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Northeastern BC NYU Vanderbilt Emory Babson Northwestern Tufts UMass Brandeis University Cornell Rice| Boston University | Washington University in St Louis | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
BU | WUSTL | ||
| Location | Boston, MA | Saint Louis, MO | ||
| Setting | Large City | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 36,624 | 16,500 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #77 | #21 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | bu.edu | wustl.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
BU | WUSTL | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $63,798 | $61,750 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $63,798 | $61,750 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,110 | $20,778 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $27,551 | $22,440 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $55,080 | $61,036 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 50% | 48% |
Admission |
BU | WUSTL | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 80,495 | 32,240 | ||
| Admitted | 8,733 | 3,855 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 10.8% | 12% | ||
| Enrolled % | 36% | 47.4% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.79 | 3.92 | ||
| 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 | 1500/1570 | ||
| 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 4, 2026 |
Academics |
BU | WUSTL | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 10:1 | 7:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
BU | WUSTL | ||
| Graduation Rate | 85% | 93% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $72,000 | $82,800 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 82% | 88% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $27,000 | $19,900 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $279 | $205 |
Diversity |
BU | WUSTL | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 21% | 25% | ||
| % Women | 28% | 25% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 43% | 55% | ||
| % Black | 4% | 6% | ||
| % Hispanic | 11% | 7% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 4% | ||
| % International | 20% | 8% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 5% | 2% |
Students |
BU | WUSTL | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 14% | 12% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 61% | 76% | ||
Campus |
BU | WUSTL | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Boston University is larger than than WUSTL based on total student enrollment (36,624 students vs. 16,500 students)
BU vs. WUSTL Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, BU or WUSTL ?
- Boston University is 3.3% more expensive to attend than WUSTL for in-state tuition ($63,798.00 vs. $61,750.00)
- Out of state tuition is 3.3% higher at BU than Washington University in St Louis ($63,798.00 vs. $61,750.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Washington University in St Louis than BU ($22,440 vs. $27,551)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Boston University are 14.7% lower than costs at Washington University in St Louis ($18,110 vs. $20,778)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Boston University than Washington University in St Louis (50% vs. 48%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Washington University in St Louis students is 10.8% larger than aid received Boston University ($61,036 vs. $55,080)
BU vs. WUSTL Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, BU or WUSTL ? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between WUSTL or BU .
- The average SAT score at Washington University in St Louis (1469) is 166 points higher than at BU (1303)
- Incoming WUSTL students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at BU (29)
- Accepted freshman WUSTL students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.92) than students at BU (3.79)
- WUSTL has a higher acceptance rate (12%) than BU (10.8%)
BU vs. WUSTL Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, BU or WUSTL ? 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 WUSTL and BU.
- The graduation rate at WUSTL is higher than Boston University (93% vs. 85%)
- Graduates from Washington University in St Louis earn on average $10,800 more per year than BU graduates after ten years. ($82,800 vs. $72,000)
- Washington University in St Louis students graduate with a $7,100 lower median federal student loan debt than BU graduates. ($19,900 vs. $27,000)
- WUSTL graduates are paying $74 less per month on federal student loans than BU graduates. ($205 vs. $279)
- More WUSTL graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BU students, three years after graduation. (88% vs. 82%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/