BC vs. Wellesley

Should I go to Boston College or Wellesley College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if BC or Wellesley 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

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

BU Villanova Northeastern Barnard Tufts Babson Colgate Brandeis University Vassar Holy Cross NYU Notre Dame
Boston College vs. Wellesley College comparison
Boston College Wellesley College College 3 College 4
Boston College Wellesley College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

BC Wellesley
Location Chestnut Hill, MA Wellesley, MA
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 15,287 2,447
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #45 #17
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bc.edu wellesley.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

BC Wellesley
Tuition (In State) $62,950 $61,584
Tuition (Out of State) $62,950 $61,584
Room & Board $16,120 $19,080
Avg Net Price $30,559 $21,362
Avg Grant Aid $49,992 $61,328
% Receiving Grant Aid 40% 59%

Admission

BC Wellesley
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 40,494 8,491
Admitted 6,748 1,152
Acceptance Rate 16.7% 13.6%
Enrolled % 34.6% 50.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.86 3.86
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Very High
ACT Range 33/35 33/35
SAT Range 1435/1540 1430/1550
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, 2024 Jan 8, 2024

Academics

BC Wellesley
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 7:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Social Sciences (28%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Ethnic Studies (9%)
  • Foreign Languages (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

BC Wellesley
Graduation Rate 91% 92%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $90,900 $68,100
Making Student Loan Payments 90% 86%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,000 $8,900
Median Loan Payment $196 $92

Diversity

BC Wellesley
% Men 45% 1%
% Women 55% 99%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 62% 40%
% Black 4% 6%
% Hispanic 10% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 6%
% International 6% 12%
% Unknown Race 6% 4%

Students

BC Wellesley
% In-State 21% 11%
% Out-of-State 71% 73%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Boston College is larger than than Wellesley based on total student enrollment (15,287 students vs. 2,447 students)

BC vs. Wellesley Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BC or Wellesley?

  • Boston College is 2.2% more expensive to attend than Wellesley for in-state tuition ($62,950.00 vs. $61,584.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.2% higher at BC than Wellesley College ($62,950.00 vs. $61,584.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wellesley College than BC ($21,362 vs. $30,559)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Boston College are 18.4% lower than costs at Wellesley College ($16,120 vs. $19,080)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Wellesley College than Boston College (59% vs. 40%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wellesley College students is 22.7% larger than aid received Boston College ($61,328 vs. $49,992)

BC vs. Wellesley Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Boston College (1380) is 11 points higher than at Wellesley (1369)
  • Incoming BC students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Wellesley (30)
  • Accepted freshman BC students have at the same average high school GPA (3.86) as students at Wellesley (3.86)
  • BC has a higher acceptance rate (16.7%) than Wellesley (13.6%)

BC vs. Wellesley Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Wellesley is higher than Boston College (92% vs. 91%)
  • Graduates from Boston College earn on average $22,800 more per year than Wellesley graduates after ten years. ($90,900 vs. $68,100)
  • Wellesley College students graduate with a $10,100 lower median federal student loan debt than BC graduates. ($8,900 vs. $19,000)
  • Wellesley graduates are paying $104 less per month on federal student loans than BC graduates. ($92 vs. $196)
  • More BC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Wellesley 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/