Boston University
Boston, Massachusetts · Private, a large city · 18,248 undergraduates
Counsellors: add notes to this page for a student
Is it hard to get into BU?
The middle half of admitted students scored in these ranges: a quarter scored lower, a quarter higher. Fall 2024 admissions, from the College Scorecard.
Acceptance rate
11.1%
80,495 applied
SAT, middle half
1420 to 1530
Reading plus math, out of 1600
ACT, middle half
32 to 34
Composite, out of 36
Test scores this year
Optional: considered if sent
36% of admitted students enrolled
- What they look at
- High school GPARequired
- Class rankConsidered
- Courses takenRequired
- College-prep programRequired
- RecommendationsRequired
- EssayRequired
How much does BU cost?
Sticker prices and what students actually paid after grants, by family income. A year means tuition, fees, room, board, books and other costs.
Tuition and fees
$71,372
A full year, sticker price
$90,106
Living on campus
Average price after grants
$36,503
Students who got federal aid
What a year cost, by family income
| Family income | Average paid after grants |
|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $16,336 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $39,763 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $52,880 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $70,352 |
| Over $110,000 | $83,101 |
- Room and board on campus
- $19,970 a year
- Books and supplies
- $1,000 a year
- The school's own grants
- 49% of full-time first-years get one, averaging $52,523
Tuition over the years
Tuition and fees for a year, as reported to the federal government.
How much do BU students borrow?
Federal student loans only, for students who borrowed.
Typical debt at graduation
$17,500
About $199 a month over ten years
Students who borrow
29.8%
Get a Pell Grant
21.4%
Federal grant for lower-income families
Over 25 when they start
2.9%
What do BU graduates earn?
Typical yearly pay of everyone who started here with federal aid, whatever they studied and whether or not they finished.
Six years after starting
$71,021
Ten years after starting
$89,087
Middle half: $61,432 to $131,130
Best-paid program, five years out
$158,455
Computer Engineering
Lowest-paid program, five years out
$43,692
Music
Do BU students finish?
Of the students who started full time, first time.
Back for second year
94.7%
Graduate in six years
89.5%
The four-year figure is for a later, smaller group, so it is not shown
After eight years
91% graduated
6% transferred, 0% still enrolled
Who goes to BU?
Women
58.1%
First in their family at college
16.9%
Part-time
1.1%
Students per teacher
10
- Background
- White 32%, Hispanic 12%, Black 6%, Asian 21%, Two or more 5%, International 21%
- Housing
- Campus housing, 11,767 beds
What do BU graduates earn, by program?
Every bachelor's program the school awards, with what its graduates earn and owe. The government hides pay for small programs, so some rows have no figure.
Computer science
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | 37 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Computer Science | 656 | $98,587 | $148,275 | $17,500 |
Engineering
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 253 | $73,080 | $105,773 | $20,500 |
| Computer Engineering | 171 | $105,408 | $158,455 | $20,500 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 73 | $78,163 | $110,439 | $19,500 |
| Engineering Physics | 8 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Engineering, General | 0 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Mechanical Engineering | 256 | $80,780 | $101,822 | $19,500 |
Business and commerce
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 1,385 | $77,263 | $118,536 | $18,500 |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | 128 | $59,073 | $86,946 | $19,500 |
Health sciences and kinesiology
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | 0 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions | 6 | $87,287 | $108,088 | Hidden |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | 24 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other | 56 | Hidden | $83,823 | $19,000 |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General | 293 | $44,969 | $87,002 | $18,520 |
| Health/Medical Preparatory Programs | 38 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | 65 | $44,945 | $77,134 | $17,110 |
Life sciences
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 267 | $46,727 | $70,783 | $19,250 |
| Biology, General | 326 | $41,472 | $69,969 | $19,000 |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | 82 | $36,518 | $57,870 | $19,000 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 64 | $43,972 | Hidden | $18,250 |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | 252 | $46,291 | $82,981 | $19,000 |
| Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences | 201 | $36,588 | $79,123 | $19,000 |
Math and physical sciences
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applied Mathematics | 58 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Astronomy and Astrophysics | 32 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Chemistry | 61 | $55,024 | Hidden | $20,500 |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 0 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Mathematics | 225 | $63,944 | $75,378 | $21,500 |
| Physical Sciences, General | 3 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Physics | 61 | Hidden | Hidden | $20,500 |
Arts and humanities
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 3 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 17 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| English Language and Literature, General | 101 | $40,909 | $63,446 | $20,232 |
| Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 1 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| History | 83 | $44,977 | $63,359 | $15,375 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | 46 | Hidden | Hidden | $23,500 |
| Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 0 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Philosophy | 129 | $43,896 | $83,061 | $16,750 |
| Religion/Religious Studies | 10 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 18 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 1 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
Education (teaching)
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education | 7 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Education, General | 29 | Hidden | $57,929 | Hidden |
| Education, Other | 0 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Special Education and Teaching | 14 | Hidden | $65,463 | Hidden |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 34 | $52,685 | $58,113 | Hidden |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 26 | $53,380 | $63,439 | Hidden |
Fine and performing arts
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Design and Applied Arts | 63 | $40,940 | $85,103 | $17,500 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 109 | $37,373 | $47,227 | $20,468 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | 7 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 79 | $36,370 | $55,809 | $18,750 |
| Music | 72 | $49,329 | $43,692 | $23,985 |
| Visual and Performing Arts, General | 0 | Hidden | $51,738 | Hidden |
Architecture and design
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural History, Criticism, and Conservation | 36 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
General arts and science (major chosen later)
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Classical and Ancient Studies | 21 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Economics and Computer Science | 3 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Geoarcheaology | 2 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 0 | Hidden | $54,817 | Hidden |
| Mathematical Economics | 122 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | 41 | $102,611 | $77,990 | Hidden |
| Nutrition Sciences | 40 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
Compare BU with other universities
Side by side: acceptance rates, scores, costs and pay.
Where these numbers come from
College Scorecard release 10152026, Most Recent Cohorts files, fetched 2026-10-20. Test policy: the school's page (opens in a new tab). Tuition history, housing and the school's own grants: the federal IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) survey.
How every figure in this part of the site is sourced, and the check of every link.
Careerhelp is not affiliated with Boston University. Figures describe past students; check the school's own pages before you apply.
Social sciences