BU vs. Tufts

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

BU Tufts
Location Boston, MA Medford, MA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 36,714 13,431
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #79 #32
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bu.edu tufts.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

BU Tufts
Tuition (In State) $61,050 $63,804
Tuition (Out of State) $61,050 $63,804
Room & Board $17,400 $16,778
Avg Net Price $27,829 $30,479
Avg Grant Aid $51,565 $51,613
% Receiving Grant Aid 48% 39%

Admission

BU Tufts
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 80,796 34,882
Admitted 11,607 3,381
Acceptance Rate 14.4% 9.7%
Enrolled % 31.3% 50.1%
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 31/34 33/35
SAT Range 1350/1500 1450/1550
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, 2025 Jan 1, 2025

Academics

BU Tufts
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Communication (15%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Social Sciences (31%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)

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 43% 41%
% Women 57% 59%
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% 21%
% Out-of-State 61% 65%

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 (36,714 students vs. 13,431 students)

BU vs. Tufts Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BU or Tufts?

  • Tufts University is 4.5% more expensive to attend than BU for in-state tuition ($63,804.00 vs. $61,050.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.5% higher at Tufts than Boston University ($63,804.00 vs. $61,050.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Boston University than Tufts ($27,829 vs. $30,479)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Tufts University are 3.7% lower than costs at Boston University ($16,778 vs. $17,400)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Boston University than Tufts University (48% vs. 39%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Tufts University students is 0.1% larger than aid received Boston University ($51,613 vs. $51,565)

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 (14.4%) than Tufts (9.7%)

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/