SCU vs. BC

Should I go to Santa Clara University or Boston College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if SCU or BC 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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Santa Clara University vs. Boston College comparison
Santa Clara University Boston College College 3 College 4
Santa Clara University Boston College
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Overview

SCU BC
Location Santa Clara, CA Chestnut Hill, MA
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 9,340 15,280
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #54 #50
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website scu.edu bc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

SCU BC
Tuition (In State) $58,587 $66,410
Tuition (Out of State) $58,587 $66,410
Room & Board $18,984 $18,475
Avg Net Price $49,651 $32,590
Avg Grant Aid $28,375 $51,099
% Receiving Grant Aid 73% 43%

Admission

SCU BC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 18,843 36,069
Admitted 8,261 5,645
Acceptance Rate 43.8% 15.7%
Enrolled % 18.8% 41.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.67 3.86
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Elite
Applicant Competition Low Very High
ACT Range 30/33 33/34
SAT Range 1340/1500 1430/1540
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 7, 2026 Jan 1, 2026

Academics

SCU BC
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (33%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Business (24%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • English and Literature (7%)

Outcomes

SCU BC
Graduation Rate 85% 91%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $81,900 $90,900
Making Student Loan Payments 84% 90%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $19,000
Median Loan Payment $222 $196

Diversity

SCU BC
% Men 15% 14%
% Women 18% 20%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 49% 62%
% Black 3% 4%
% Hispanic 17% 10%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 3%
% International 3% 6%
% Unknown Race 4% 6%

Students

SCU BC
% In-State 50% 21%
% Out-of-State 40% 71%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Boston College is larger than than SCU based on total student enrollment (15,280 students vs. 9,340 students)

SCU vs. BC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SCU or BC?

  • Boston College is 13.4% more expensive to attend than SCU for in-state tuition ($66,410.00 vs. $58,587.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 13.4% higher at BC than Santa Clara University ($66,410.00 vs. $58,587.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Boston College than SCU ($32,590 vs. $49,651)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Boston College are 2.8% lower than costs at Santa Clara University ($18,475 vs. $18,984)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Santa Clara University than Boston College (73% vs. 43%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Boston College students is 80.1% larger than aid received Santa Clara University ($51,099 vs. $28,375)

SCU vs. BC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Boston College (1380) is 67 points higher than at SCU (1313)
  • Incoming BC students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at SCU (30)
  • Accepted freshman BC students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.86) than students at SCU (3.67)
  • SCU has a higher acceptance rate (43.8%) than BC (15.7%)

SCU vs. BC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SCU or BC? 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 BC and SCU.

  • The graduation rate at BC is higher than Santa Clara University (91% vs. 85%)
  • Graduates from Boston College earn on average $9,000 more per year than SCU graduates after ten years. ($90,900 vs. $81,900)
  • Boston College students graduate with a $2,500 lower median federal student loan debt than SCU graduates. ($19,000 vs. $21,500)
  • BC graduates are paying $26 less per month on federal student loans than SCU graduates. ($196 vs. $222)
  • More BC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SCU students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 84%)

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