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Boston University

Basic Information

Type Private
Location Boston, MA
Population 4,000,000
Map of the United States

Demographics

Total Undergraduates 17,850
Men / Women 42% / 58%
White 37%
International 21%
Asian 19%
Hispanic 10%
Black 6%
Mixed 4%
Native American 0%

Academics

Undergraduate Degrees
Business & Economics 27%
Humanities & Social Sciences 25%
Life & Natural Sciences 20%
Engineering, Computing & Math 19%
Arts 8%
Education 1%

Financial

Tuition & Fees $69,870
Est. Cost of Attendance $86,285
10-Year ROI $229,000
ROI Percentile 90th

Retention & Graduation

Full-Time Retention 95%
4-Year Graduation Rate 75%
6-Year Graduation Rate 89%
Transfer-Out Rate 0%

Weather

Comfortable Days 110 (71th pctl)
Sunshine Hours 2,634 (56th pctl)
Days Without Precipitation 239 (33th pctl)
Muggyness Nice

Admissions

Acceptance Rate 13%
Yield (Unbound) 17%
Early Decision Nov 1
Regular Decision Jan 1
Early Decision 2 Jan 15

Research

Research Level R1
Expenditure
Humanities & Social Sciences $48M #30
Life & Natural Sciences $532M #39
Engineering, Computing & Math $146M #43
Graduate Degrees
Humanities & Social Sciences 558 #14
Life & Natural Sciences 666 #22
Engineering, Computing & Math 107 #53

Honors College

Name Kilachand Honors College
Students 500 (3%)

Standardized Tests

Test Scores

Test Policy test_optional
Submitted Test Scores 43%
SAT Range 1,420 – 1,530
ACT Range 32 – 34

Schools & Majors

Trends Degrees Male/Female Intl 5yr Earn
College of Arts and Sciences 2,222 41% / 59% 24% $79,828
Astronomy 15 47% / 53% 20%
Computational Mathematics 26 50% / 50% 50%
Computer Science 328 +23 72% / 28% 34% $145,497
Computer and Information Sciences 33 64% / 36% 24%
Mathematics 84 +13 56% / 44% 57% $66,242
Physical Sciences 2 50% / 50% 0%
Physics 20 +2 75% / 25% 25%
Biochemistry 5 0% / 100% 20% $69,806
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 53 +1 40% / 60% 19% $69,806
Biology 169 +4 30% / 70% 11% $62,913
Chemistry 22 32% / 68% 18%
Chemistry 3 33% / 67% 33%
Conservation Biology 17 24% / 76% 0% $67,733
Environmental Science 31 +1 19% / 81% 6%
Marine Biology and Biological Oceanography 25 +1 52% / 48% 4% $67,733
Molecular Biology 69 +1 33% / 67% 4% $69,806
Neuroscience 122 +9 28% / 72% 9% $67,986
Economics 237 +27 59% / 41% 51% $82,369
Economics and Computer Science 3 33% / 67% 33%
Mathematical Economics 51 59% / 41% 78%
American Studies 2 50% / 50% 0%
Ancient Studies/Civilization 6 +5 33% / 67% 0%
Anthropology 1 100% / 0% 0%
Archaeology 6 +5 50% / 50% 17%
Asian Studies/Civilization 1 0% / 100% 0%
Chinese 3 +1 0% / 100% 0%
Classical Languages 3 33% / 67% 0%
Comparative Literature 1 0% / 100% 0% $45,433
Counseling Psychology
Cultural Anthropology 7 +1 29% / 71% 29%
East Asian Languages
English 43 +2 14% / 86% 0% $51,705
European Studies/Civilization 1 0% / 100% 0%
French 1 0% / 100% 0% $50,206
Geoarcheaology 2 50% / 50% 0%
German
History 36 +8 36% / 64% 6% $46,981
Interdisciplinary Studies 21 +1 43% / 57% 10% $107,631
International Affairs 142 +14 28% / 72% 17% $69,452
Japanese 1 +1 100% / 0% 0%
Latin American Studies
Linguistics 3 0% / 100% 0% $45,433
Linguistics 18 +1 50% / 50% 6% $45,433
Medical Anthropology 3 0% / 100% 0%
Philosophy 56 +11 45% / 55% 9%
Physical and Biological Anthropology 5 40% / 60% 20%
Political Science 114 +17 32% / 68% 6% $64,556
Psychology 313 +35 19% / 81% 23% $55,902
Religion/Religious Studies 3 +4 33% / 67% 0%
Social Sciences 32 +1 25% / 75% 3% $71,812
Sociology 42 +3 17% / 83% 19% $66,422
Spanish 2 +3 0% / 100% 0% $50,206
Architectural History and Criticism 17 +3 41% / 59% 24%
Art History 22 9% / 91% 9% $46,200
Trends Degrees Male/Female Intl 5yr Earn
College of Communication 604 27% / 73% 26% $70,247
Advertising and Public Relations 165 +6 22% / 78% 30% $77,594
Communication 50 +1 32% / 68% 40% $78,112
Journalism 88 +2 32% / 68% 7% $68,221
Public Relations/Image Management 126 +4 13% / 87% 40% $77,594
Film Studies 6 0% / 100% 33% $45,281
Film and Television 169 +5 40% / 60% 17% $57,213
Trends Degrees Male/Female Intl 5yr Earn
College of Engineering 354 66% / 34% 20% $109,459
Biomedical Engineering 121 46% / 54% 21% $94,473
Computer Engineering 70 +2 83% / 17% 27% $148,541
Electrical Engineering 28 +2 68% / 32% 14% $113,245
Engineering Physics 5 60% / 40% 20%
Mechanical Engineering 130 +2 75% / 25% 17% $101,550
Trends Degrees Male/Female Intl 5yr Earn
College of Fine Arts 133 30% / 70% 5% $39,885
Acting 19 58% / 42% 0% $33,314
Art Education 1 0% / 100% 0% $66,454
Art/Art Studies 4 25% / 75% 0% $46,200
Directing and Theatrical Production 6 17% / 83% 0% $33,314
Graphic Design 24 12% / 88% 8%
Music 11 18% / 82% 18% $44,882
Music Education 4 50% / 50% 0% $66,454
Music Performance 18 +1 33% / 67% 6% $44,882
Music Theory and Composition 3 67% / 33% 0% $44,882
Painting 8 25% / 75% 0% $46,200
Printmaking 1 +1 0% / 100% 0% $46,200
Sculpture 1 100% / 0% 0% $46,200
Technical Theatre/Theatre Design and Technology 13 8% / 92% 8% $33,314
Theatre 20 40% / 60% 0% $33,314
Trends Degrees Male/Female Intl 5yr Earn
Metropolitan College 3 67% / 33% 0% $62,531
Criminal Justice 3 67% / 33% 0% $62,531
Trends Degrees Male/Female Intl 5yr Earn
Questrom School of Business 725 50% / 50% 31% $114,719
Business Administration 713 51% / 49% 31% $115,852
Hospitality Administration/Management 12 17% / 83% 17% $47,420
Trends Degrees Male/Female Intl 5yr Earn
Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences 363 22% / 78% 7% $70,393
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Technician 3 0% / 100% 0%
Communication Sciences and Disorders 12 0% / 100% 0% $67,981
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences 27 33% / 67% 15% $73,695
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences 138 17% / 83% 3% $70,194
Nutrition Sciences 18 6% / 94% 56% $63,412
Physiology 109 27% / 73% 4%
Pre-Medicine/Pre-Medical Studies 20 65% / 35% 0%
Rehabilitation Science 36 14% / 86% 6% $72,974
Trends Degrees Male/Female Intl 5yr Earn
School of Hospitality Administration 43 40% / 60% 16% $47,420
Hospitality Management 43 40% / 60% 16% $47,420
Trends Degrees Male/Female Intl 5yr Earn
Wheelock College of Education and Human Development 58 5% / 95% 21% $61,231
Youth Services/Administration 1 0% / 100% 0% $57,294
Bilingual and Multilingual Education 1 0% / 100% 100%
Early Childhood Education 8 0% / 100% 50% $55,756
Education 27 +1 4% / 96% 19% $64,235
Education of Hearing Impaired
Elementary Education 7 0% / 100% 14% $55,756
English Education 3 67% / 33% 0% $66,454
Foreign Language Teacher Education
Mathematics Teacher Education 1 0% / 100% 0% $66,454
Science Teacher Education/General Science Teacher Education 2 0% / 100% 0% $66,454
Social Studies Teacher Education 1 0% / 100% 0% $66,454
Special Education and Teaching 7 0% / 100% 14% $56,718

Rankings

Academics

Crying in the Library at 3 AM Toughest Schools
Caffeine Required

College Costs

We Marked It Up Just to Put It on Sale Highest List Price
Luxury Good

Politically Correct

Protest 101 Woke to the Bone
Activist Pipeline

My Tribe

Open Boarders Most International Students
Diverse Campus
Call Your Mother! Most Jewish
Significant Community

Engineering, Computing & Math

Chat-GPT? Claude? I can do better. Artificial Intelligence
Soon Jumping on the AI Bandwagon...
No, I Can't Fix Your Printer Computer Science
Wait, We Have a CS Major?
The "I Understand Interstellar" Elite Physics & Astronomy
Particle Accelerators
No Words Allowed Pure Mathematics
Equation Elegance
It Actually IS Rocket Science Aerospace Engineering
CubeSat Crew
Pre-Med Hidding in Plain Sight Biomedical Engineering
Cutting Edge
Half-CS, Half-EE, Full Depression Computer Engineering
Embedded and Exhausted
Resistance Is Not Futile Electrical Engineering
Pragmatic Plug-and-Players
Is It a Solid? Is It a Liquid? Yes. Materials Engineering
Polymer Players
WD-40 & Duct Tape Mechanical Engineering & Robotics
Whiteboard-preferred

Life & Natural Sciences

Pre-Med Reject Waiting Room Biology
The Double Helix
Breaking Bad Chemistry
Pre-Med Darwinian Thunderdome
Open Wide Dentistry & Oral Health
Express Drill Track
Rocks and Whales Earth & Atmospheric Sciences
Fossil Hunters
Doomsday Prepping with Data Environmental Science
Green Scholars
Behind Every Doctor Health Services
Allied Health All-Stars
Memorizing 206 Bones Human Biology
Bone Collectors
Action Potentials Neuroscience
Serotonin Seekers
Legal Drug Dealers Pharmacy
Pill Counters
Talk About a Career Phonoaudiology
SLP Specialists
Saving Lives One Spreadsheet At a Time Public Health
Epidemiology Elite
Jocks R'US Sports Medicine & Rehabilitation
Game Day Ready

Business & Economics

PowerPoint Presentation Power Rankings Business Administration
Suit & Tie on a Tuesday Pre-Professionals
Pivot Tables & Missing Pallets Business Analytics
SQL Slingers
It's Basic Supply and Demand, Bro Economics
Urban Economists & Regional Anchors
Move Fast, Break Tuition Entrepreneurship & Innovation
Startup Scene
Wolf of Wall Street Prep Finance
Midtown Manhattan Waiting Room
The Spreadsheet Doctors Healthcare Administration
VP of Patient Throughput
May I Take Your Order? Hospitality & Tourism
Industry Connected
Office Politics 101 Human Resources
Culture Architects
Tik-Tok Generation Marketing
Getting There
Ballers, Shot Callers & Hollywood Hustlers Sports & Entertainment Business
Aspiring Ari Golds

Humanities & Social Sciences

Professional Yapping Communication & Journalism
The "Our Alumni Control the Media" Mafia
Much Ado About Nothing English, Literature & Writing
Bookworm Elite
Mappy Few, the Cartography Crew Geography & Cartography
Plot Twisters
Model UN Generation Government & Politics
Diplomat Track
Hindsight is 20/20 (And So is My Salary) History & Archaeology
Footnote Masters
Passport Stamp Collectors International Relations
Foreign Service Bound
Future Lawyers (and Their Future Anxiety) Law
Pre-Law Prowess
I'll Figure Out the Career Later Liberal Arts & Interdisciplinary
Dabbler Deluxe
The "Why Are We Here?" Support Group Philosophy & Ethics
The Questioners
I Want To Understand Myself Psychology
DSM Superfans
Arguing with God for a Grade Religion
Sunday School Professors
Everything is a Construct Sociology & Anthropology
Survey Says
Grammar Police Academy World Languages & Linguistics
Morpheme Masters

Education

Surviving PTA Karens General Education
Lesson Planners
Hablas Pedagogy? Languages Education
Grammar Gurus
History Repeats Itself Social Sciences Education
Document-Based Question Crew
Everyone Gets a Medal Special Education
Resource Room Heroes
Gym Class Heroes and Art Teachers Specific Subjects Education
Niche Educators
Show Your Work, Then Teach It STEM Education
Equation Educators

Arts

Lights, Camera, Tuition Film
Festival Circuit Royalty
Eight Hours of Scales Music
Pit Orchestra Pros
Theatre Kid Generation Performing Arts
Encore Worthy