BU vs. City College of New York

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

BU City College of New York
Location Boston, MA New York, NY
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 36,624 15,012
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #77 #276
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bu.edu cuny.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

BU City College of New York
Tuition (In State) $63,798 $6,930
Tuition (Out of State) $63,798 $14,880
Room & Board $18,110 $18,104
Avg Net Price $27,551 $4,599
Avg Grant Aid $55,080 $9,236
% Receiving Grant Aid 50% 86%

Admission

BU City College of New York
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 80,495 31,988
Admitted 8,733 18,576
Acceptance Rate 10.8% 58.1%
Enrolled % 36% 14.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.79 3.2
Typical High School Grades A- B
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 32/34
SAT Range 1400/1520 1220/1460
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 City College of New York
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Communication (15%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Psychology (15%)
  • Engineering (13%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)

Outcomes

BU City College of New York
Graduation Rate 85% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $72,000 $49,800
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 52%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $11,400
Median Loan Payment $279 $117

Diversity

BU City College of New York
% Men 21% 7%
% Women 28% 11%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 43% 15%
% Black 4% 16%
% Hispanic 11% 35%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 20% 6%
% Unknown Race 5% 0%

Students

BU City College of New York
% In-State 14% 87%
% Out-of-State 61% 0%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Boston University is larger than than City College of New York based on total student enrollment (36,624 students vs. 15,012 students)

BU vs. City College of New York Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BU or City College of New York?

  • Boston University is 820.6% more expensive to attend than City College of New York for in-state tuition ($63,798.00 vs. $6,930.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 328.7% higher at BU than CUNY City College ($63,798.00 vs. $14,880.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at CUNY City College than BU ($4,599 vs. $27,551)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at CUNY City College are 0% lower than costs at Boston University ($18,104 vs. $18,110)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at CUNY City College than Boston University (86% vs. 50%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Boston University students is 496.4% larger than aid received CUNY City College ($55,080 vs. $9,236)

BU vs. City College of New York Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Boston University (1303) is 178 points higher than at City College of New York (1125)
  • Accepted freshman BU students have a 0.59 point higher average high school GPA (3.79) than students at City College of New York (3.2)
  • City College of New York has a higher acceptance rate (58.1%) than BU (10.8%)

BU vs. City College of New York Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BU or City College of New York? 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 City College of New York and BU.

  • The graduation rate at BU is higher than CUNY City College (85% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from Boston University earn on average $22,200 more per year than City College of New York graduates after ten years. ($72,000 vs. $49,800)
  • CUNY City College students graduate with a $15,600 lower median federal student loan debt than BU graduates. ($11,400 vs. $27,000)
  • City College of New York graduates are paying $162 less per month on federal student loans than BU graduates. ($117 vs. $279)
  • More BU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former City College of New York students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 52%)

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