BC vs. RIT

Deciding between Boston College and Rochester Institute of Technology? 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
Rochester Institute of Technology

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • BC Chestnut Hill, MA
  • RIT Rochester, NY
  • Setting
  • BC Small City
  • RIT Large Suburban
  • Total enrollment
  • BC 15,432
  • RIT 17,098
  • Type
  • BC Private 4 Year
  • RIT Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • BC #34
  • RIT #175
  • Religious Affiliation
  • BC Roman Catholic
  • RIT -
  • Status
  • BC Non-profit
  • RIT Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • BC
  • RIT

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • BC $70,702
  • RIT $59,274
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • BC $70,702
  • RIT $59,274
  • Room & Board
  • BC $18,916
  • RIT $16,142
  • Average Net Price
  • BC $32,519
  • RIT $39,534
  • Average Grant Aid
  • BC $56,971
  • RIT $35,077
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • BC 40%
  • RIT 98%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • BC 35,037
  • RIT 27,911
  • Admitted
  • BC 5,755
  • RIT 18,682
  • Acceptance Rate
  • BC 16.4%
  • RIT 66.9%
  • Enrolled
  • BC 43.5%
  • RIT 16.3%
  • Typical SAT score
  • BC 1490
  • RIT 1380
  • Typical ACT score
  • BC 34
  • RIT 31
  • Average High School GPA
  • BC 3.86
  • RIT 3.7
  • Typical High School Grades
  • BC A
  • RIT A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • BC Elite
  • RIT Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • BC Very High
  • RIT Low
  • ACT Range
  • BC 33/35
  • RIT 29/33
  • SAT Range
  • BC 1440/1540
  • RIT 1300/1460
  • Submit Test Scores
  • BC Test optional
  • RIT Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • BC Jan 1, 2027
  • RIT Jan 15, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • BC 10:1
  • RIT 13:1
  • Popular Majors
  • BC
    • Business (24%)
    • Social Sciences (17%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Psychology (9%)
    • English and Literature (7%)
  • RIT
    • Visual and Performing Arts (16%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (14%)
    • Engineering (13%)
    • Business (13%)
    • Engineering Technology (11%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • BC 91%
  • RIT 64%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • BC $90,900
  • RIT $64,900
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • BC 90%
  • RIT 75%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • BC $19,000
  • RIT $28,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • BC $196
  • RIT $289

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • BC 46%
  • RIT 64%
  • % Women
  • BC 54%
  • RIT 36%
  • Racial Diversity
  • BC Medium
  • RIT Medium
  • HBCU
  • BC No
  • RIT No
  • % White
  • BC 62%
  • RIT 66%
  • % Asian
  • BC 10%
  • RIT 8%
  • % Black
  • BC 4%
  • RIT 5%
  • % Hispanic
  • BC 10%
  • RIT 7%
  • % Native American
  • BC 0%
  • RIT 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • BC 0%
  • RIT 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • BC 3%
  • RIT 3%
  • % International
  • BC 6%
  • RIT 6%
  • % Unknown Race
  • BC 6%
  • RIT 5%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • BC 23%
  • RIT 44%
  • % Out-of-State
  • BC 69%
  • RIT 51%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Boston College in Chestnut Hill, MA with Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, NY on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Rochester Institute of Technology is larger than BC based on total student enrollment (17,098 students vs. 15,432 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Boston College is located in Chestnut Hill, MA (Small City setting); Rochester Institute of Technology is in Rochester, NY (Large Suburban setting).
  • Boston College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Rochester Institute of Technology is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Boston College 10:1; Rochester Institute of Technology 13:1.

BC vs. RIT Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BC or RIT ? 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 College than RIT ($32,519 vs. $39,534).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rochester Institute of Technology are 14.7% lower than at Boston College ($16,142 vs. $18,916).
  • Boston College is 19.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than RIT (about $11,428 more per year; $70,702.00 vs. $59,274.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 19.3% higher at BC than at Rochester Institute of Technology (about $11,428 more per year; $70,702.00 vs. $59,274.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Rochester Institute of Technology than at Boston College (98% vs. 40%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Boston College students is 62.4% larger than aid received by Rochester Institute of Technology students ($56,971 vs. $35,077).

BC vs. RIT Admissions comparison

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

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Boston College (1490) is 110 points higher than at RIT (1380).
  • Incoming BC students have a 3 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (34 vs. 31 at RIT ).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Boston College 1440/1540; Rochester Institute of Technology 1300/1460.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Boston College 33/35; Rochester Institute of Technology 29/33.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: BC - Test optional; RIT - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: BC Jan 1, 2027; RIT Jan 15, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman BC students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.86) than students at RIT (3.7).
  • RIT has a higher acceptance rate (66.9%) than BC (16.4%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 43.5% at BC vs. 16.3% at RIT .

BC vs. RIT Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for BC and RIT ? 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 Rochester Institute of Technology's (64%).
  • Graduates from Boston College earn a median of about $26,000 more per year than RIT graduates about ten years after starting college ($90,900 vs. $64,900), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Boston College graduates have a $9,000 lower median loan debt than RIT graduates ($19,000 vs. $28,000).
  • Among borrowers, BC graduates have an estimated $93 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than RIT graduates ($196 vs. $289).
  • More BC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former RIT students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 75%)

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.