BU vs. Brooklyn College

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

BU Brooklyn College
Location Boston, MA Brooklyn, NY
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 36,624 13,935
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #77 #264
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bu.edu cuny.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

BU Brooklyn College
Tuition (In State) $63,798 $6,930
Tuition (Out of State) $63,798 $14,880
Room & Board $18,110 $21,788
Avg Net Price $27,551 $4,105
Avg Grant Aid $55,080 $9,290
% Receiving Grant Aid 50% 88%

Admission

BU Brooklyn College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 80,495 27,112
Admitted 8,733 14,548
Acceptance Rate 10.8% 53.7%
Enrolled % 36% 10.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.79 3.42
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 32/34
SAT Range 1400/1520 1140/1420
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 Feb 1, 2026

Academics

BU Brooklyn College
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Communication (15%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)

Outcomes

BU Brooklyn College
Graduation Rate 85% 48%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $72,000 $47,900
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 54%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $10,382
Median Loan Payment $279 $107

Diversity

BU Brooklyn College
% Men 21% 6%
% Women 28% 13%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 43% 33%
% Black 4% 22%
% Hispanic 11% 22%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 20% 4%
% Unknown Race 5% 0%

Students

BU Brooklyn College
% In-State 14% 91%
% Out-of-State 61% 0%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Boston University is larger than than Brooklyn College based on total student enrollment (36,624 students vs. 13,935 students)

BU vs. Brooklyn College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BU or Brooklyn College?

  • Boston University is 820.6% more expensive to attend than Brooklyn College for in-state tuition ($63,798.00 vs. $6,930.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 328.7% higher at BU than CUNY Brooklyn College ($63,798.00 vs. $14,880.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at CUNY Brooklyn College than BU ($4,105 vs. $27,551)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Boston University are 20.3% lower than costs at CUNY Brooklyn College ($18,110 vs. $21,788)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at CUNY Brooklyn College than Boston University (88% vs. 50%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Boston University students is 492.9% larger than aid received CUNY Brooklyn College ($55,080 vs. $9,290)

BU vs. Brooklyn College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Boston University (1303) is 188 points higher than at Brooklyn College (1115)
  • Accepted freshman BU students have a 0.37 point higher average high school GPA (3.79) than students at Brooklyn College (3.42)
  • Brooklyn College has a higher acceptance rate (53.7%) than BU (10.8%)

BU vs. Brooklyn College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BU or Brooklyn College? 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 Brooklyn College and BU.

  • The graduation rate at BU is higher than CUNY Brooklyn College (85% vs. 48%)
  • Graduates from Boston University earn on average $24,100 more per year than Brooklyn College graduates after ten years. ($72,000 vs. $47,900)
  • CUNY Brooklyn College students graduate with a $16,618 lower median federal student loan debt than BU graduates. ($10,382 vs. $27,000)
  • Brooklyn College graduates are paying $172 less per month on federal student loans than BU graduates. ($107 vs. $279)
  • More BU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Brooklyn College students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 54%)

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