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Northeastern BC NYU Middlebury Babson Amherst UMass Brandeis University Vassar Emory Lehigh Colgate| Boston University | Tufts University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
BU | Tufts | ||
| Location | Boston, MA | Medford, MA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 36,624 | 13,274 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #77 | #33 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | bu.edu | tufts.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
BU | Tufts | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $63,798 | $66,358 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $63,798 | $66,358 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,110 | $17,660 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $27,551 | $33,333 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $55,080 | $51,267 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 50% | 41% |
Admission |
BU | Tufts | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 80,495 | 34,003 | ||
| Admitted | 8,733 | 3,444 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 10.8% | 10.1% | ||
| Enrolled % | 36% | 50.5% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.79 | 3.91 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Exceptional | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Very High | Very High | ||
| ACT Range | 32/34 | 33/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1400/1520 | 1460/1550 | ||
| 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 1, 2026 |
Academics |
BU | Tufts | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 10:1 | 10:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
BU | Tufts | ||
| Graduation Rate | 85% | 90% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $72,000 | $83,100 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 82% | 91% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $27,000 | $18,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $279 | $186 |
Diversity |
BU | Tufts | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 21% | 18% | ||
| % Women | 28% | 30% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 43% | 58% | ||
| % Black | 4% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 11% | 6% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 4% | ||
| % International | 20% | 9% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 5% | 7% |
Students |
BU | Tufts | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 14% | 22% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 61% | 64% | ||
Campus |
BU | Tufts | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| 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 Tufts based on total student enrollment (36,624 students vs. 13,274 students)
BU vs. Tufts Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, BU or Tufts?
- Tufts University is 4% more expensive to attend than BU for in-state tuition ($66,358.00 vs. $63,798.00)
- Out of state tuition is 4% higher at Tufts than Boston University ($66,358.00 vs. $63,798.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Boston University than Tufts ($27,551 vs. $33,333)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Tufts University are 2.5% lower than costs at Boston University ($17,660 vs. $18,110)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Boston University than Tufts University (50% vs. 41%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Boston University students is 7.4% larger than aid received Tufts University ($55,080 vs. $51,267)
BU vs. Tufts Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, BU or Tufts? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Tufts or BU .
- The average SAT score at Tufts University (1424) is 121 points higher than at BU (1303)
- Incoming Tufts students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at BU (29)
- Accepted freshman Tufts students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at BU (3.79)
- BU has a higher acceptance rate (10.8%) than Tufts (10.1%)
BU vs. Tufts Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, BU or Tufts? 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 Tufts and BU.
- The graduation rate at Tufts is higher than Boston University (90% vs. 85%)
- Graduates from Tufts University earn on average $11,100 more per year than BU graduates after ten years. ($83,100 vs. $72,000)
- Tufts University students graduate with a $9,000 lower median federal student loan debt than BU graduates. ($18,000 vs. $27,000)
- Tufts graduates are paying $93 less per month on federal student loans than BU graduates. ($186 vs. $279)
- More Tufts graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BU students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 82%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/