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Boston, MA · Cambridge, MA
| Boston University | Harvard University | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Price after aid (average) | $24,402/yr | $19,066/yr |
| Price after aid (family income under $30k) | $9,500/yr | $8,697/yr |
| Typical loan debt at graduation | $23,250 | $14,000 |
| Price after aid ($30k–$48k income) | $9,342/yr | $2,991/yr |
| Price after aid ($48k–$75k income) | $11,778/yr | $2,091/yr |
| Price after aid ($75k–$110k income) | $22,517/yr | $9,941/yr |
| Price after aid (income over $110k) | $47,504/yr | $53,337/yr |
| Typical loan payment after graduation | $246/mo | $148/mo |
| Room & board (on campus) | $19,020/yr | $21,190/yr |
| Room & board (off campus) | $19,020/yr | No data reported |
| Borrowers who default | 0% | 0% |
| Books & supplies | $1,000/yr | $1,000/yr |
| Other living costs (on campus) | $2,085/yr | $5,449/yr |
| Sticker price (before aid) | $86,285/yr | $85,540/yr |
| Tuition (in-state) | $68,102/yr | $61,676/yr |
| Tuition (out-of-state) | $68,102/yr | $61,676/yr |
| Students with Pell Grants | 19% | 16% |
| Students taking federal loans | 23% | 4.4% |
| Getting in | ||
| Students who get accepted | 11% | 3.7% |
| SAT range (middle 50%) | 1420–1530 | 1510–1580 |
| SAT average | 1480 | 1553 |
| ACT range (middle 50%) | 32–34 | 34–36 |
| ACT sections (middle 50%) | English 33–35 · Math 29–35 | English 35–36 · Math 32–36 |
| Admissions data from | Fall 2023 | Fall 2023 |
| Applications received | 80,495 | 56,937 |
| Students accepted | 8,733 | 1,965 |
| Students who enrolled | 3,145 | 1,645 |
| Accepted students who enroll | 36% | 84% |
| Enrolled who sent SAT scores | 28% | 52% |
| Enrolled who sent ACT scores | 10% | 22% |
| High-school GPA | Required | Optional (considered if sent) |
| 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 | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Demonstrated competencies | Not considered | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Work experience | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| English proficiency test | Required | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Other admission tests | Not considered | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Legacy considered | Not considered | Optional (considered if sent) |
| SAT/ACT policy | Optional (considered if sent) | Required |
| Graduation & earnings | ||
| Students who graduate | 89% | 98% |
| Freshmen who come back | 95% | 98% |
| Typical earnings 10 years in | $83,238/yr | $101,817/yr |
| Earnings range 10 years in | $56,723–$122,012 | $65,309–$200,054 |
| Finish within 8 years (anywhere) | 86% | 99% |
| White students graduating | 90% | 98% |
| Black students graduating | 85% | 94% |
| Hispanic students graduating | 86% | 97% |
| Asian students graduating | 91% | 98% |
| Typical earnings 6 years in | $65,655/yr | $99,572/yr |
| Earn more than a HS grad | 87% | 89% |
| Graduate on time | 75% | 56% |
| Pell students who graduate | 89% | 95% |
| First-gen students who finish | 78% | 87% |
| Low-income students who finish | 75% | 86% |
| Students who transfer out | No data reported | 0.1% |
| Typical earnings 8 years in | $73,661/yr | $101,095/yr |
| Majors & programs | ||
| Top 3 programs | Business, Management & Marketing 16% · Social Sciences 14% · Communication & Journalism 14% | Social Sciences 27% · Biological & Biomedical Sciences 13% · Mathematics & Statistics 11% |
| Most popular program | Business, Management & Marketing — 16% of degrees | Social Sciences — 27% of degrees |
| 2nd most popular program | Social Sciences — 14% of degrees | Biological & Biomedical Sciences — 13% of degrees |
| 3rd most popular program | Communication & Journalism — 14% of degrees | Mathematics & Statistics — 11% of degrees |
| 4th most popular program | Biological & Biomedical Sciences — 11% of degrees | Computer & Information Sciences — 10% of degrees |
| 5th most popular program | Computer & Information Sciences — 10% of degrees | History — 7% of degrees |
| Highest-paying major (1 year out) | Computer Science — $144,484/yr | Computer Engineering — $177,890/yr |
| Degrees in STEM | 33% | 44% |
| Campus & students | ||
| Undergrad enrollment | 18,248 | 7,601 |
| Students per professor | 10 : 1 | 7 : 1 |
| Graduate students | 18,932 | 21,415 |
| Average professor pay | $16,623/mo | $25,048/mo |
| Full-time professors | 70% | 87% |
| Fully online | No | No |
| Accredited by | New England Commission on Higher Education | New England Commission on Higher Education |
| Median family income | $81,244 | $33,066 |
| Setting | City (large) | City (midsize) |
| Location | Boston, MA | Cambridge, MA |
| Region | New England | New England |
| Founded | 1869 | 1636 |
| 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 | 21% | 15% |
| Men | 42% | 46% |
| Women | 58% | 54% |
| White students | 32% | 31% |
| Black students | 5.9% | 8.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino students | 11% | 12% |
| Asian students | 21% | 22% |
| Two or more races | 4.7% | 7.5% |
| Other / not reported | 3.9% | 4% |
| Special type | None | None |
| First-generation students | 17% | 26% |
| Part-time students | 1.1% | 6.4% |
| Students age 25+ | 2.9% | 17% |
| Spent on teaching per student | $35,988/yr | $51,780/yr |
| Endowment | $3.5B | $53.2B |
| Campus life | ||
| Campus data from | 2023 | 2023 |
| On-campus housing | Yes — dorms on campus | Yes — dorms on campus |
| Beds in campus housing | 11,767 | 14,344 |
| Required to live on campus | No | Yes — for first-year students |
| Room charge (campus housing) | $11,600/yr | $12,424/yr |
| Meal plan charge | $6,510/yr | $7,950/yr |
| Meal plan offered | Yes | Yes |
| Meals per week | Varies by week | Varies by week |
| Academic calendar | Semester | Semester |
| Federal designation | None | None |
| Study abroad | Yes | Yes |
| Undergraduate research | Yes | Yes |
| ROTC | Yes — Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force | Yes — Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force |
| Accepts AP credit | Yes | No |
| Accepts dual-enrollment credit | No | No |
| Credit for life experience | No | No |
| Online classes | Yes | Yes |
| Whole degrees online | Yes | 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 | No |
| Program for students with intellectual disabilities | No | No |
| Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) school | Yes | Yes |
| Credit for military training | No | 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 without football | NCAA Division I-FCS |
| Football team | No | Yes |
| Varsity teams | 19 | 36 |
| Student athletes | 592 | 1,058 |
| Athletic scholarships | $20.3M | $0 |
| Athletics budget | $44.0M | $47.7M |
| Athletics revenue | $44.0M | $47.7M |
| Recruiting spend | $474,453 | $2.0M |
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.