BU vs. BC

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

BU BC
Location Boston, MA Chestnut Hill, MA
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 36,714 15,287
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #79 #45
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bu.edu bc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

BU BC
Tuition (In State) $61,050 $62,950
Tuition (Out of State) $61,050 $62,950
Room & Board $17,400 $16,120
Avg Net Price $27,829 $30,559
Avg Grant Aid $51,565 $49,992
% Receiving Grant Aid 48% 40%

Admission

BU BC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 80,796 40,494
Admitted 11,607 6,748
Acceptance Rate 14.4% 16.7%
Enrolled % 31.3% 34.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.79 3.86
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Very High
ACT Range 31/34 33/35
SAT Range 1350/1500 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 4, 2024 Jan 1, 2024

Academics

BU BC
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Communication (15%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Business (24%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • English and Literature (7%)

Outcomes

BU BC
Graduation Rate 85% 91%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $72,000 $90,900
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 90%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $19,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $196

Diversity

BU BC
% Men 43% 45%
% Women 57% 55%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 43% 62%
% Black 4% 4%
% Hispanic 11% 10%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 20% 6%
% Unknown Race 5% 6%

Students

BU BC
% In-State 14% 21%
% Out-of-State 61% 71%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Boston University is larger than than BC based on total student enrollment (36,714 students vs. 15,287 students)

BU vs. BC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BU or BC?

  • Boston College is 3.1% more expensive to attend than BU for in-state tuition ($62,950.00 vs. $61,050.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 3.1% higher at BC than Boston University ($62,950.00 vs. $61,050.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Boston University than BC ($27,829 vs. $30,559)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Boston College are 7.9% lower than costs at Boston University ($16,120 vs. $17,400)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Boston University than Boston College (48% vs. 40%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Boston University students is 3.1% larger than aid received Boston College ($51,565 vs. $49,992)

BU vs. BC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Boston College (1380) is 77 points higher than at BU (1303)
  • Incoming BC students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at BU (29)
  • Accepted freshman BC students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.86) than students at BU (3.79)
  • BC has a higher acceptance rate (16.7%) than BU (14.4%)

BU vs. BC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BU 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 BU.

  • The graduation rate at BC is higher than Boston University (91% vs. 85%)
  • Graduates from Boston College earn on average $18,900 more per year than BU graduates after ten years. ($90,900 vs. $72,000)
  • Boston College students graduate with a $8,000 lower median federal student loan debt than BU graduates. ($19,000 vs. $27,000)
  • BC graduates are paying $83 less per month on federal student loans than BU graduates. ($196 vs. $279)
  • More BC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BU students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 82%)

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