What Boston costs
Boston University charges $68,102 a year in published tuition and fees, about $34,051 a semester. With housing, food, books and other costs, the total cost of attendance is $86,285 a year. Students who received grants or scholarships paid $27,779 a year on average after that aid (the average net price). You may pay less if receiving grants or scholarships.
Getting into Boston
For fall 2024, Boston University received 78,769 applications and admitted 8,749 students, and 3,268 enrolled as first-years. The middle half of enrolled students who sent SAT scores scored between 1420 and 1530.
What Boston students study
The most common bachelor's degrees at Boston University (class of 2024, first majors only):
| Major | Degrees |
|---|---|
| Business Administration and Management | 713 |
| Computer Science | 328 |
| Psychology | 313 |
| Economics | 237 |
| Biology / Biological Sciences | 169 |
| Radio and Television | 169 |
| Advertising | 165 |
| International Relations and Affairs | 142 |
Source: IPEDS Completions, bachelor's degrees awarded in 2023–24.
Colleges near Boston
Other colleges within about an hour, by straight-line distance:
- Emmanuel College, Boston, Massachusetts: about 1 mile away
- Simmons University, Boston, Massachusetts: about 1 mile away
- Berklee College of Music, Boston, Massachusetts: about 1 mile away
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts: about 1 mile away
- Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts: about 1 mile away
- Wentworth Institute of Technology, Boston, Massachusetts: about 1 mile away
Colleges like Boston
Large private universities with the same campus setting (big city), closest in size and nearest in region:
- Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: 13,233 undergraduates
- New York University, New York, New York: 28,663 undergraduates
- University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: 10,650 undergraduates
- Fordham University, Bronx, New York: 10,512 undergraduates
- University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California: 20,443 undergraduates
See more colleges like Boston in the College Filter →
Lists that include Boston
- Colleges in Massachusetts: 46 Compared
- Large Private Universities: 24 Compared
- Division I Colleges: 353 Compared
- Big-City Colleges: 219 Compared
- Large Private Universities in the Northeast: 11 Compared
- Division I Colleges in the Northeast: 67 Compared
- Big-City Colleges in the Northeast: 54 Compared
FAQ
What is Boston University's acceptance rate? 11.1% for fall 2024: 8,749 of 78,769 applicants were admitted.
How much is tuition at Boston University? $68,102 a year in published tuition and fees, before aid. You may pay less if receiving grants or scholarships.
How many students go to Boston University? About 18,200 undergraduates (fall 2024).
What SAT scores do Boston University students have? The middle half of enrolled students scored 1420–1530.
What is the campus setting at Boston University? The National Center for Education Statistics classifies its location as a big city.
Sources
- College Navigator: Boston University (IPEDS, U.S. Department of Education)
- College Scorecard: Boston University
- Campus photo via Wikimedia Commons
