BC vs. UMass

Deciding between Boston College and University of Massachusetts Amherst? 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
University of Massachusetts Amherst

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • BC Chestnut Hill, MA
  • UMass Amherst, MA
  • Setting
  • BC Small City
  • UMass Town Fringe
  • Total enrollment
  • BC 15,432
  • UMass 31,726
  • Type
  • BC Private 4 Year
  • UMass Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • BC #34
  • UMass #169
  • Religious Affiliation
  • BC Roman Catholic
  • UMass -
  • Status
  • BC Non-profit
  • UMass Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • BC
  • UMass

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • BC $70,702
  • UMass $17,772
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • BC $70,702
  • UMass $40,449
  • Room & Board
  • BC $18,916
  • UMass $16,710
  • Average Net Price
  • BC $32,519
  • UMass $22,948
  • Average Grant Aid
  • BC $56,971
  • UMass $13,110
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • BC 40%
  • UMass 81%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • BC 35,037
  • UMass 50,261
  • Admitted
  • BC 5,755
  • UMass 30,020
  • Acceptance Rate
  • BC 16.4%
  • UMass 59.7%
  • Enrolled
  • BC 43.5%
  • UMass 17.9%
  • Typical SAT score
  • BC 1490
  • UMass 1410
  • Typical ACT score
  • BC 34
  • UMass 31
  • Average High School GPA
  • BC 3.86
  • UMass 3.99
  • Typical High School Grades
  • BC A
  • UMass A
  • Admissions Standards
  • BC Elite
  • UMass Exceptional
  • Applicant Competition
  • BC Very High
  • UMass Low
  • ACT Range
  • BC 33/35
  • UMass 30/33
  • SAT Range
  • BC 1440/1540
  • UMass 1310/1500
  • Submit Test Scores
  • BC Test optional
  • UMass Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • BC Jan 1, 2027
  • UMass Jan 15, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • BC 10:1
  • UMass 17:1
  • Popular Majors
  • BC
    • Business (24%)
    • Social Sciences (17%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Psychology (9%)
    • English and Literature (7%)
  • UMass
    • Business (15%)
    • Social Sciences (12%)
    • Psychology (9%)
    • Biology (8%)
    • Communication (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • BC 91%
  • UMass 67%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • BC $90,900
  • UMass $55,200
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • BC 90%
  • UMass 76%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • BC $19,000
  • UMass $24,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • BC $196
  • UMass $248

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • BC 46%
  • UMass 48%
  • % Women
  • BC 54%
  • UMass 52%
  • Racial Diversity
  • BC Medium
  • UMass Medium
  • HBCU
  • BC No
  • UMass No
  • % White
  • BC 62%
  • UMass 67%
  • % Asian
  • BC 10%
  • UMass 9%
  • % Black
  • BC 4%
  • UMass 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • BC 10%
  • UMass 5%
  • % Native American
  • BC 0%
  • UMass 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • BC 0%
  • UMass 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • BC 3%
  • UMass 3%
  • % International
  • BC 6%
  • UMass 4%
  • % Unknown Race
  • BC 6%
  • UMass 8%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • BC 23%
  • UMass 69%
  • % Out-of-State
  • BC 69%
  • UMass 22%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

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

University of Massachusetts Amherst is larger than BC based on total student enrollment (31,726 students vs. 15,432 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Boston College is located in Chestnut Hill, MA (Small City setting); University of Massachusetts Amherst is in Amherst, MA (Town Fringe setting).
  • Boston College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. University of Massachusetts Amherst is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Boston College 10:1; University of Massachusetts Amherst 17:1.

BC vs. UMass Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BC or UMass? 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 University of Massachusetts Amherst than BC ($22,948 vs. $32,519).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Massachusetts Amherst are 11.7% lower than at Boston College ($16,710 vs. $18,916).
  • Boston College is 297.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than UMass (about $52,930 more per year; $70,702.00 vs. $17,772.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 74.8% higher at BC than at University of Massachusetts Amherst (about $30,253 more per year; $70,702.00 vs. $40,449.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of Massachusetts Amherst than at Boston College (81% vs. 40%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Boston College students is 334.6% larger than aid received by University of Massachusetts Amherst students ($56,971 vs. $13,110).

BC vs. UMass Admissions comparison

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

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Boston College (1490) is 80 points higher than at UMass (1410).
  • Incoming BC students have a 3 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (34 vs. 31 at UMass).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Boston College 1440/1540; University of Massachusetts Amherst 1310/1500.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Boston College 33/35; University of Massachusetts Amherst 30/33.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: BC - Test optional; UMass - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: BC Jan 1, 2027; UMass Jan 15, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman UMass students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.99) than students at BC (3.86).
  • UMass has a higher acceptance rate (59.7%) than BC (16.4%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 43.5% at BC vs. 17.9% at UMass.

BC vs. UMass Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for BC and UMass? 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 University of Massachusetts Amherst's (67%).
  • Graduates from Boston College earn a median of about $35,700 more per year than UMass graduates about ten years after starting college ($90,900 vs. $55,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Boston College graduates have a $5,000 lower median loan debt than UMass graduates ($19,000 vs. $24,000).
  • Among borrowers, BC graduates have an estimated $52 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than UMass graduates ($196 vs. $248).
  • More BC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UMass students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 76%)

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.