BU vs. UMass

Deciding between Boston University and University of Massachusetts Amherst? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Boston University
University of Massachusetts Amherst

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • BU Boston, MA
  • UMass Amherst, MA
  • Setting
  • BU Large City
  • UMass Town Fringe
  • Total enrollment
  • BU 37,737
  • UMass 31,726
  • Type
  • BU Private 4 Year
  • UMass Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • BU #73
  • UMass #169
  • Religious Affiliation
  • BU -
  • UMass -
  • Status
  • BU Non-profit
  • UMass Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • BU
  • UMass

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • BU $68,102
  • UMass $17,772
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • BU $68,102
  • UMass $40,449
  • Room & Board
  • BU $19,020
  • UMass $16,710
  • Average Net Price
  • BU $24,420
  • UMass $22,948
  • Average Grant Aid
  • BU $61,848
  • UMass $13,110
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • BU 49%
  • UMass 81%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • BU 78,769
  • UMass 50,261
  • Admitted
  • BU 8,749
  • UMass 30,020
  • Acceptance Rate
  • BU 11.1%
  • UMass 59.7%
  • Enrolled
  • BU 37.4%
  • UMass 17.9%
  • Typical SAT score
  • BU 1480
  • UMass 1410
  • Typical ACT score
  • BU 33
  • UMass 31
  • Average High School GPA
  • BU 3.79
  • UMass 3.99
  • Typical High School Grades
  • BU A-
  • UMass A
  • Admissions Standards
  • BU Exceptional
  • UMass Exceptional
  • Applicant Competition
  • BU Very High
  • UMass Low
  • ACT Range
  • BU 32/34
  • UMass 30/33
  • SAT Range
  • BU 1420/1530
  • UMass 1310/1500
  • Submit Test Scores
  • BU Test optional
  • UMass Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • BU Jan 4, 2027
  • UMass Jan 15, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • BU 10:1
  • UMass 17:1
  • Popular Majors
  • BU
    • Business (21%)
    • Social Sciences (16%)
    • Communication (15%)
    • Health Professions (8%)
    • Engineering (7%)
  • UMass
    • Business (15%)
    • Social Sciences (12%)
    • Psychology (9%)
    • Biology (8%)
    • Communication (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • BU 85%
  • UMass 67%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • BU $72,000
  • UMass $55,200
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • BU 82%
  • UMass 76%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • BU $27,000
  • UMass $24,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • BU $279
  • UMass $248

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • BU 42%
  • UMass 48%
  • % Women
  • BU 58%
  • UMass 52%
  • Racial Diversity
  • BU Very High
  • UMass Medium
  • HBCU
  • BU No
  • UMass No
  • % White
  • BU 43%
  • UMass 67%
  • % Asian
  • BU 14%
  • UMass 9%
  • % Black
  • BU 4%
  • UMass 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • BU 11%
  • UMass 5%
  • % Native American
  • BU 0%
  • UMass 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • BU 0%
  • UMass 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • BU 4%
  • UMass 3%
  • % International
  • BU 20%
  • UMass 4%
  • % Unknown Race
  • BU 5%
  • UMass 8%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • BU 15%
  • UMass 69%
  • % Out-of-State
  • BU 62%
  • UMass 22%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • BU Yes
  • UMass Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • BU No
  • UMass No
  • Meal Plan
  • BU Yes
  • UMass Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • BU Yes
  • UMass Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • BU No
  • UMass Yes

Comparable Facts

Compare Boston University in Boston, MA with University of Massachusetts Amherst in Amherst, MA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Boston University is larger than UMass based on total student enrollment (37,737 students vs. 31,726 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Boston University is located in Boston, MA (Large City setting); University of Massachusetts Amherst is in Amherst, MA (Town Fringe setting).
  • Boston University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. University of Massachusetts Amherst is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Boston University 10:1; University of Massachusetts Amherst 17:1.

BU vs. UMass Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BU or UMass? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Massachusetts Amherst than BU ($22,948 vs. $24,420).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Massachusetts Amherst are 12.1% lower than at Boston University ($16,710 vs. $19,020).
  • Boston University is 283.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than UMass (about $50,330 more per year; $68,102.00 vs. $17,772.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 68.4% higher at BU than at University of Massachusetts Amherst (about $27,653 more per year; $68,102.00 vs. $40,449.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of Massachusetts Amherst than at Boston University (81% vs. 49%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Boston University students is 371.8% larger than aid received by University of Massachusetts Amherst students ($61,848 vs. $13,110).

BU vs. UMass Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, BU or UMass? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between UMass and BU.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Boston University (1480) is 70 points higher than at UMass (1410).
  • Incoming BU students have a 2 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (33 vs. 31 at UMass).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Boston University 1420/1530; University of Massachusetts Amherst 1310/1500.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Boston University 32/34; University of Massachusetts Amherst 30/33.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: BU - Test optional; UMass - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: BU Jan 4, 2027; UMass Jan 15, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman UMass students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.99) than students at BU (3.79).
  • UMass has a higher acceptance rate (59.7%) than BU (11.1%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 37.4% at BU vs. 17.9% at UMass.

BU vs. UMass Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for BU and UMass? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Boston University's six-year graduation rate (85%) is higher than University of Massachusetts Amherst's (67%).
  • Graduates from Boston University earn a median of about $16,800 more per year than UMass graduates about ten years after starting college ($72,000 vs. $55,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, University of Massachusetts Amherst graduates have a $3,000 lower median loan debt than BU graduates ($24,000 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers, UMass graduates have an estimated $31 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than BU graduates ($248 vs. $279).
  • More BU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UMass students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 76%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.