BU vs. Bucknell

Should I go to Boston University or Bucknell University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if BU or Bucknell 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. Bucknell University comparison
Boston University Bucknell University College 3 College 4
Boston University Bucknell University
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Overview

BU Bucknell
Location Boston, MA Lewisburg, PA
Setting Large City Distant Town
Enrollment 36,714 3,787
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #79 #71
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bu.edu bucknell.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

BU Bucknell
Tuition (In State) $61,050 $61,408
Tuition (Out of State) $61,050 $61,408
Room & Board $17,400 $15,358
Avg Net Price $27,829 $39,965
Avg Grant Aid $51,565 $37,775
% Receiving Grant Aid 48% 56%

Admission

BU Bucknell
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 80,796 11,707
Admitted 11,607 3,811
Acceptance Rate 14.4% 32.6%
Enrolled % 31.3% 27.1%
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 31/34 30/33
SAT Range 1350/1500 1310/1470
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 15, 2025

Academics

BU Bucknell
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Communication (15%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • English and Literature (6%)

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 43% 48%
% Women 57% 52%
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 (36,714 students vs. 3,787 students)

BU vs. Bucknell Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BU or Bucknell?

  • Bucknell University is 0.6% more expensive to attend than BU for in-state tuition ($61,408.00 vs. $61,050.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.6% higher at Bucknell than Boston University ($61,408.00 vs. $61,050.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Boston University than Bucknell ($27,829 vs. $39,965)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bucknell University are 13.3% lower than costs at Boston University ($15,358 vs. $17,400)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bucknell University than Boston University (56% vs. 48%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Boston University students is 36.5% larger than aid received Bucknell University ($51,565 vs. $37,775)

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 (32.6%) than BU (14.4%)

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/