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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
$26,9961,587th cheapest of 1,969 reporting
In-state tuition & fees
$65,1681,993rd cheapest of 2,024 reporting
Out-of-state tuition & fees
$65,1681,993rd cheapest of 2,024 reporting
Cost of attendance
$82,6941,930th cheapest of 1,969 reporting
Median graduate debt
$23,2501,033rd lowest of 1,865 reporting

Outcomes

Median earnings, 10 years after entry
$83,238111th highest of 1,954 reporting
Median earnings, 6 years after entry
$65,655143rd highest of 1,950 reporting
Graduation rate (4-year)
90.0%84th highest of 2,014 reporting
Full-time retention
94.5%138th highest of 1,837 reporting

Admissions

Acceptance rate
10.8%37th most selective of 1,596 reporting
Average SAT
147357th highest of 1,022 reporting
Median ACT
3334th highest of 952 reporting

Campus

Undergraduates
17,850135th largest of 2,144 reporting
Student-faculty ratio
10.0:1427th smallest of 2,141 reporting
Pell Grant share
18.0%1,809th highest of 2,122 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.

Nearest undergraduate enrollment to Boston University’s 17,850 (College Scorecard UGDS, compiled 2026-10-24). Size only — not a judgment of similarity or quality.

In MA

Elsewhere