UChicago vs. BC

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

UChicago BC
Location Chicago, IL Chestnut Hill, MA
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 18,339 15,287
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #7 #45
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uchicago.edu bc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UChicago BC
Tuition (In State) $61,179 $62,950
Tuition (Out of State) $61,179 $62,950
Room & Board $18,396 $16,120
Avg Net Price $36,991 $30,559
Avg Grant Aid $48,422 $49,992
% Receiving Grant Aid 52% 40%

Admission

UChicago BC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 37,522 40,494
Admitted 2,039 6,748
Acceptance Rate 5.4% 16.7%
Enrolled % 84.8% 34.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.95 3.86
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Very High
ACT Range 34/35 33/35
SAT Range 1500/1580 1435/1540
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 1, 2025

Academics

UChicago BC
Student to Faculty Ratio 5:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (38%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Mathematics (7%)
  • Physical Sciences (7%)
  • Foreign Languages (6%)
  • Business (24%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • English and Literature (7%)

Outcomes

UChicago BC
Graduation Rate 92% 91%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $98,500 $90,900
Making Student Loan Payments 86% 90%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,500 $19,000
Median Loan Payment $149 $196

Diversity

UChicago BC
% Men 54% 45%
% Women 46% 55%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 45% 62%
% Black 5% 4%
% Hispanic 8% 10%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 11% 6%
% Unknown Race 10% 6%

Students

UChicago BC
% In-State 12% 21%
% Out-of-State 69% 71%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Chicago is larger than than BC based on total student enrollment (18,339 students vs. 15,287 students)

UChicago vs. BC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UChicago or BC?

  • Boston College is 2.9% more expensive to attend than UChicago for in-state tuition ($62,950.00 vs. $61,179.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.9% higher at BC than University of Chicago ($62,950.00 vs. $61,179.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Boston College than UChicago ($30,559 vs. $36,991)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Boston College are 14.1% lower than costs at University of Chicago ($16,120 vs. $18,396)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Chicago than Boston College (52% vs. 40%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Boston College students is 3.2% larger than aid received University of Chicago ($49,992 vs. $48,422)

UChicago vs. BC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Chicago (1506) is 126 points higher than at BC (1380)
  • Incoming UChicago students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at BC (32)
  • Accepted freshman UChicago students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at BC (3.86)
  • BC has a higher acceptance rate (16.7%) than UChicago (5.4%)

UChicago vs. BC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UChicago 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 UChicago.

  • The graduation rate at UChicago is higher than Boston College (92% vs. 91%)
  • Graduates from University of Chicago earn on average $7,600 more per year than BC graduates after ten years. ($98,500 vs. $90,900)
  • University of Chicago students graduate with a $4,500 lower median federal student loan debt than BC graduates. ($14,500 vs. $19,000)
  • UChicago graduates are paying $47 less per month on federal student loans than BC graduates. ($149 vs. $196)
  • More BC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UChicago students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 86%)

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