BU vs. Brown

Should I go to Boston University or Brown University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if BU or Brown 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 University vs. Brown University comparison
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Overview

BU Brown
Location Boston, MA Providence, RI
Setting Large City Midsize City
Enrollment 36,714 11,189
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #79 #11
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bu.edu brown.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

BU Brown
Tuition (In State) $61,050 $62,680
Tuition (Out of State) $61,050 $62,680
Room & Board $17,400 $15,840
Avg Net Price $27,829 $26,723
Avg Grant Aid $51,565 $55,847
% Receiving Grant Aid 48% 46%

Admission

BU Brown
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 80,796 50,649
Admitted 11,607 2,562
Acceptance Rate 14.4% 5.1%
Enrolled % 31.3% 67%
Avg High School GPA 3.79 3.94
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Extreme
ACT Range 31/34 34/36
SAT Range 1350/1500 1490/1580
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 4, 2025 Jan 5, 2025

Academics

BU Brown
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 6:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Communication (15%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Social Sciences (28%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • General Studies (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

BU Brown
Graduation Rate 85% 95%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $72,000 $87,600
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $15,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $155

Diversity

BU Brown
% Men 43% 48%
% Women 57% 52%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 43% 43%
% Black 4% 7%
% Hispanic 11% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 6%
% International 20% 12%
% Unknown Race 5% 7%

Students

BU Brown
% In-State 14% 3%
% Out-of-State 61% 79%

Campus

BU Brown
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Boston University is larger than than Brown based on total student enrollment (36,714 students vs. 11,189 students)

BU vs. Brown Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BU or Brown?

  • Brown University is 2.7% more expensive to attend than BU for in-state tuition ($62,680.00 vs. $61,050.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.7% higher at Brown than Boston University ($62,680.00 vs. $61,050.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Brown University than BU ($26,723 vs. $27,829)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Brown University are 9.8% lower than costs at Boston University ($15,840 vs. $17,400)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Boston University than Brown University (48% vs. 46%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Brown University students is 8.3% larger than aid received Boston University ($55,847 vs. $51,565)

BU vs. Brown Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Brown University (1457) is 154 points higher than at BU (1303)
  • Incoming Brown students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at BU (29)
  • Accepted freshman Brown students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.94) than students at BU (3.79)
  • BU has a higher acceptance rate (14.4%) than Brown (5.1%)

BU vs. Brown Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BU or Brown? 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 Brown and BU.

  • The graduation rate at Brown is higher than Boston University (95% vs. 85%)
  • Graduates from Brown University earn on average $15,600 more per year than BU graduates after ten years. ($87,600 vs. $72,000)
  • Brown University students graduate with a $12,000 lower median federal student loan debt than BU graduates. ($15,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Brown graduates are paying $124 less per month on federal student loans than BU graduates. ($155 vs. $279)
  • More Brown graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BU students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 82%)

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