BU vs. Smith College

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

BU Smith College
Location Boston, MA Northampton, MA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 36,624 2,830
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #77 #67
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bu.edu smith.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

BU Smith College
Tuition (In State) $63,798 $61,260
Tuition (Out of State) $63,798 $61,260
Room & Board $18,110 $21,310
Avg Net Price $27,551 $27,823
Avg Grant Aid $55,080 $54,311
% Receiving Grant Aid 50% 68%

Admission

BU Smith College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 80,495 9,869
Admitted 8,733 1,947
Acceptance Rate 10.8% 19.7%
Enrolled % 36% 33.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.79 4.0
Typical High School Grades A- A/A+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Very High
ACT Range 32/34 32/34
SAT Range 1400/1520 1408/1540
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 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

BU Smith College
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Communication (15%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Social Sciences (22%)
  • Foreign Languages (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Ethnic Studies (9%)

Outcomes

BU Smith College
Graduation Rate 85% 85%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $72,000 $48,900
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 80%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $19,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $196

Diversity

BU Smith College
% Men 21% 2%
% Women 28% 10%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 43% 45%
% Black 4% 5%
% Hispanic 11% 10%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 5%
% International 20% 14%
% Unknown Race 5% 8%

Students

BU Smith College
% In-State 14% 15%
% Out-of-State 61% 74%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Boston University is larger than than Smith College based on total student enrollment (36,624 students vs. 2,830 students)

BU vs. Smith College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BU or Smith College?

  • Boston University is 4.1% more expensive to attend than Smith College for in-state tuition ($63,798.00 vs. $61,260.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.1% higher at BU than Smith College ($63,798.00 vs. $61,260.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Boston University than Smith College ($27,551 vs. $27,823)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Boston University are 17.7% lower than costs at Smith College ($18,110 vs. $21,310)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Smith College than Boston University (68% vs. 50%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Boston University students is 1.4% larger than aid received Smith College ($55,080 vs. $54,311)

BU vs. Smith College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Smith College students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at BU (3.79)
  • Smith College has a higher acceptance rate (19.7%) than BU (10.8%)

BU vs. Smith College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BU or Smith College? 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 Smith College and BU.

  • The graduation rate at BU is the same as at Smith College (85% vs. 85%)
  • Graduates from Boston University earn on average $23,100 more per year than Smith College graduates after ten years. ($72,000 vs. $48,900)
  • Smith College students graduate with a $8,000 lower median federal student loan debt than BU graduates. ($19,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Smith College graduates are paying $83 less per month on federal student loans than BU graduates. ($196 vs. $279)
  • More BU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Smith College students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 80%)

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