BU vs. Dartmouth

Deciding between Boston University and Dartmouth College? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Boston University
Dartmouth College

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • BU Boston, MA
  • Dartmouth Hanover, NH
  • Setting
  • BU Large City
  • Dartmouth Remote Town
  • Total enrollment
  • BU 37,737
  • Dartmouth 6,938
  • Type
  • BU Private 4 Year
  • Dartmouth Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • BU #73
  • Dartmouth #12
  • Religious Affiliation
  • BU -
  • Dartmouth -
  • Status
  • BU Non-profit
  • Dartmouth Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • BU
  • Dartmouth

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • BU $68,102
  • Dartmouth $68,268
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • BU $68,102
  • Dartmouth $68,268
  • Room & Board
  • BU $19,020
  • Dartmouth $19,999
  • Average Net Price
  • BU $24,420
  • Dartmouth $20,322
  • Average Grant Aid
  • BU $61,848
  • Dartmouth $67,471
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • BU 49%
  • Dartmouth 47%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • BU 78,769
  • Dartmouth 31,656
  • Admitted
  • BU 8,749
  • Dartmouth 1,710
  • Acceptance Rate
  • BU 11.1%
  • Dartmouth 5.4%
  • Enrolled
  • BU 37.4%
  • Dartmouth 69.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • BU 1480
  • Dartmouth 1540
  • Typical ACT score
  • BU 33
  • Dartmouth 34
  • Average High School GPA
  • BU 3.79
  • Dartmouth 3.9
  • Typical High School Grades
  • BU A-
  • Dartmouth A
  • Admissions Standards
  • BU Exceptional
  • Dartmouth Elite
  • Applicant Competition
  • BU Very High
  • Dartmouth Extreme
  • ACT Range
  • BU 32/34
  • Dartmouth 33/35
  • SAT Range
  • BU 1420/1530
  • Dartmouth 1500/1570
  • Submit Test Scores
  • BU Test optional
  • Dartmouth Required
  • Application Deadline
  • BU Jan 4, 2027
  • Dartmouth Jan 3, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • BU 10:1
  • Dartmouth 7:1
  • Popular Majors
  • BU
    • Business (21%)
    • Social Sciences (16%)
    • Communication (15%)
    • Health Professions (8%)
    • Engineering (7%)
  • Dartmouth
    • Social Sciences (33%)
    • Biology (9%)
    • History (7%)
    • Engineering (7%)
    • Ethnic Studies (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • BU 85%
  • Dartmouth 95%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • BU $72,000
  • Dartmouth $104,000
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • BU 82%
  • Dartmouth 87%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • BU $27,000
  • Dartmouth $13,461
  • Median Loan Payment
  • BU $279
  • Dartmouth $139

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • BU 42%
  • Dartmouth 51%
  • % Women
  • BU 58%
  • Dartmouth 49%
  • Racial Diversity
  • BU Very High
  • Dartmouth High
  • HBCU
  • BU No
  • Dartmouth No
  • % White
  • BU 43%
  • Dartmouth 49%
  • % Asian
  • BU 14%
  • Dartmouth 15%
  • % Black
  • BU 4%
  • Dartmouth 7%
  • % Hispanic
  • BU 11%
  • Dartmouth 8%
  • % Native American
  • BU 0%
  • Dartmouth 2%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • BU 0%
  • Dartmouth 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • BU 4%
  • Dartmouth 5%
  • % International
  • BU 20%
  • Dartmouth 8%
  • % Unknown Race
  • BU 5%
  • Dartmouth 5%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • BU 15%
  • Dartmouth 2%
  • % Out-of-State
  • BU 62%
  • Dartmouth 81%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • BU Yes
  • Dartmouth Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • BU No
  • Dartmouth Yes
  • Meal Plan
  • BU Yes
  • Dartmouth Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • BU Yes
  • Dartmouth No
  • Daycare Facility
  • BU No
  • Dartmouth No

Comparable Facts

Compare Boston University in Boston, MA with Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Boston University is larger than Dartmouth based on total student enrollment (37,737 students vs. 6,938 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Boston University is located in Boston, MA (Large City setting); Dartmouth College is in Hanover, NH (Remote Town setting).
  • Boston University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Dartmouth College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Boston University 10:1; Dartmouth College 7:1.

BU vs. Dartmouth Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BU or Dartmouth? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Dartmouth College than BU ($20,322 vs. $24,420).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Boston University are 4.9% lower than at Dartmouth College ($19,020 vs. $19,999).
  • Dartmouth College is 0.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than BU (about $166 more per year; $68,268.00 vs. $68,102.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 0.2% higher at Dartmouth than at Boston University (about $166 more per year; $68,268.00 vs. $68,102.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Boston University than at Dartmouth College (49% vs. 47%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Dartmouth College students is 9.1% larger than aid received by Boston University students ($67,471 vs. $61,848).

BU vs. Dartmouth Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, BU or Dartmouth? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Dartmouth and BU.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Dartmouth College (1540) is 60 points higher than at BU (1480).
  • Incoming Dartmouth students have a 1 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (34 vs. 33 at BU).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Boston University 1420/1530; Dartmouth College 1500/1570.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Boston University 32/34; Dartmouth College 33/35.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: BU - Test optional; Dartmouth - Required.
  • Typical fall application deadline: BU Jan 4, 2027; Dartmouth Jan 3, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman Dartmouth students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at BU (3.79).
  • BU has a higher acceptance rate (11.1%) than Dartmouth (5.4%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 37.4% at BU vs. 69.1% at Dartmouth.

BU vs. Dartmouth Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for BU and Dartmouth? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Dartmouth College's six-year graduation rate (95%) is higher than Boston University's (85%).
  • Graduates from Dartmouth College earn a median of about $32,000 more per year than BU graduates about ten years after starting college ($104,000 vs. $72,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Dartmouth College graduates have a $13,539 lower median loan debt than BU graduates ($13,461 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers, Dartmouth graduates have an estimated $140 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than BU graduates ($139 vs. $279).
  • More Dartmouth graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BU students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 82%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.