BU vs. Saint Joseph's University

Should I go to Boston University or Saint Joseph's University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if BU or Saint Joseph's University 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

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

Northeastern BC NYU Babson Tufts UMass Brandeis University University of Scranton Lehigh Colgate George Washington Binghamton University
Boston University vs. Saint Joseph's University comparison
Boston University Saint Joseph's University College 3 College 4
Boston University Saint Joseph's University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

BU Saint Joseph's University
Location Boston, MA Philadelphia, PA
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 36,714 7,861
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #79 #141
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bu.edu sju.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

BU Saint Joseph's University
Tuition (In State) $61,050 $49,410
Tuition (Out of State) $61,050 $49,410
Room & Board $17,400 $15,285
Avg Net Price $27,829 $33,777
Avg Grant Aid $51,565 $29,822
% Receiving Grant Aid 48% 100%

Admission

BU Saint Joseph's University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 80,796 9,708
Admitted 11,607 8,609
Acceptance Rate 14.4% 88.7%
Enrolled % 31.3% 12.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.79 3.65
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Difficult
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 31/34 26/31
SAT Range 1350/1500 1150/1330
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 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

BU Saint Joseph's University
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Communication (15%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Business (46%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Psychology (5%)

Outcomes

BU Saint Joseph's University
Graduation Rate 85% 76%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $72,000 $64,000
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $23,008
Median Loan Payment $279 $237

Diversity

BU Saint Joseph's University
% Men 43% 41%
% Women 57% 59%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 43% 80%
% Black 4% 7%
% Hispanic 11% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 20% 2%
% Unknown Race 5% 2%

Students

BU Saint Joseph's University
% In-State 14% 50%
% Out-of-State 61% 48%

Campus

BU Saint Joseph's University
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 Saint Joseph's University based on total student enrollment (36,714 students vs. 7,861 students)

BU vs. Saint Joseph's University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BU or Saint Joseph's University?

  • Boston University is 23.6% more expensive to attend than Saint Joseph's University for in-state tuition ($61,050.00 vs. $49,410.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 23.6% higher at BU than Saint Joseph's University ($61,050.00 vs. $49,410.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Boston University than Saint Joseph's University ($27,829 vs. $33,777)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Saint Joseph's University are 13.8% lower than costs at Boston University ($15,285 vs. $17,400)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Saint Joseph's University than Boston University (100% vs. 48%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Boston University students is 72.9% larger than aid received Saint Joseph's University ($51,565 vs. $29,822)

BU vs. Saint Joseph's University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman BU students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.79) than students at Saint Joseph's University (3.65)
  • Saint Joseph's University has a higher acceptance rate (88.7%) than BU (14.4%)

BU vs. Saint Joseph's University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BU or Saint Joseph's University? 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 Saint Joseph's University and BU.

  • The graduation rate at BU is higher than Saint Joseph's University (85% vs. 76%)
  • Graduates from Boston University earn on average $8,000 more per year than Saint Joseph's University graduates after ten years. ($72,000 vs. $64,000)
  • Saint Joseph's University students graduate with a $3,992 lower median federal student loan debt than BU graduates. ($23,008 vs. $27,000)
  • Saint Joseph's University graduates are paying $42 less per month on federal student loans than BU graduates. ($237 vs. $279)
  • More BU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Saint Joseph's University students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 78%)

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