BU vs. Fordham

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

BU Fordham
Location Boston, MA Bronx, NY
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 36,714 16,556
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #79 #118
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bu.edu fordham.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

BU Fordham
Tuition (In State) $61,050 $56,920
Tuition (Out of State) $61,050 $56,920
Room & Board $17,400 $21,060
Avg Net Price $27,829 $43,943
Avg Grant Aid $51,565 $33,129
% Receiving Grant Aid 48% 96%

Admission

BU Fordham
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 80,796 47,203
Admitted 11,607 25,550
Acceptance Rate 14.4% 54.1%
Enrolled % 31.3% 10.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.79 3.67
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 31/34 30/33
SAT Range 1350/1500 1320/1480
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 1, 2025

Academics

BU Fordham
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Communication (15%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Business (26%)
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Communication (13%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • English and Literature (6%)

Outcomes

BU Fordham
Graduation Rate 85% 78%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $72,000 $64,200
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $268

Diversity

BU Fordham
% Men 43% 38%
% Women 57% 62%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 43% 59%
% Black 4% 4%
% Hispanic 11% 14%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 20% 7%
% Unknown Race 5% 2%

Students

BU Fordham
% In-State 14% 35%
% Out-of-State 61% 56%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Boston University is larger than than Fordham based on total student enrollment (36,714 students vs. 16,556 students)

BU vs. Fordham Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BU or Fordham?

  • Boston University is 7.3% more expensive to attend than Fordham for in-state tuition ($61,050.00 vs. $56,920.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 7.3% higher at BU than Fordham University ($61,050.00 vs. $56,920.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Boston University than Fordham ($27,829 vs. $43,943)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Boston University are 21% lower than costs at Fordham University ($17,400 vs. $21,060)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Fordham University than Boston University (96% vs. 48%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Boston University students is 55.6% larger than aid received Fordham University ($51,565 vs. $33,129)

BU vs. Fordham Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Boston University (1303) is 30 points higher than at Fordham (1273)
  • Incoming BU students have at the same average ACT score (29) as students at Fordham (29)
  • Accepted freshman BU students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.79) than students at Fordham (3.67)
  • Fordham has a higher acceptance rate (54.1%) than BU (14.4%)

BU vs. Fordham Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BU or Fordham? 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 Fordham and BU.

  • The graduation rate at BU is higher than Fordham University (85% vs. 78%)
  • Graduates from Boston University earn on average $7,800 more per year than Fordham graduates after ten years. ($72,000 vs. $64,200)
  • Fordham University students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than BU graduates. ($26,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Fordham graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than BU graduates. ($268 vs. $279)
  • More BU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Fordham students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 77%)

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