Boston University Acceptance Rate & Tuition (2026)
Boston University (BU) is a selective private research university in Boston, Massachusetts, with about 18,248 students. Admission is selective for first-time degree-seeking undergraduates reporting admissions data to the Education Department. The acceptance rate is about 11.11% in the latest College Scorecard admissions data. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $83,238 among students who received federal aid.
Key Facts
- 2024 Undergraduate Tuition: $68,102
- 2024 Average Net Price: $24,402 After Financial Aid
- 2024 Acceptance Rate: 11.11% Selective
- 2024 Enrolled Students: 18,248 98.9% Full-Time
- 2024 Graduation Rate: 88.66%
- Carnegie Classification: Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity
- First-Generation Students: 16.9%
- Tuition trend: In-state tuition increase of 4.5% from 2022 to 2023 (College Scorecard).
- Net price trend: Average net price decrease of 2.8% from 2022 to 2023 (College Scorecard).
- Full-Time Faculty: 69.9%
- Average SAT Score: 1480
- Undergraduate Enrollment: 21,711
- Applicants (IPEDS): 80,495
- Room & Board: $19,020 annual estimate
Boston University: what the data shows
Common questions about Boston University, answered from College Scorecard and IPEDS in this repository.
Where is Boston University?
Boston University is located in Boston, MA (ZIP 02215).
NCES locale classification: City.
Is Boston University public or private?
Boston University is a Private Non-profit institution.
How much does Boston University cost?
Published tuition: $68,102.
Average net price after aid: $24,402.
| Family income band | Avg. net price |
|---|---|
| Family income $0–$30,000 | $9,500 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $9,342 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $11,778 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $22,517 |
| $110,001+ | $47,504 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $272,408.
How hard is it to get into Boston University?
Admission rate: 11.11%.
Among enrollees who submitted scores: average SAT 1480 and midpoint ACT 33.
Scorecard does not publish admitted-student GPA for most institutions.
How big is Boston University?
Total enrollment: 18,248 students.
Undergraduate enrollment: 21,711 students.
Graduate enrollment: 18,932 students.
About 99% enroll full-time in our extract.
What is the graduation rate at Boston University?
150%-time completion rate: 88.66%.
First-year retention: 94.7%.
What do graduates of Boston University earn?
Median earnings: $65,655 six years after entry; $83,238 ten years after entry (College Scorecard).
How much debt do students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers: $23,250.
19.15% of students receive Pell grants.
What is Boston University known for?
Largest IPEDS program completions at this institution:
- Business Administration and Management, General (1,778 completions)
- Computer Science (646 completions)
- Psychology, General (400 completions)
- Social Work (347 completions)
- Law (296 completions)
- Economics, General (264 completions)
- Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods, Other (250 completions)
- Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering (226 completions)
- Business Analytics (226 completions)
- Biology/Biological Sciences, General (224 completions)
See ROI & Programs for more.
Is Boston University a good school?
We do not score schools on opinion. Federal data in our extract show admission rate 11.11%; completion rate 88.66%; median earnings $83,238 at 10 years; net price $24,402. Compare these figures to your cost, aid, and career goals.
Tuition & Cost
Tuition Costs
$68,102
2024 Undergraduate Tuition
In 2024, the cost of tuition at Boston University was $68,102.
Tuition comparison with similar institutions.
Average Net Price
$24,402
2024 Value
In 2024 Boston University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $24,402.
Average net price comparison with similar institutions.
Total Cost of Attendance
$97,608 Estimated 4-Year Total Cost
$24,402 Average Annual Net Price (after aid)
$272,408 4-Year Tuition
$19,020 Room & Board (annual, on-campus estimate)
$1,000 Books & Supplies (annual estimate)
$88,122 Estimated Annual Sticker (tuition + room/board + books)
$352,488 Estimated 4-Year Sticker (before aid)
4-year total cost breakdown for Boston University.
Financial Aid by Income Level
19.15% Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants
22.92% Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
0.00%
3-year cohort default rate (College Scorecard)
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Boston University was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Boston University in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $44,880 | $44,880 | $34,603 |
| 2014 | $46,664 | $46,664 | $34,592 |
| 2015 | $48,436 | $48,436 | $34,910 |
| 2016 | $50,240 | $50,240 | $34,914 |
| 2017 | $52,082 | $52,082 | $37,065 |
| 2018 | $53,948 | $53,948 | $30,729 |
| 2019 | $55,892 | $55,892 | $30,259 |
| 2020 | $58,072 | $58,072 | $30,395 |
| 2021 | $59,816 | $59,816 | $26,170 |
| 2022 | $62,360 | $62,360 | $27,779 |
| 2023 | $65,168 | $65,168 | $26,996 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
Acceptance Rate & Admissions
Acceptance Rate
11.11% Acceptance Rate
80,495 Total Applicants
8,733 Students Admitted
3,145 First-Time Students Enrolled
36.01% Yield (enrolled ÷ admitted)
This institution is highly selective, accepting fewer than 3 in 10 applicants.
Acceptance rate compared to national average.
Test Scores
SAT Average: 1480
ACT Average: 33
Average SAT and ACT scores for admitted students.
Academic Requirements
Estimated GPA Range: 3.7 - 3.9
Estimated Median GPA: 3.85
Note: GPA requirements are estimated based on admission selectivity and test scores. Actual requirements may vary.
Estimated GPA and test score ranges.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
Boston University reported total enrollment of about 18,248 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 42% male and 58% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes White (32.2%), Non-Resident Alien (21.2%), and Asian (20.5%). About 19.15% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 16.9% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
98.9% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Boston University in 2024 is 18,248 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 21,711 students. Graduate enrollment is about 18,932 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
94.7%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
The largest enrollment share in our College Scorecard extract is White at 32.2%.
Shares are for total enrollment (undergraduate and graduate combined when reported).
College Scorecard student demographics.
Graduates & Outcomes
Time to Complete
74.72% 100% Completion Time
88.66% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 74.72% of students graduating from Boston University completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Business Administration and Management, General: 58% male / 42% female
- Computer Science: 71% male / 29% female
- Psychology, General: 21% male / 79% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Combined IPEDS award counts across reported programs; largest group: White.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
ROI & Programs
Financial value and program information for Boston University.
Return on Investment
$23,250 Median Student Debt
$83,238 Median Annual Earnings (10 years)
27.93% Debt-to-Earnings Ratio
752.78% Return on Investment
2.8 years Estimated Payback Period
Financial value analysis for Boston University.
Top Programs by Completions
10 largest programs by IPEDS completions (of 229 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
1. Business Administration and Management, General: 1,778 completions
2. Computer Science: 646 completions
3. Psychology, General: 400 completions
4. Social Work: 347 completions
5. Law: 296 completions
6. Economics, General: 264 completions
7. Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods, Other: 250 completions
8. Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering: 226 completions
9. Business Analytics: 226 completions
Most popular programs at Boston University.
Employment Outcomes
Employment outcome data is not available for this institution.
Earnings outcomes for Boston University graduates.
Operations
Instructional staffing and expenditure indicators for Boston University from College Scorecard (not a full IPEDS finance statement).
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 69.9%
- Average faculty salary (Scorecard): $16,623
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $35,988
Endowment and detailed non-instructional staff counts require IPEDS Finance/HR surveys and are not in this extract.
Scorecard instructional metrics where reported.
About
Boston University is a private non-profit institution located in Boston, MA, classified as Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity. In the latest IPEDS completions in our extract, the largest programs by awards were Business Administration and Management, General, Computer Science, Psychology, General. Enrollment is approximately 18,248 students. Student body composition includes White (32.2%), Non-Resident Alien (21.2%), Asian (20.5%). It is highly selective, with an admission rate of 11.11%. Average SAT scores for admitted students are 1480. The 150%-time completion rate is 88.66%. Approximately 19.15% of students receive Pell Grants. About 16.9% of students are first-generation college students.
Institution Type
Private Non-profit
Carnegie Classification: Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity
Location
Boston, MA 02215
Region: New England
Insights and Analysis
Exceptional Graduation Rate: With a 88.66% graduation rate, Boston University demonstrates strong student retention and completion. This rate significantly exceeds the national average, indicating effective academic support and student services.
Strong Career Outcomes: Boston University graduates report median earnings of $83,238 ten years after entry, placing them among the higher-earning college graduates nationally. This strong earnings potential reflects both the quality of education and the career opportunities available to graduates.
Diverse Program Offerings: With over 229 distinct degree programs, Boston University provides students with a wide range of academic options. This diversity allows students to explore various fields and find programs that align with their interests and career goals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is BU located?
Boston University is located in Boston, MA. The institution is also known as BU.
What is BU's acceptance rate?
The acceptance rate at Boston University (BU) is 11.1% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data. IPEDS reports 80,495 applicants and 8,733 admits in the latest admissions cycle in our extract.
How much does BU cost?
Reported tuition is $68,102 and average net price is $24,402 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $19,020 annually.
What is the student body demographics at BU?
Boston University reports undergraduate enrollment of about 21,711 students, White (32.2%), Non-Resident Alien (21.2%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend BU?
About 16.9% of students at Boston University are first-generation college students.
What test scores do students need for Boston University?
Among enrolled students who submitted scores, Boston University reports midpoint SAT about 1480 and midpoint ACT about 33.
What do graduates of Boston University earn?
Median earnings are $65,655 six years after entry and $83,238 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Boston University?
The 150%-time completion rate is 88.7% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Boston University students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $23,250.
Is Boston University public or private?
Boston University is a private nonprofit institution located in Boston, MA.
Is Boston University an HBCU?
No. Boston University is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.
Is Boston University a tribal college?
No. Boston University is not flagged as a tribal college in IPEDS.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
- Massachusetts college costs
- Massachusetts colleges by ROI
- Boston, Massachusetts city profile
- New England regional profile
- All state profiles
- Regional profiles
- National benchmarks
- School directory
- All schools in Massachusetts
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard dataset, which provides comprehensive information on institutions of higher education in the United States.
All financial figures are adjusted for inflation and represent the most recent available data. Graduation rates and completion times are calculated according to federal standards.