BC vs. Purchase College

Should I go to Boston College or SUNY at Purchase College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if BC or Purchase College 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. SUNY at Purchase College comparison
Boston College SUNY at Purchase College College 3 College 4
Boston College SUNY at Purchase College
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Overview

BC Purchase College
Location Chestnut Hill, MA Purchase, NY
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 15,287 3,182
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #45 #319
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bc.edu purchase.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

BC Purchase College
Tuition (In State) $62,950 $7,070
Tuition (Out of State) $62,950 $16,980
Room & Board $16,120 $14,948
Avg Net Price $30,559 $19,434
Avg Grant Aid $49,992 $10,312
% Receiving Grant Aid 40% 73%

Admission

BC Purchase College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 40,494 5,747
Admitted 6,748 4,292
Acceptance Rate 16.7% 74.7%
Enrolled % 34.6% 16%
Avg High School GPA 3.86 3.37
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Difficult
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 33/35 29/31
SAT Range 1435/1540 1190/1350
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, 2025 Jul 1, 2025

Academics

BC Purchase College
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (37%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Communication (6%)

Outcomes

BC Purchase College
Graduation Rate 91% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $90,900 $40,200
Making Student Loan Payments 90% 65%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,000 $22,500
Median Loan Payment $196 $232

Diversity

BC Purchase College
% Men 45% 42%
% Women 55% 58%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 62% 55%
% Black 4% 10%
% Hispanic 10% 18%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 6% 2%
% Unknown Race 6% 7%

Students

BC Purchase College
% In-State 21% 85%
% Out-of-State 71% 14%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Boston College is larger than than Purchase College based on total student enrollment (15,287 students vs. 3,182 students)

BC vs. Purchase College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BC or Purchase College?

  • Boston College is 790.4% more expensive to attend than Purchase College for in-state tuition ($62,950.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 270.7% higher at BC than SUNY at Purchase College ($62,950.00 vs. $16,980.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY at Purchase College than BC ($19,434 vs. $30,559)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at SUNY at Purchase College are 7.8% lower than costs at Boston College ($14,948 vs. $16,120)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at SUNY at Purchase College than Boston College (73% vs. 40%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Boston College students is 384.8% larger than aid received SUNY at Purchase College ($49,992 vs. $10,312)

BC vs. Purchase College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Boston College (1380) is 298 points higher than at Purchase College (1082)
  • Incoming BC students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Purchase College (25)
  • Accepted freshman BC students have a 0.49 point higher average high school GPA (3.86) than students at Purchase College (3.37)
  • Purchase College has a higher acceptance rate (74.7%) than BC (16.7%)

BC vs. Purchase College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BC or Purchase College? 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 Purchase College and BC.

  • The graduation rate at BC is higher than SUNY at Purchase College (91% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from Boston College earn on average $50,700 more per year than Purchase College graduates after ten years. ($90,900 vs. $40,200)
  • Boston College students graduate with a $3,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Purchase College graduates. ($19,000 vs. $22,500)
  • BC graduates are paying $36 less per month on federal student loans than Purchase College graduates. ($196 vs. $232)
  • More BC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Purchase College students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 65%)

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