Boston, Massachusetts · Private Non-Profit ·City

Boston University

Exceptional Investment ROI grade · Top 40% value

11.1% Acceptance $24,402 Avg net price 88.7% Graduate $83,238 Median earnings 18,248 Students

Visit official site → See cost & ROI

At a glance

Basics

Type: Private Non-Profit
Setting: City
Enrollment: 18,248 students
Women / Men: 58.1% / 41.9%

Admissions

Acceptance rate: 11.1%
SAT (mid 50%): 1420–1530
ACT (mid 50%): 32–34

Cost

Avg net price: $24,402
Sticker price: $86,285
Tuition (in-state): $68,102
Tuition (out-of-state): $68,102

Outcomes

Graduation rate: 88.7%
Retention rate: 94.7%
Median earnings (10y): $83,238
Median debt: $23,250 (~$252/mo)

Financial aid

On Pell grants: 19.2%
Take federal loans: 22.9%

All majors at Boston University

145 programs listed in federal data. Every row opens a school-specific page; listings without a positive program signal stay available for users but out of Google's index.

Major	Program signal
Business Administration, Management and Operations	9.8%
Economics	3.8%
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods	3.6%
Computer Science	3.5%
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication	3.3%
Psychology, General	2.8%
Public Health	2.6%
Social Work	2.5%
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication	2.3%
Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies	2.3%
International Relations and National Security Studies	2.3%
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas	1.9%
Law	1.8%
Finance and Financial Management Services	1.8%
Information Science/Studies	1.8%
Mechanical Engineering	1.8%
Biomedical/Medical Engineering	1.7%
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology	1.7%
Dentistry	1.6%
Communication and Media Studies	1.6%
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General	1.5%
Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other	1.4%
Political Science and Government	1.4%
Biology, General	1.3%
Neurobiology and Neurosciences	1.3%
Medicine	1.3%
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions	1.3%
Criminal Justice and Corrections	1.3%
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology	1.2%
Mathematics	1.2%
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering	1.2%
Marketing	1.2%
Journalism	1.2%
Hospitality Administration/Management	1.1%
Computer Engineering	1.1%
Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences	1.1%
Computer Software and Media Applications	1.0%
Music	1.0%
Data Processing	0.9%
Applied Mathematics	0.9%
Social Sciences, Other	0.8%
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences	0.8%
Curriculum and Instruction	0.8%
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other	0.7%
Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology	0.7%
Theological and Ministerial Studies	0.7%
English Language and Literature, General	0.6%
Health and Medical Administrative Services	0.6%
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft	0.6%
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other	0.6%
Fine and Studio Arts	0.6%
Health/Medical Preparatory Programs	0.6%
Educational Administration and Supervision	0.6%
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other	0.5%
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services	0.5%
Chemistry	0.5%
Computer and Information Sciences, General	0.5%
Philosophy	0.5%
Statistics	0.5%
Nutrition Sciences	0.5%
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology	0.4%
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services	0.4%
History	0.4%
Special Education and Teaching	0.4%
Sociology	0.4%
Mathematical Economics	0.3%
Physics	0.3%
Design and Applied Arts	0.3%
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods	0.3%
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies	0.3%
Materials Engineering	0.3%
Systems Science and Theory	0.3%
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences	0.3%
Anthropology	0.3%
Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management	0.3%
Security Science and Technology	0.2%
Natural Resources Conservation and Research	0.2%
Area Studies	0.2%
Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language	0.2%
Systems Engineering	0.2%
Student Counseling and Personnel Services	0.2%
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	0.2%
Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering	0.1%
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services	0.1%
Biotechnology	0.1%
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions	0.1%
Architectural History, Criticism, and Conservation	0.1%
Legal Professions and Studies, Other	0.1%
Insurance	0.1%
Culinary Arts and Related Services	0.1%
Archeology	0.1%
East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	0.1%
Medical Illustration and Informatics	0.1%
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations	0.1%
Manufacturing Engineering	0.1%
Astronomy and Astrophysics	0.1%
Public Administration and Social Service Professions, Other	0.1%
Visual and Performing Arts, Other	0.1%
City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning	0.1%
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management	0.1%
Urban Studies/Affairs	0.1%
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions	0.1%
Religion/Religious Studies	0.1%
Classical and Ancient Studies	0.1%
Theology and Religious Vocations, Other	0.1%
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions	0.1%
English Language and Literature/Letters, Other	0.0%
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences	0.0%
Pharmacology and Toxicology	0.0%
Public Policy Analysis	0.0%
Education, General	0.0%
Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education	0.0%
Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	0.0%
Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	0.0%
Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	0.0%
Historic Preservation and Conservation	0.0%
Religious Music and Worship	0.0%
Geography and Cartography	0.0%
Film/Video and Photographic Arts	0.0%
Medical Clinical Sciences/Graduate Medical Studies	0.0%
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies	0.0%
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services, Other	0.0%
Engineering Physics	0.0%
Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians	0.0%
Microbiological Sciences and Immunology	0.0%
Mathematics and Statistics, Other	0.0%
Physical Sciences, General	0.0%
Visual and Performing Arts, General	0.0%
Health Professions Education, Ethics, and Humanities	0.0%
Taxation	0.0%
Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications	Listed
Educational/Instructional Media Design	Listed
Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research	Listed
Education, Other	Listed
Engineering, General	Listed
Engineering, Other	Listed
Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Listed
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities	Listed
Genetics	Listed
Molecular Medicine	Listed
Bible/Biblical Studies	Listed
Research and Experimental Psychology	Listed
Public Administration	Listed
Social Sciences, General	Listed
Human Resources Management and Services	Listed

Cost & ROI

Is Boston University worth it?

Pay $24,402/yr after aid. Graduates earn a median of $83,238 ten years out — about 3.4× the annual cost. Value grade: B.

Avg net price: $24,402/yr
Median earnings: $83,238/yr (10y out)
Median debt: $23,250~$252/mo
4-year est. cost: $97,608net of aid

Full cost & ROI breakdown →

Frequently asked questions

What is Boston University's acceptance rate?

Boston University admits 11.1% of applicants — highly competitive on admissions, compared to the national average of 72.3%. Most admitted students score in the 1420–1530 range on the SAT.

How much does Boston University cost per year?

The average annual net price — what students actually pay after grants and scholarships — is $24,402. The sticker price before any aid is $86,285, so most students receive substantial discounts. Over four years that net cost adds up to roughly $97,608.

How much debt do Boston University graduates have?

Graduates leave Boston University with a median federal student loan balance of $23,250, which works out to about $252 per month on a standard 10-year repayment plan. About 22.9% of students take federal loans.

Is Boston University worth the cost?

Ten years after enrolling, Boston University graduates earn a median of $83,238 per year (national median: $50,834). That's about 3.4× the annual net price. EduGradify assigns Boston University a value grade of B.

What SAT score do you need for Boston University?

Admitted students score 1420–1530 on the SAT (middle 50% range, out of 1600). That means a quarter of admits scored above the high end of that range, and a quarter scored below it.

What is the graduation rate at Boston University?

88.7% of full-time undergraduates graduate from Boston University within six years of enrolling — national average is 49.9%. First-year retention is 94.7%.

What are the most popular majors at Boston University?

145 programs are listed in federal data; 130 have positive share data. The largest reported major at Boston University is Business Administration, Management and Operations (9.8%), followed by Economics (3.8%).

What percent of Boston University students receive financial aid?

19.2% of Boston University students receive a federal Pell Grant — the main need-based federal aid program. 22.9% take federal student loans.

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