BU vs. City College of New York

Deciding between Boston University and CUNY City College? 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 University
CUNY City College

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • BU Boston, MA
  • City College of New York New York, NY
  • Setting
  • BU Large City
  • City College of New York Large City
  • Total enrollment
  • BU 37,737
  • City College of New York 15,544
  • Type
  • BU Private 4 Year
  • City College of New York Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • BU #73
  • City College of New York #313
  • Religious Affiliation
  • BU -
  • City College of New York -
  • Status
  • BU Non-profit
  • City College of New York Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • BU
  • City College of New York

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • BU $68,102
  • City College of New York $7,340
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • BU $68,102
  • City College of New York $15,290
  • Room & Board
  • BU $19,020
  • City College of New York $18,840
  • Average Net Price
  • BU $24,420
  • City College of New York $4,664
  • Average Grant Aid
  • BU $61,848
  • City College of New York $9,763
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • BU 49%
  • City College of New York 88%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • BU 78,769
  • City College of New York 34,322
  • Admitted
  • BU 8,749
  • City College of New York 20,600
  • Acceptance Rate
  • BU 11.1%
  • City College of New York 60%
  • Enrolled
  • BU 37.4%
  • City College of New York 12.3%
  • Typical SAT score
  • BU 1480
  • City College of New York 1250
  • Typical ACT score
  • BU 33
  • City College of New York
  • Average High School GPA
  • BU 3.79
  • City College of New York 3.2
  • Typical High School Grades
  • BU A-
  • City College of New York B+
  • Admissions Standards
  • BU Exceptional
  • City College of New York Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • BU Very High
  • City College of New York Low
  • ACT Range
  • BU 32/34
  • City College of New York
  • SAT Range
  • BU 1420/1530
  • City College of New York 1070/1430
  • Submit Test Scores
  • BU Test optional
  • City College of New York Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • BU Jan 4, 2027
  • City College of New York Feb 1, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • BU 10:1
  • City College of New York 15:1
  • Popular Majors
  • BU
    • Business (21%)
    • Social Sciences (16%)
    • Communication (15%)
    • Health Professions (8%)
    • Engineering (7%)
  • City College of New York
    • Psychology (15%)
    • Engineering (13%)
    • Social Sciences (13%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • BU 85%
  • City College of New York 40%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • BU $72,000
  • City College of New York $49,800
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • BU 82%
  • City College of New York 52%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • BU $27,000
  • City College of New York $11,400
  • Median Loan Payment
  • BU $279
  • City College of New York $117

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • BU 42%
  • City College of New York 47%
  • % Women
  • BU 58%
  • City College of New York 53%
  • Racial Diversity
  • BU Very High
  • City College of New York Very High
  • HBCU
  • BU No
  • City College of New York No
  • % White
  • BU 43%
  • City College of New York 15%
  • % Asian
  • BU 14%
  • City College of New York 25%
  • % Black
  • BU 4%
  • City College of New York 16%
  • % Hispanic
  • BU 11%
  • City College of New York 35%
  • % Native American
  • BU 0%
  • City College of New York 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • BU 0%
  • City College of New York 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • BU 4%
  • City College of New York 2%
  • % International
  • BU 20%
  • City College of New York 6%
  • % Unknown Race
  • BU 5%
  • City College of New York 0%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • BU 15%
  • City College of New York 83%
  • % Out-of-State
  • BU 62%
  • City College of New York 0%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • BU Yes
  • City College of New York Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • BU No
  • City College of New York No
  • Meal Plan
  • BU Yes
  • City College of New York No
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • BU Yes
  • City College of New York No
  • Daycare Facility
  • BU No
  • City College of New York Yes

Comparable Facts

Compare Boston University in Boston, MA with CUNY City College in New York, NY on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Boston University is larger than City College of New York based on total student enrollment (37,737 students vs. 15,544 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Boston University is located in Boston, MA (Large City setting); CUNY City College is in New York, NY (Large City setting).
  • Boston University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. CUNY City College is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Boston University 10:1; CUNY City College 15:1.

BU vs. City College of New York Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BU or City College of New York? 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 CUNY City College than BU ($4,664 vs. $24,420).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at CUNY City College are 0.9% lower than at Boston University ($18,840 vs. $19,020).
  • Boston University is 827.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than City College of New York (about $60,762 more per year; $68,102.00 vs. $7,340.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 345.4% higher at BU than at CUNY City College (about $52,812 more per year; $68,102.00 vs. $15,290.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at CUNY City College than at Boston University (88% vs. 49%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Boston University students is 533.5% larger than aid received by CUNY City College students ($61,848 vs. $9,763).

BU vs. City College of New York Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, BU or City College of New York? 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 City College of New York and BU.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Boston University (1480) is 230 points higher than at City College of New York (1250).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Boston University 1420/1530; CUNY City College 1070/1430.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Boston University 32/34.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: BU - Test optional; City College of New York - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: BU Jan 4, 2027; City College of New York Feb 1, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman BU students have a 0.59 point higher average high school GPA (3.79) than students at City College of New York (3.2).
  • City College of New York has a higher acceptance rate (60%) than BU (11.1%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 37.4% at BU vs. 12.3% at City College of New York.

BU vs. City College of New York Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for BU and City College of New York? 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).

  • Boston University's six-year graduation rate (85%) is higher than CUNY City College's (40%).
  • Graduates from Boston University earn a median of about $22,200 more per year than City College of New York graduates about ten years after starting college ($72,000 vs. $49,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, CUNY City College graduates have a $15,600 lower median loan debt than BU graduates ($11,400 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers, City College of New York graduates have an estimated $162 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than BU graduates ($117 vs. $279).
  • More BU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former City College of New York students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 52%)

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.