BC vs. UMass

Should I go to Boston College or University of Massachusetts Amherst? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if BC or UMass 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. University of Massachusetts Amherst comparison
Boston College University of Massachusetts Amherst College 3 College 4
Boston College University of Massachusetts Amherst
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Overview

BC UMass
Location Chestnut Hill, MA Amherst, MA
Setting Small City Town Fringe
Enrollment 15,287 32,229
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #45 #176
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bc.edu umass.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

BC UMass
Tuition (In State) $62,950 $16,186
Tuition (Out of State) $62,950 $37,405
Room & Board $16,120 $14,123
Avg Net Price $30,559 $22,291
Avg Grant Aid $49,992 $12,350
% Receiving Grant Aid 40% 85%

Admission

BC UMass
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 40,494 45,451
Admitted 6,748 28,871
Acceptance Rate 16.7% 63.5%
Enrolled % 34.6% 19.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.86 3.99
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 33/35 29/33
SAT Range 1435/1540 1260/1480
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 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

BC UMass
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

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

Diversity

BC UMass
% Men 45% 49%
% Women 55% 51%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 62% 67%
% Black 4% 4%
% Hispanic 10% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 6% 4%
% Unknown Race 6% 8%

Students

BC UMass
% In-State 21% 65%
% Out-of-State 71% 24%

Campus

BC UMass
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

  • University of Massachusetts Amherst is larger than than BC based on total student enrollment (32,229 students vs. 15,287 students)

BC vs. UMass Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BC or UMass?

  • Boston College is 288.9% more expensive to attend than UMass for in-state tuition ($62,950.00 vs. $16,186.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 68.3% higher at BC than University of Massachusetts Amherst ($62,950.00 vs. $37,405.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Massachusetts Amherst than BC ($22,291 vs. $30,559)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Massachusetts Amherst are 14.1% lower than costs at Boston College ($14,123 vs. $16,120)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Massachusetts Amherst than Boston College (85% vs. 40%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Boston College students is 304.8% larger than aid received University of Massachusetts Amherst ($49,992 vs. $12,350)

BC vs. UMass Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Boston College (1380) is 154 points higher than at UMass (1226)
  • Incoming BC students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at UMass (28)
  • 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 (63.5%) than BC (16.7%)

BC vs. UMass Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at BC is higher than University of Massachusetts Amherst (91% vs. 67%)
  • Graduates from Boston College earn on average $35,700 more per year than UMass graduates after ten years. ($90,900 vs. $55,200)
  • Boston College students graduate with a $5,000 lower median federal student loan debt than UMass graduates. ($19,000 vs. $24,000)
  • BC graduates are paying $52 less per month on federal student loans 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/