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Boston University

Boston, MA · Private · Large city · Carnegie R1/R2 · BU · Boston U

Private institution in Boston, MA · 17,850 undergraduates · 11% acceptance rate · $83,238 median earnings 10 years after entry.

Stats

College Scorecard figures, each with where this school sits nationally among institutions that report the same measure. A dash means the school does not report it.

Cost

Average net price
$26,9961,597th cheapest of 1,985 reporting
In-state tuition & fees
$65,1682,011th cheapest of 2,042 reporting
Out-of-state tuition & fees
$65,1682,011th cheapest of 2,042 reporting
Cost of attendance
$82,6941,946th cheapest of 1,985 reporting
Median graduate debt
$23,2501,040th lowest of 1,880 reporting

Outcomes

Median earnings, 10 years after entry
$83,238111th highest of 1,969 reporting
Median earnings, 6 years after entry
$65,655144th highest of 1,964 reporting
Graduation rate (4-year)
90.0%84th highest of 2,031 reporting
Full-time retention
94.5%140th highest of 1,853 reporting

Admissions

Acceptance rate
10.8%37th most selective of 1,608 reporting
Average SAT
147357th highest of 1,024 reporting
Median ACT
3334th highest of 954 reporting

Campus

Undergraduates
17,850135th largest of 2,162 reporting
Student-faculty ratio
10.0:1436th smallest of 2,159 reporting
Pell Grant share
18.0%1,825th highest of 2,140 reporting

Nearest large-hub airport: 5 mi (BOS)

On 2 of our 111 lists

Every published ranking this school appears on, with its rank there.

Applying

Common App member
Yes
Application fee
$80
Personal essay
Required
Writing supplement
No

Deadlines and essay flags come from the Common App Requirements Grid, joined by school name. Always confirm against the school’s own admissions page before applying.

Best-paying fields of study

Median earnings one and two years after graduating, by field. Showing 12 of 74 reported programs.

FieldLevel1 yr2 yr
Computer EngineeringEngineeringbachelors$91,477$82,440
Computer Sciencebachelors$86,550$84,994
Mechanical EngineeringEngineeringbachelors$68,918$68,858
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied ProfessionsHealth Professionsbachelors$68,499$52,107
Biomedical/Medical EngineeringEngineeringbachelors$65,131$67,660
Electrical, Electronics and Communications EngineeringEngineeringbachelors$64,990$70,829
Business Administration, Management and OperationsBusinessbachelors$60,939$60,597
MathematicsMathematics & Statisticsbachelors$57,318$47,260
EconomicsSocial Sciencesbachelors$50,952$53,454
Design and Applied ArtsVisual & Performing Artsbachelors$50,439$42,682
Social Sciences, OtherSocial Sciencesbachelors$47,729$45,696
Hospitality Administration/ManagementBusinessbachelors$46,620$47,650

Campus facts

Athletics — 11 sports

NCAA Division I without football · NCAA Division I

Athletic scholarships allowed · Athletic aid $20,266,977 (M $7,660,009 · W $12,606,968)

Self-reported EADA participants (2024-2025). Athletic aid is institution-level, not per sport.