BC vs. University of Massachusetts-Lowell

Should I go to Boston College or University of Massachusetts Lowell? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if BC or University of Massachusetts-Lowell 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 Lowell comparison
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Boston College University of Massachusetts Lowell
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Overview

BC University of Massachusetts-Lowell
Location Chestnut Hill, MA Lowell, MA
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 15,287 17,153
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #45 #406
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bc.edu uml.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

BC University of Massachusetts-Lowell
Tuition (In State) $62,950 $15,462
Tuition (Out of State) $62,950 $33,830
Room & Board $16,120 $13,930
Avg Net Price $30,559 $17,240
Avg Grant Aid $49,992 $11,983
% Receiving Grant Aid 40% 82%

Admission

BC University of Massachusetts-Lowell
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 40,494 12,253
Admitted 6,748 10,532
Acceptance Rate 16.7% 86%
Enrolled % 34.6% 18.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.86 3.67
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Difficult
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 33/35 25/31
SAT Range 1435/1540 1170/1348
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 Feb 15, 2025

Academics

BC University of Massachusetts-Lowell
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (13%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (12%)
  • Health Professions (10%)

Outcomes

BC University of Massachusetts-Lowell
Graduation Rate 91% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $90,900 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 90% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,000 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $196 $258

Diversity

BC University of Massachusetts-Lowell
% Men 45% 57%
% Women 55% 43%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 62% 64%
% Black 4% 6%
% Hispanic 10% 10%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 6% 4%
% Unknown Race 6% 5%

Students

BC University of Massachusetts-Lowell
% In-State 21% 87%
% Out-of-State 71% 10%

Campus

BC University of Massachusetts-Lowell
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Massachusetts Lowell is larger than than BC based on total student enrollment (17,153 students vs. 15,287 students)

BC vs. University of Massachusetts-Lowell Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BC or University of Massachusetts-Lowell?

  • Boston College is 307.1% more expensive to attend than University of Massachusetts-Lowell for in-state tuition ($62,950.00 vs. $15,462.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 86.1% higher at BC than University of Massachusetts Lowell ($62,950.00 vs. $33,830.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Massachusetts Lowell than BC ($17,240 vs. $30,559)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Massachusetts Lowell are 15.7% lower than costs at Boston College ($13,930 vs. $16,120)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Massachusetts Lowell than Boston College (82% vs. 40%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Boston College students is 317.2% larger than aid received University of Massachusetts Lowell ($49,992 vs. $11,983)

BC vs. University of Massachusetts-Lowell Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Boston College (1380) is 183 points higher than at University of Massachusetts-Lowell (1197)
  • Incoming BC students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at University of Massachusetts-Lowell (26)
  • Accepted freshman BC students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.86) than students at University of Massachusetts-Lowell (3.67)
  • University of Massachusetts-Lowell has a higher acceptance rate (86%) than BC (16.7%)

BC vs. University of Massachusetts-Lowell Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BC or University of Massachusetts-Lowell? 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 University of Massachusetts-Lowell and BC.

  • The graduation rate at BC is higher than University of Massachusetts Lowell (91% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from Boston College earn on average $35,600 more per year than University of Massachusetts-Lowell graduates after ten years. ($90,900 vs. $55,300)
  • Boston College students graduate with a $6,000 lower median federal student loan debt than University of Massachusetts-Lowell graduates. ($19,000 vs. $25,000)
  • BC graduates are paying $62 less per month on federal student loans than University of Massachusetts-Lowell graduates. ($196 vs. $258)
  • More BC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of Massachusetts-Lowell students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 63%)

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