BC vs. Princeton

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

BC Princeton
Location Chestnut Hill, MA Princeton, NJ
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 15,280 8,922
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #50 #1
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bc.edu princeton.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

BC Princeton
Tuition (In State) $66,410 $59,710
Tuition (Out of State) $66,410 $59,710
Room & Board $18,475 $19,380
Avg Net Price $32,590 $19,811
Avg Grant Aid $51,099 $60,629
% Receiving Grant Aid 43% 60%

Admission

BC Princeton
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 36,069 39,644
Admitted 5,645 1,782
Acceptance Rate 15.7% 4.5%
Enrolled % 41.4% 76.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.86 3.93
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Extreme
ACT Range 33/34 34/35
SAT Range 1430/1540 1500/1580
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, 2026 Jan 1, 2026

Academics

BC Princeton
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 5:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • History (7%)
  • Human Services (7%)

Outcomes

BC Princeton
Graduation Rate 91% 96%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $90,900 $113,900
Making Student Loan Payments 90% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,000 $7,500
Median Loan Payment $196 $77

Diversity

BC Princeton
% Men 14% 21%
% Women 20% 16%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 62% 45%
% Black 4% 8%
% Hispanic 10% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 6% 11%
% Unknown Race 6% 2%

Students

BC Princeton
% In-State 21% 16%
% Out-of-State 71% 71%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Boston College is larger than than Princeton based on total student enrollment (15,280 students vs. 8,922 students)

BC vs. Princeton Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BC or Princeton?

  • Boston College is 11.2% more expensive to attend than Princeton for in-state tuition ($66,410.00 vs. $59,710.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 11.2% higher at BC than Princeton University ($66,410.00 vs. $59,710.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Princeton University than BC ($19,811 vs. $32,590)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Boston College are 4.9% lower than costs at Princeton University ($18,475 vs. $19,380)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Princeton University than Boston College (60% vs. 43%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Princeton University students is 18.7% larger than aid received Boston College ($60,629 vs. $51,099)

BC vs. Princeton Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Princeton University (1490) is 110 points higher than at BC (1380)
  • Incoming Princeton students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at BC (32)
  • Accepted freshman Princeton students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.93) than students at BC (3.86)
  • BC has a higher acceptance rate (15.7%) than Princeton (4.5%)

BC vs. Princeton Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BC or Princeton? 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 Princeton and BC.

  • The graduation rate at Princeton is higher than Boston College (96% vs. 91%)
  • Graduates from Princeton University earn on average $23,000 more per year than BC graduates after ten years. ($113,900 vs. $90,900)
  • Princeton University students graduate with a $11,500 lower median federal student loan debt than BC graduates. ($7,500 vs. $19,000)
  • Princeton graduates are paying $119 less per month on federal student loans than BC graduates. ($77 vs. $196)
  • More BC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Princeton students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 83%)

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