollment
  • BC 15,432
  • BU 37,737
  • Type
  • BC Private 4 Year
  • BU Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • BC #34
  • BU #73
  • Religious Affiliation
  • BC Roman Catholic
  • BU -
  • Status
  • BC Non-profit
  • BU Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • BC
  • BU

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • BC $70,702
  • BU $68,102
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • BC $70,702
  • BU $68,102
  • Room & Board
  • BC $18,916
  • BU $19,020
  • Average Net Price
  • BC $32,519
  • BU $24,420
  • Average Grant Aid
  • BC $56,971
  • BU $61,848
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • BC 40%
  • BU 49%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • BC 35,037
  • BU 78,769
  • Admitted
  • BC 5,755
  • BU 8,749
  • Acceptance Rate
  • BC 16.4%
  • BU 11.1%
  • Enrolled
  • BC 43.5%
  • BU 37.4%
  • Typical SAT score
  • BC 1490
  • BU 1480
  • Typical ACT score
  • BC 34
  • BU 33
  • Average High School GPA
  • BC 3.86
  • BU 3.79
  • Typical High School Grades
  • BC A
  • BU A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • BC Elite
  • BU Exceptional
  • Applicant Competition
  • BC Very High
  • BU Very High
  • ACT Range
  • BC 33/35
  • BU 32/34
  • SAT Range
  • BC 1440/1540
  • BU 1420/1530
  • Submit Test Scores
  • BC Test optional
  • BU Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • BC Jan 1, 2027
  • BU Jan 4, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • BC 10:1
  • BU 10:1
  • Popular Majors
  • BC
    • Business (24%)
    • Social Sciences (17%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Psychology (9%)
    • English and Literature (7%)
  • BU
    • Business (21%)
    • Social Sciences (16%)
    • Communication (15%)
    • Health Professions (8%)
    • Engineering (7%)

  • Outcomes

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

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • BC 46%
  • BU 42%
  • % Women
  • BC 54%
  • BU 58%
  • Racial Diversity
  • BC Medium
  • BU Very High
  • HBCU
  • BC No
  • BU No
  • % White
  • BC 62%
  • BU 43%
  • % Asian
  • BC 10%
  • BU 14%
  • % Black
  • BC 4%
  • BU 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • BC 10%
  • BU 11%
  • % Native American
  • BC 0%
  • BU 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • BC 0%
  • BU 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • BC 3%
  • BU 4%
  • % International
  • BC 6%
  • BU 20%
  • % Unknown Race
  • BC 6%
  • BU 5%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • BC 23%
  • BU 15%
  • % Out-of-State
  • BC 69%
  • BU 62%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Boston College in Chestnut Hill, 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 BC based on total student enrollment (37,737 students vs. 15,432 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

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

BC vs. BU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BC 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 BC ($24,420 vs. $32,519).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Boston College are 0.5% lower than at Boston University ($18,916 vs. $19,020).
  • Boston College is 3.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than BU (about $2,600 more per year; $70,702.00 vs. $68,102.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 3.8% higher at BC than at Boston University (about $2,600 more per year; $70,702.00 vs. $68,102.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Boston University than at Boston College (49% vs. 40%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Boston University students is 8.6% larger than aid received by Boston College students ($61,848 vs. $56,971).

BC vs. BU Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, BC 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 BC.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Boston College (1490) is 10 points higher than at BU (1480).
  • Incoming BC students have a 1 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (34 vs. 33 at BU).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Boston College 1440/1540; Boston University 1420/1530.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Boston College 33/35; Boston University 32/34.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: BC - Test optional; BU - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: BC Jan 1, 2027; BU Jan 4, 2027.
  • 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 (16.4%) than BU (11.1%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 43.5% at BC vs. 37.4% at BU.

BC vs. BU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for BC 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).

  • Boston College's six-year graduation rate (91%) is higher than Boston University's (85%).
  • Graduates from Boston College earn a median of about $18,900 more per year than BU graduates about ten years after starting college ($90,900 vs. $72,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Boston College graduates have a $8,000 lower median loan debt than BU graduates ($19,000 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers, BC graduates have an estimated $83 lower median monthly federal student loan payment 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/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.