BC vs. MIT

Deciding between Boston College and Massachusetts Institute of Technology? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Boston College
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • BC Chestnut Hill, MA
  • MIT Cambridge, MA
  • Setting
  • BC Small City
  • MIT Midsize City
  • Total enrollment
  • BC 15,432
  • MIT 11,886
  • Type
  • BC Private 4 Year
  • MIT Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • BC #34
  • MIT #8
  • Religious Affiliation
  • BC Roman Catholic
  • MIT -
  • Status
  • BC Non-profit
  • MIT Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • BC
  • MIT

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • BC $70,702
  • MIT $62,396
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • BC $70,702
  • MIT $62,396
  • Room & Board
  • BC $18,916
  • MIT $20,280
  • Average Net Price
  • BC $32,519
  • MIT $20,996
  • Average Grant Aid
  • BC $56,971
  • MIT $61,734
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • BC 40%
  • MIT 59%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • BC 35,037
  • MIT 28,232
  • Admitted
  • BC 5,755
  • MIT 1,284
  • Acceptance Rate
  • BC 16.4%
  • MIT 4.5%
  • Enrolled
  • BC 43.5%
  • MIT 85.8%
  • Typical SAT score
  • BC 1490
  • MIT 1550
  • Typical ACT score
  • BC 34
  • MIT 35
  • Average High School GPA
  • BC 3.86
  • MIT 3.96
  • Typical High School Grades
  • BC A-
  • MIT A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • BC Elite
  • MIT Elite
  • Applicant Competition
  • BC Very High
  • MIT Extreme
  • ACT Range
  • BC 33/35
  • MIT 34/36
  • SAT Range
  • BC 1440/1540
  • MIT 1520/1580
  • Submit Test Scores
  • BC Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
  • MIT Required to be considered for admission
  • Application Deadline
  • BC Jan 1, 2027
  • MIT Jan 1, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • BC 10:1
  • MIT 3:1
  • Popular Majors
  • BC
    • Business (24%)
    • Social Sciences (17%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Psychology (9%)
    • English and Literature (7%)
  • MIT
    • Engineering (41%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (13%)
    • Physical Sciences (10%)
    • Mathematics (8%)
    • Biology (8%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • BC 91%
  • MIT 93%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • BC $90,900
  • MIT $142,100
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • BC 90%
  • MIT 92%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • BC $19,000
  • MIT $17,316
  • Median Loan Payment
  • BC $196
  • MIT $179

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • BC 46%
  • MIT 58%
  • % Women
  • BC 54%
  • MIT 42%
  • Racial Diversity
  • BC Medium
  • MIT Very High
  • HBCU
  • BC No
  • MIT No
  • % White
  • BC 62%
  • MIT 37%
  • % Asian
  • BC 10%
  • MIT 25%
  • % Black
  • BC 4%
  • MIT 6%
  • % Hispanic
  • BC 10%
  • MIT 15%
  • % Native American
  • BC 0%
  • MIT 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • BC 0%
  • MIT 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • BC 3%
  • MIT 6%
  • % International
  • BC 6%
  • MIT 10%
  • % Unknown Race
  • BC 6%
  • MIT 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • BC 23%
  • MIT 8%
  • % Out-of-State
  • BC 69%
  • MIT 80%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • BC Yes
  • MIT Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • BC No
  • MIT No
  • Meal Plan
  • BC Yes
  • MIT Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • BC No
  • MIT No
  • Daycare Facility
  • BC Yes
  • MIT Yes

Comparable Facts

Compare Boston College in Chestnut Hill, MA with Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, MA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Boston College is larger than MIT based on total student enrollment (15,432 students vs. 11,886 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Boston College is located in Chestnut Hill, MA (Small City setting); Massachusetts Institute of Technology is in Cambridge, MA (Midsize City setting).
  • Boston College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Boston College 10:1; Massachusetts Institute of Technology 3:1.

BC vs. MIT Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BC or MIT? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Massachusetts Institute of Technology than BC ($20,996 vs. $32,519).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Boston College are 6.7% lower than at Massachusetts Institute of Technology ($18,916 vs. $20,280).
  • Boston College is 13.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than MIT (about $8,306 more per year; $70,702.00 vs. $62,396.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 13.3% higher at BC than at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (about $8,306 more per year; $70,702.00 vs. $62,396.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Massachusetts Institute of Technology than at Boston College (59% vs. 40%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Massachusetts Institute of Technology students is 8.4% larger than aid received by Boston College students ($61,734 vs. $56,971).

BC vs. MIT Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, BC or MIT? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between MIT and BC.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1550) is 60 points higher than at BC (1490).
  • Incoming MIT students have a 1 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (35 vs. 34 at BC).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Boston College 1440/1540; Massachusetts Institute of Technology 1520/1580.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Boston College 33/35; Massachusetts Institute of Technology 34/36.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: BC - Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional); MIT - Required to be considered for admission.
  • Typical fall application deadline: BC Jan 1, 2027; MIT Jan 1, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman MIT students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.96) than students at BC (3.86).
  • BC has a higher acceptance rate (16.4%) than MIT (4.5%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 43.5% at BC vs. 85.8% at MIT.

BC vs. MIT Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for BC and MIT? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology's six-year graduation rate (93%) is higher than Boston College's (91%).
  • Graduates from Massachusetts Institute of Technology earn a median of about $51,200 more per year than BC graduates about ten years after starting college ($142,100 vs. $90,900), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Massachusetts Institute of Technology graduates have a $1,684 lower median loan debt than BC graduates ($17,316 vs. $19,000).
  • Among borrowers, MIT graduates have an estimated $17 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than BC graduates ($179 vs. $196).
  • More MIT graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BC students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 90%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.