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Northeastern BC Lafayette College NYU Lehigh Villanova Babson University of Richmond Tufts UMass Brandeis University Colgate| Boston University | Bucknell University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
BU | Bucknell | ||
| Location | Boston, MA | Lewisburg, PA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Distant Town | ||
| Enrollment | 36,624 | 3,892 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #77 | #73 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | bu.edu | bucknell.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
BU | Bucknell | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $63,798 | $64,418 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $63,798 | $64,418 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,110 | $16,118 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $27,551 | $38,486 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $55,080 | $41,211 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 50% | 56% |
Admission |
BU | Bucknell | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 80,495 | 11,010 | ||
| Admitted | 8,733 | 3,524 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 10.8% | 32% | ||
| Enrolled % | 36% | 29.2% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.79 | 3.62 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Exceptional | Exceptional | ||
| Applicant Competition | Very High | High | ||
| ACT Range | 32/34 | 31/33 | ||
| SAT Range | 1400/1520 | 1300/1450 | ||
| 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, 2026 | Jan 15, 2026 |
Academics |
BU | Bucknell | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 10:1 | 9:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
BU | Bucknell | ||
| Graduation Rate | 85% | 91% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $72,000 | $76,300 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 82% | 89% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $27,000 | $27,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $279 | $279 |
Diversity |
BU | Bucknell | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 21% | 0% | ||
| % Women | 28% | 1% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 43% | 77% | ||
| % Black | 4% | 3% | ||
| % Hispanic | 11% | 6% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 4% | ||
| % International | 20% | 5% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 5% | 0% |
Students |
BU | Bucknell | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 14% | 21% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 61% | 74% | ||
Campus |
BU | Bucknell | ||
| 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 Bucknell based on total student enrollment (36,624 students vs. 3,892 students)
BU vs. Bucknell Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, BU or Bucknell?
- Bucknell University is 1% more expensive to attend than BU for in-state tuition ($64,418.00 vs. $63,798.00)
- Out of state tuition is 1% higher at Bucknell than Boston University ($64,418.00 vs. $63,798.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Boston University than Bucknell ($27,551 vs. $38,486)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bucknell University are 12.4% lower than costs at Boston University ($16,118 vs. $18,110)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Bucknell University than Boston University (56% vs. 50%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Boston University students is 33.7% larger than aid received Bucknell University ($55,080 vs. $41,211)
BU vs. Bucknell Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, BU or Bucknell? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Bucknell or BU .
- The average SAT score at Bucknell University (1315) is 12 points higher than at BU (1303)
- Incoming Bucknell students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at BU (29)
- Accepted freshman BU students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.79) than students at Bucknell (3.62)
- Bucknell has a higher acceptance rate (32%) than BU (10.8%)
BU vs. Bucknell Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, BU or Bucknell? 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 Bucknell and BU.
- The graduation rate at Bucknell is higher than Boston University (91% vs. 85%)
- Graduates from Bucknell University earn on average $4,300 more per year than BU graduates after ten years. ($76,300 vs. $72,000)
- Bucknell University and BU graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($27,000 vs. $27,000)
- Bucknell University and BU graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($279 vs. $279)
- More Bucknell 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/