BU vs. Vassar

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

BU Vassar
Location Boston, MA Poughkeepsie, NY
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 36,714 2,459
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #79 #47
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bu.edu vassar.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

BU Vassar
Tuition (In State) $61,050 $63,840
Tuition (Out of State) $61,050 $63,840
Room & Board $17,400 $16,560
Avg Net Price $27,829 $30,603
Avg Grant Aid $51,565 $50,193
% Receiving Grant Aid 48% 57%

Admission

BU Vassar
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 80,796 11,412
Admitted 11,607 2,129
Acceptance Rate 14.4% 18.7%
Enrolled % 31.3% 32%
Avg High School GPA 3.79 3.86
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Very High
ACT Range 31/34 32/34
SAT Range 1350/1500 1430/1535
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 Vassar
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 7:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Communication (15%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (14%)
  • English and Literature (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)

Outcomes

BU Vassar
Graduation Rate 85% 91%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $72,000 $58,400
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 92%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $15,780
Median Loan Payment $279 $163

Diversity

BU Vassar
% Men 43% 38%
% Women 57% 62%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 43% 59%
% Black 4% 5%
% Hispanic 11% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 6%
% International 20% 7%
% Unknown Race 5% 0%

Students

BU Vassar
% In-State 14% 24%
% Out-of-State 61% 69%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Boston University is larger than than Vassar based on total student enrollment (36,714 students vs. 2,459 students)

BU vs. Vassar Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BU or Vassar?

  • Vassar College is 4.6% more expensive to attend than BU for in-state tuition ($63,840.00 vs. $61,050.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.6% higher at Vassar than Boston University ($63,840.00 vs. $61,050.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Boston University than Vassar ($27,829 vs. $30,603)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Vassar College are 5.1% lower than costs at Boston University ($16,560 vs. $17,400)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Vassar College than Boston University (57% vs. 48%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Boston University students is 2.7% larger than aid received Vassar College ($51,565 vs. $50,193)

BU vs. Vassar Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Vassar College (1405) is 102 points higher than at BU (1303)
  • Incoming Vassar students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at BU (29)
  • Accepted freshman Vassar students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.86) than students at BU (3.79)
  • Vassar has a higher acceptance rate (18.7%) than BU (14.4%)

BU vs. Vassar Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Vassar is higher than Boston University (91% vs. 85%)
  • Graduates from Boston University earn on average $13,600 more per year than Vassar graduates after ten years. ($72,000 vs. $58,400)
  • Vassar College students graduate with a $11,220 lower median federal student loan debt than BU graduates. ($15,780 vs. $27,000)
  • Vassar graduates are paying $116 less per month on federal student loans than BU graduates. ($163 vs. $279)
  • More Vassar graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BU students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 82%)

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