BU vs. UMass

Should I go to Boston University or University of Massachusetts Amherst? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if BU or UMass 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. University of Massachusetts Amherst comparison
Boston University University of Massachusetts Amherst College 3 College 4
Boston University University of Massachusetts Amherst
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Overview

BU UMass
Location Boston, MA Amherst, MA
Setting Large City Town Fringe
Enrollment 36,714 32,229
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #79 #176
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bu.edu umass.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

BU UMass
Tuition (In State) $61,050 $16,186
Tuition (Out of State) $61,050 $37,405
Room & Board $17,400 $14,123
Avg Net Price $27,829 $22,291
Avg Grant Aid $51,565 $12,350
% Receiving Grant Aid 48% 85%

Admission

BU UMass
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 80,796 45,451
Admitted 11,607 28,871
Acceptance Rate 14.4% 63.5%
Enrolled % 31.3% 19.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.79 3.99
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 31/34 29/33
SAT Range 1350/1500 1260/1480
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 15, 2025

Academics

BU UMass
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Communication (15%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

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

Diversity

BU UMass
% Men 43% 49%
% Women 57% 51%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 43% 67%
% Black 4% 4%
% Hispanic 11% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 20% 4%
% Unknown Race 5% 8%

Students

BU UMass
% In-State 14% 65%
% Out-of-State 61% 24%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Boston University is larger than than UMass based on total student enrollment (36,714 students vs. 32,229 students)

BU vs. UMass Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BU or UMass?

  • Boston University is 277.2% more expensive to attend than UMass for in-state tuition ($61,050.00 vs. $16,186.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 63.2% higher at BU than University of Massachusetts Amherst ($61,050.00 vs. $37,405.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Massachusetts Amherst than BU ($22,291 vs. $27,829)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Massachusetts Amherst are 23.2% lower than costs at Boston University ($14,123 vs. $17,400)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Massachusetts Amherst than Boston University (85% vs. 48%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Boston University students is 317.5% larger than aid received University of Massachusetts Amherst ($51,565 vs. $12,350)

BU vs. UMass Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Boston University (1303) is 77 points higher than at UMass (1226)
  • Incoming BU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at UMass (28)
  • 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 (63.5%) than BU (14.4%)

BU vs. UMass Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BU or UMass? 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 UMass and BU.

  • The graduation rate at BU is higher than University of Massachusetts Amherst (85% vs. 67%)
  • Graduates from Boston University earn on average $16,800 more per year than UMass graduates after ten years. ($72,000 vs. $55,200)
  • University of Massachusetts Amherst students graduate with a $3,000 lower median federal student loan debt than BU graduates. ($24,000 vs. $27,000)
  • UMass graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans 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/