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Chestnut Hill, MA · Boston, MA
| Boston College | Boston University | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Price after aid (average) | $41,704/yr | $24,402/yr |
| Price after aid (family income under $30k) | $4,284/yr | $9,500/yr |
| Typical loan debt at graduation | $19,000 | $23,250 |
| Price after aid ($30k–$48k income) | $7,304/yr | $9,342/yr |
| Price after aid ($48k–$75k income) | $13,112/yr | $11,778/yr |
| Price after aid ($75k–$110k income) | $19,999/yr | $22,517/yr |
| Price after aid (income over $110k) | $60,308/yr | $47,504/yr |
| Typical loan payment after graduation | $201/mo | $246/mo |
| Room & board (on campus) | $18,916/yr | $19,020/yr |
| Room & board (off campus) | $15,658/yr | $19,020/yr |
| Borrowers who default | 0% | 0% |
| Books & supplies | $1,250/yr | $1,000/yr |
| Other living costs (on campus) | $2,300/yr | $2,085/yr |
| Sticker price (before aid) | $89,493/yr | $86,285/yr |
| Tuition (in-state) | $70,702/yr | $68,102/yr |
| Tuition (out-of-state) | $70,702/yr | $68,102/yr |
| Students with Pell Grants | 13% | 19% |
| Students taking federal loans | 30% | 23% |
| Getting in | ||
| Students who get accepted | 16% | 11% |
| SAT range (middle 50%) | 1440–1540 | 1420–1530 |
| SAT average | 1507 | 1480 |
| ACT range (middle 50%) | 33–35 | 32–34 |
| ACT sections (middle 50%) | English 34–35 · Math 30–34 | English 33–35 · Math 29–35 |
| Admissions data from | Fall 2023 | Fall 2023 |
| Applications received | 36,069 | 80,495 |
| Students accepted | 5,645 | 8,733 |
| Students who enrolled | 2,335 | 3,145 |
| Accepted students who enroll | 41% | 36% |
| Enrolled who sent SAT scores | 28% | 28% |
| Enrolled who sent ACT scores | 16% | 10% |
| High-school GPA | Required | Required |
| High-school transcript | Required | Required |
| Essay | Required | Required |
| Recommendation letters | Required | Required |
| Class rank | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| College-prep program | Required | Required |
| Demonstrated competencies | Optional (considered if sent) | Not considered |
| Work experience | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| English proficiency test | Required | Required |
| Other admission tests | Optional (considered if sent) | Not considered |
| Legacy considered | Optional (considered if sent) | Not considered |
| SAT/ACT policy | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Graduation & earnings | ||
| Students who graduate | 91% | 89% |
| Freshmen who come back | 96% | 95% |
| Typical earnings 10 years in | $103,937/yr | $83,238/yr |
| Earnings range 10 years in | $68,220–$161,815 | $56,723–$122,012 |
| Finish within 8 years (anywhere) | 91% | 86% |
| White students graduating | 93% | 90% |
| Black students graduating | 83% | 85% |
| Hispanic students graduating | 91% | 86% |
| Asian students graduating | 88% | 91% |
| Typical earnings 6 years in | $85,717/yr | $65,655/yr |
| Earn more than a HS grad | 90% | 87% |
| Graduate on time | 86% | 75% |
| Pell students who graduate | 88% | 89% |
| First-gen students who finish | 91% | 78% |
| Low-income students who finish | 90% | 75% |
| Students who transfer out | 7.2% | No data reported |
| Typical earnings 8 years in | $89,620/yr | $73,661/yr |
| Majors & programs | ||
| Top 3 programs | Business, Management & Marketing 23% · Social Sciences 18% · Biological & Biomedical Sciences 14% | Business, Management & Marketing 16% · Social Sciences 14% · Communication & Journalism 14% |
| Most popular program | Business, Management & Marketing — 23% of degrees | Business, Management & Marketing — 16% of degrees |
| 2nd most popular program | Social Sciences — 18% of degrees | Social Sciences — 14% of degrees |
| 3rd most popular program | Biological & Biomedical Sciences — 14% of degrees | Communication & Journalism — 14% of degrees |
| 4th most popular program | Psychology — 11% of degrees | Biological & Biomedical Sciences — 11% of degrees |
| 5th most popular program | Communication & Journalism — 8% of degrees | Computer & Information Sciences — 10% of degrees |
| Highest-paying major (1 year out) | Law — $117,864/yr | Computer Science — $144,484/yr |
| Degrees in STEM | 23% | 33% |
| Campus & students | ||
| Undergrad enrollment | 10,085 | 18,248 |
| Students per professor | 10 : 1 | 10 : 1 |
| Graduate students | 5,118 | 18,932 |
| Average professor pay | $18,131/mo | $16,623/mo |
| Full-time professors | 61% | 70% |
| Fully online | No | No |
| Accredited by | New England Commission on Higher Education | New England Commission on Higher Education |
| Median family income | $103,007 | $81,244 |
| Setting | City (small) | City (large) |
| Location | Chestnut Hill, MA | Boston, MA |
| Region | New England | New England |
| Founded | 1863 | 1869 |
| Public or private | Private (nonprofit) | Private (nonprofit) |
| Main degree offered | Bachelor's degrees | Bachelor's degrees |
| Carnegie classification | Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity | Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity |
| Main or branch campus | Main campus | Main campus |
| International students | 6.5% | 21% |
| Men | 48% | 42% |
| Women | 52% | 58% |
| White students | 57% | 32% |
| Black students | 5.3% | 5.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino students | 13% | 11% |
| Asian students | 11% | 21% |
| Two or more races | 5.1% | 4.7% |
| Other / not reported | 2.4% | 3.9% |
| Special type | Religiously affiliated | None |
| First-generation students | 13% | 17% |
| Part-time students | 2.7% | 1.1% |
| Students age 25+ | 2% | 2.9% |
| Spent on teaching per student | $27,008/yr | $35,988/yr |
| Endowment | $3.9B | $3.5B |
| Campus life | ||
| Campus data from | 2023 | 2023 |
| On-campus housing | Yes — dorms on campus | Yes — dorms on campus |
| Beds in campus housing | 7,607 | 11,767 |
| Required to live on campus | No | No |
| Room charge (campus housing) | $10,470/yr | $11,600/yr |
| Meal plan charge | $8,005/yr | $6,510/yr |
| Meal plan offered | Yes | Yes |
| Meals per week | Varies by week | Varies by week |
| Academic calendar | Semester | Semester |
| Religious affiliation | Roman Catholic | No data reported |
| Federal designation | None | None |
| Study abroad | Yes | Yes |
| Undergraduate research | No | Yes |
| ROTC | Yes — Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force | Yes — Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force |
| Accepts AP credit | Yes | Yes |
| Accepts dual-enrollment credit | No | No |
| Credit for life experience | Yes | No |
| Online classes | Yes | Yes |
| Whole degrees online | No | Yes |
| Weekend & evening classes | Yes | Yes |
| Teacher certification | Yes | Yes |
| Academic & career counseling | Yes | Yes |
| Job help while you study | Yes | Yes |
| Job placement for graduates | Yes | Yes |
| On-campus day care | Yes | Yes |
| Program for students with intellectual disabilities | No | No |
| Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) school | Yes | Yes |
| Credit for military training | Yes | No |
| Student veteran organization | Yes | Yes |
| Tuition payment plan | Yes | Yes |
| Guaranteed (locked) tuition | No | No |
| Prepaid tuition plan | Yes | Yes |
| Athletics | ||
| Athletics data from | 2024-25 | 2024-25 |
| College sports level | NCAA Division I-FBS | NCAA Division I without football |
| Football team | Yes | No |
| Varsity teams | 27 | 19 |
| Student athletes | 801 | 592 |
| Athletic scholarships | $27.1M | $20.3M |
| Athletics budget | $142.1M | $44.0M |
| Athletics revenue | $142.1M | $44.0M |
| Recruiting spend | $2.5M | $474,453 |
Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year, logo, campus photo and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.