BC vs. SUNY Stony Brook

Deciding between Boston College and Stony Brook 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
Stony Brook University

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • BC Chestnut Hill, MA
  • SUNY Stony Brook Stony Brook, NY
  • Setting
  • BC Small City
  • SUNY Stony Brook Large Suburban
  • Total enrollment
  • BC 15,432
  • SUNY Stony Brook 26,689
  • Type
  • BC Private 4 Year
  • SUNY Stony Brook Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • BC #34
  • SUNY Stony Brook #141
  • Religious Affiliation
  • BC Roman Catholic
  • SUNY Stony Brook -
  • Status
  • BC Non-profit
  • SUNY Stony Brook Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • BC
  • SUNY Stony Brook

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • BC $70,702
  • SUNY Stony Brook $10,931
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • BC $70,702
  • SUNY Stony Brook $32,741
  • Room & Board
  • BC $18,916
  • SUNY Stony Brook $18,196
  • Average Net Price
  • BC $32,519
  • SUNY Stony Brook $20,992
  • Average Grant Aid
  • BC $56,971
  • SUNY Stony Brook $9,285
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • BC 40%
  • SUNY Stony Brook 98%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • BC 35,037
  • SUNY Stony Brook 55,880
  • Admitted
  • BC 5,755
  • SUNY Stony Brook 27,406
  • Acceptance Rate
  • BC 16.4%
  • SUNY Stony Brook 49%
  • Enrolled
  • BC 43.5%
  • SUNY Stony Brook 14.7%
  • Typical SAT score
  • BC 1490
  • SUNY Stony Brook 1420
  • Typical ACT score
  • BC 34
  • SUNY Stony Brook 31
  • Average High School GPA
  • BC 3.86
  • SUNY Stony Brook 3.94
  • Typical High School Grades
  • BC A
  • SUNY Stony Brook A
  • Admissions Standards
  • BC Elite
  • SUNY Stony Brook Exceptional
  • Applicant Competition
  • BC Very High
  • SUNY Stony Brook Low
  • ACT Range
  • BC 33/35
  • SUNY Stony Brook 29/33
  • SAT Range
  • BC 1440/1540
  • SUNY Stony Brook 1330/1500
  • Submit Test Scores
  • BC Test optional
  • SUNY Stony Brook Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • BC Jan 1, 2027
  • SUNY Stony Brook Jan 15, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • BC 10:1
  • SUNY Stony Brook 19:1
  • Popular Majors
  • BC
    • Business (24%)
    • Social Sciences (17%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Psychology (9%)
    • English and Literature (7%)
  • SUNY Stony Brook
    • Social Sciences (17%)
    • Health Professions (17%)
    • Biology (13%)
    • Psychology (11%)
    • Business (9%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • BC 91%
  • SUNY Stony Brook 67%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • BC $90,900
  • SUNY Stony Brook $59,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • BC 90%
  • SUNY Stony Brook 73%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • BC $19,000
  • SUNY Stony Brook $19,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • BC $196
  • SUNY Stony Brook $196

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • BC 46%
  • SUNY Stony Brook 47%
  • % Women
  • BC 54%
  • SUNY Stony Brook 53%
  • Racial Diversity
  • BC Medium
  • SUNY Stony Brook Very High
  • HBCU
  • BC No
  • SUNY Stony Brook No
  • % White
  • BC 62%
  • SUNY Stony Brook 36%
  • % Asian
  • BC 10%
  • SUNY Stony Brook 24%
  • % Black
  • BC 4%
  • SUNY Stony Brook 7%
  • % Hispanic
  • BC 10%
  • SUNY Stony Brook 11%
  • % Native American
  • BC 0%
  • SUNY Stony Brook 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • BC 0%
  • SUNY Stony Brook 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • BC 3%
  • SUNY Stony Brook 2%
  • % International
  • BC 6%
  • SUNY Stony Brook 13%
  • % Unknown Race
  • BC 6%
  • SUNY Stony Brook 7%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • BC 23%
  • SUNY Stony Brook 78%
  • % Out-of-State
  • BC 69%
  • SUNY Stony Brook 9%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

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

Stony Brook University is larger than BC based on total student enrollment (26,689 students vs. 15,432 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Boston College is located in Chestnut Hill, MA (Small City setting); Stony Brook University is in Stony Brook, NY (Large Suburban setting).
  • Boston College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Stony Brook University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Boston College 10:1; Stony Brook University 19:1.

BC vs. SUNY Stony Brook Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BC or SUNY Stony Brook? 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 Stony Brook University than BC ($20,992 vs. $32,519).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Stony Brook University are 3.8% lower than at Boston College ($18,196 vs. $18,916).
  • Boston College is 546.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than SUNY Stony Brook (about $59,771 more per year; $70,702.00 vs. $10,931.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 115.9% higher at BC than at Stony Brook University (about $37,961 more per year; $70,702.00 vs. $32,741.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Stony Brook University than at Boston College (98% vs. 40%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Boston College students is 513.6% larger than aid received by Stony Brook University students ($56,971 vs. $9,285).

BC vs. SUNY Stony Brook Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, BC or SUNY Stony Brook? 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 SUNY Stony Brook and BC.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Boston College (1490) is 70 points higher than at SUNY Stony Brook (1420).
  • Incoming BC students have a 3 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (34 vs. 31 at SUNY Stony Brook).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Boston College 1440/1540; Stony Brook University 1330/1500.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Boston College 33/35; Stony Brook University 29/33.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: BC - Test optional; SUNY Stony Brook - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: BC Jan 1, 2027; SUNY Stony Brook Jan 15, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman SUNY Stony Brook students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.94) than students at BC (3.86).
  • SUNY Stony Brook has a higher acceptance rate (49%) than BC (16.4%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 43.5% at BC vs. 14.7% at SUNY Stony Brook.

BC vs. SUNY Stony Brook Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for BC and SUNY Stony Brook? 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 Stony Brook University's (67%).
  • Graduates from Boston College earn a median of about $31,600 more per year than SUNY Stony Brook graduates about ten years after starting college ($90,900 vs. $59,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Stony Brook University and BC graduates have the same median loan debt ($19,000 vs. $19,000).
  • Among borrowers in the federal data, Stony Brook University and BC graduates have the same median monthly federal student loan payment ($196 vs. $196).
  • More BC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SUNY Stony Brook students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 73%)

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.