BU vs. Harvard

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

BU Harvard
Location Boston, MA Cambridge, MA
Setting Large City Midsize City
Enrollment 36,714 30,631
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #79 #4
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bu.edu harvard.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

BU Harvard
Tuition (In State) $61,050 $52,659
Tuition (Out of State) $61,050 $52,659
Room & Board $17,400 $19,502
Avg Net Price $27,829 $19,491
Avg Grant Aid $51,565 $61,801
% Receiving Grant Aid 48% 56%

Admission

BU Harvard
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 80,796 61,221
Admitted 11,607 1,984
Acceptance Rate 14.4% 3.2%
Enrolled % 31.3% 83%
Avg High School GPA 3.79 4.0
Typical High School Grades A- A/A+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Extreme
ACT Range 31/34 34/36
SAT Range 1350/1500 1490/1580
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 Harvard
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 7:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Communication (15%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Social Sciences (32%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • History (9%)
  • Mathematics (6%)

Outcomes

BU Harvard
Graduation Rate 85% 97%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $72,000 $136,700
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 70%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $6,500
Median Loan Payment $279 $67

Diversity

BU Harvard
% Men 43% 46%
% Women 57% 54%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 43% 44%
% Black 4% 6%
% Hispanic 11% 10%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 6%
% International 20% 11%
% Unknown Race 5% 3%

Students

BU Harvard
% In-State 14% 15%
% Out-of-State 61% 69%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Boston University is larger than than Harvard based on total student enrollment (36,714 students vs. 30,631 students)

BU vs. Harvard Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BU or Harvard?

  • Boston University is 15.9% more expensive to attend than Harvard for in-state tuition ($61,050.00 vs. $52,659.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 15.9% higher at BU than Harvard University ($61,050.00 vs. $52,659.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Harvard University than BU ($19,491 vs. $27,829)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Boston University are 12.1% lower than costs at Harvard University ($17,400 vs. $19,502)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Harvard University than Boston University (56% vs. 48%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Harvard University students is 19.9% larger than aid received Boston University ($61,801 vs. $51,565)

BU vs. Harvard Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Harvard University (1497) is 194 points higher than at BU (1303)
  • Incoming Harvard students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at BU (29)
  • Accepted freshman Harvard students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at BU (3.79)
  • BU has a higher acceptance rate (14.4%) than Harvard (3.2%)

BU vs. Harvard Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Harvard is higher than Boston University (97% vs. 85%)
  • Graduates from Harvard University earn on average $64,700 more per year than BU graduates after ten years. ($136,700 vs. $72,000)
  • Harvard University students graduate with a $20,500 lower median federal student loan debt than BU graduates. ($6,500 vs. $27,000)
  • Harvard graduates are paying $212 less per month on federal student loans than BU graduates. ($67 vs. $279)
  • More BU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Harvard students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 70%)

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