BC vs. Colgate

Deciding between Boston College and Colgate 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
Colgate University

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • BC Chestnut Hill, MA
  • Colgate Hamilton, NY
  • Setting
  • BC Small City
  • Colgate Distant Town
  • Total enrollment
  • BC 15,432
  • Colgate 3,211
  • Type
  • BC Private 4 Year
  • Colgate Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • BC #34
  • Colgate #30
  • Religious Affiliation
  • BC Roman Catholic
  • Colgate -
  • Status
  • BC Non-profit
  • Colgate Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • BC
  • Colgate

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • BC $70,702
  • Colgate $70,306
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • BC $70,702
  • Colgate $70,306
  • Room & Board
  • BC $18,916
  • Colgate $17,610
  • Average Net Price
  • BC $32,519
  • Colgate $28,736
  • Average Grant Aid
  • BC $56,971
  • Colgate $58,334
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • BC 40%
  • Colgate 43%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • BC 35,037
  • Colgate 20,682
  • Admitted
  • BC 5,755
  • Colgate 2,871
  • Acceptance Rate
  • BC 16.4%
  • Colgate 13.9%
  • Enrolled
  • BC 43.5%
  • Colgate 28.7%
  • Typical SAT score
  • BC 1490
  • Colgate 1490
  • Typical ACT score
  • BC 34
  • Colgate 33
  • Average High School GPA
  • BC 3.86
  • Colgate 3.77
  • Typical High School Grades
  • BC A
  • Colgate A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • BC Elite
  • Colgate Exceptional
  • Applicant Competition
  • BC Very High
  • Colgate Very High
  • ACT Range
  • BC 33/35
  • Colgate 33/34
  • SAT Range
  • BC 1440/1540
  • Colgate 1430/1540
  • Submit Test Scores
  • BC Test optional
  • Colgate Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • BC Jan 1, 2027
  • Colgate Jan 15, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • BC 10:1
  • Colgate 9:1
  • Popular Majors
  • BC
    • Business (24%)
    • Social Sciences (17%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Psychology (9%)
    • English and Literature (7%)
  • Colgate
    • Social Sciences (33%)
    • English and Literature (11%)
    • Biology (10%)
    • Foreign Languages (7%)
    • Philosophy and Religious Studies (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • BC 91%
  • Colgate 92%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • BC $90,900
  • Colgate $75,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • BC 90%
  • Colgate 86%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • BC $19,000
  • Colgate $16,125
  • Median Loan Payment
  • BC $196
  • Colgate $166

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • BC 46%
  • Colgate 43%
  • % Women
  • BC 54%
  • Colgate 57%
  • Racial Diversity
  • BC Medium
  • Colgate Medium
  • HBCU
  • BC No
  • Colgate No
  • % White
  • BC 62%
  • Colgate 67%
  • % Asian
  • BC 10%
  • Colgate 4%
  • % Black
  • BC 4%
  • Colgate 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • BC 10%
  • Colgate 9%
  • % Native American
  • BC 0%
  • Colgate 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • BC 0%
  • Colgate 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • BC 3%
  • Colgate 3%
  • % International
  • BC 6%
  • Colgate 9%
  • % Unknown Race
  • BC 6%
  • Colgate 4%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • BC 23%
  • Colgate 25%
  • % Out-of-State
  • BC 69%
  • Colgate 66%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Boston College in Chestnut Hill, MA with Colgate University in Hamilton, NY on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Boston College is larger than Colgate based on total student enrollment (15,432 students vs. 3,211 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Boston College is located in Chestnut Hill, MA (Small City setting); Colgate University is in Hamilton, NY (Distant Town setting).
  • Boston College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Colgate University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Boston College 10:1; Colgate University 9:1.

BC vs. Colgate Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BC or Colgate? 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 Colgate University than BC ($28,736 vs. $32,519).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Colgate University are 6.9% lower than at Boston College ($17,610 vs. $18,916).
  • Boston College is 0.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than Colgate (about $396 more per year; $70,702.00 vs. $70,306.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 0.6% higher at BC than at Colgate University (about $396 more per year; $70,702.00 vs. $70,306.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Colgate University than at Boston College (43% vs. 40%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Colgate University students is 2.4% larger than aid received by Boston College students ($58,334 vs. $56,971).

BC vs. Colgate Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, BC or Colgate? 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 Colgate and BC.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Boston College (1490) is the same as at Colgate (1490).
  • Incoming BC students have a 1 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (34 vs. 33 at Colgate).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Boston College 1440/1540; Colgate University 1430/1540.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Boston College 33/35; Colgate University 33/34.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: BC - Test optional; Colgate - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: BC Jan 1, 2027; Colgate Jan 15, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman BC students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.86) than students at Colgate (3.77).
  • BC has a higher acceptance rate (16.4%) than Colgate (13.9%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 43.5% at BC vs. 28.7% at Colgate.

BC vs. Colgate Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for BC and Colgate? 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).

  • Colgate University's six-year graduation rate (92%) is higher than Boston College's (91%).
  • Graduates from Boston College earn a median of about $15,600 more per year than Colgate graduates about ten years after starting college ($90,900 vs. $75,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Colgate University graduates have a $2,875 lower median loan debt than BC graduates ($16,125 vs. $19,000).
  • Among borrowers, Colgate graduates have an estimated $30 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than BC graduates ($166 vs. $196).
  • More BC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Colgate students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 86%)

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.