Boston University

Basic Information

Type Private
Geographical Reach National
Population 4,000,000

Weather

Comfortable Days 110 (71%)
Sunshine Hours 2,634 (56%)
Days Without Precipitation 239 (33%)

Honors College

Name Kilachand Honors College
Students 500 (3%)

Demographics

Total Undergraduates 19,059
Men / Women 41% / 59%
From State 15%
From Region 21%
Athletes 592 (3.3%)

Racial/Ethnic

White 32%
Asian 21%
International 21%
Hispanic 12%
Black 6%
Mixed 5%
Native American 0%

Schools & Majors

⇅ Ranked Trends Degrees Male White Asian Black Hispanic Intl Earnings Earn % Earn z ROI Employment Debt-to-Earn Accept SAT p25 SAT p75
College of Arts and Sciences 2,554 43% 35% 20% 4% 8% 22% $85,637 83 +0.29 75 93% 4.9% 9%
Computer Science 440 +5 70% 21% 35% 4% 5% 26% $139,339 74 +0.42 99 98% 3.3% 9% — —
Computer Science & Economics 35 — 63% 17% 20% 0% 3% 54% $91,037 12 -0.77 81 — — 9% — —
Computer Science & Mathematics 22 +2 55% 23% 23% 0% 5% 50% $114,482 53 -0.18 95 — — 9% — —
Data Science 80 — 59% 20% 34% 6% 5% 28% $124,184 77 +0.59 98 — — 9% — —
Astronomy 12 — 50% 42% 0% 0% 25% 25% $82,766 50 -0.06 71 — — 9% — —
Chemistry 23 — 39% 26% 22% 9% 13% 22% $53,413 2 -1.75 7 83% — 9% — —
Mathematics 76 +16 55% 24% 17% 0% 3% 50% $70,651 33 -0.55 44 96% — 9% — —
Physics 26 +8 77% 38% 19% 0% 12% 15% $85,163 60 +0.11 74 — — 9% — —
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology 71 — 45% 41% 28% 3% 1% 15% $66,230 22 -0.47 32 88% — 9% — —
Biology 248 — 37% 34% 27% 6% 11% 12% $65,468 45 -0.11 30 88% — 9% — —
Neuroscience 133 +7 25% 33% 22% 7% 9% 12% $77,643 88 +0.93 62 92% — 9% — —
Earth & Environmental Sciences 30 — 40% 40% 17% 3% 10% 20% $60,084 61 +0.18 17 — — 9% — —
Marine Science 35 +2 34% 51% 14% 3% 17% 6% $54,147 50 -0.06 8 88% — 9% — —
Economics 267 +10 58% 27% 15% 1% 4% 43% $89,954 49 -0.30 80 96% — 9% — —
Economics & Mathematics 58 +3 57% 16% 3% 2% 2% 76% $92,937 55 -0.19 83 — — 9% — —
African American & Black Diaspora Studies 3 +5 33% 0% 0% 0% 33% 33% $60,506 57 +0.10 18 — — 9% — —
American Studies 3 — 33% 67% 0% 0% 0% 0% $60,421 56 +0.09 18 — — 9% — —
Ancient Greek & Latin 2 — 50% 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% $51,696 27 -0.57 6 — — 9% — —
Archaeological & Environmental Sciences 2 — 0% 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% $61,758 81 +0.47 21 — — 9% — —
Archaeology 6 — 17% 67% 0% 0% 0% 0% $58,579 69 +0.16 14 — — 9% — —
Asian Studies 1 — 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% 100% $60,560 57 +0.11 18 — — 9% — —
Chinese Language & Literature 3 — 33% 67% 33% 0% 0% 0% $51,576 27 -0.58 5 — — 9% — —
Classical Studies 11 +1 27% 82% 9% 0% 0% 9% $60,385 76 +0.34 18 — — 9% — —
Comparative Literature 6 +1 17% 50% 33% 0% 0% 0% $46,247 19 -0.75 3 91% — 9% — —
East Asian Languages — — — — — — — — $51,849 28 -0.55 6 — — 9% — —
English 45 +7 20% 71% 7% 0% 7% 7% $59,290 84 +0.84 15 94% — 9% — —
European Studies 1 — 100% 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% $60,484 57 +0.10 18 — — 9% — —
French Studies 1 — 100% 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% $51,105 25 -0.62 5 84% — 9% — —
German Language & Literature 1 +1 0% 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% $51,682 27 -0.57 5 — — 9% — —
History 41 +5 49% 71% 5% 0% 17% 0% $59,499 73 +0.25 16 91% — 9% — —
Holocaust, Genocide & Human Rights Studies 3 +2 33% 33% 0% 33% 0% 33% $61,751 81 +0.47 21 — — 9% — —
Interdisciplinary Studies 17 — 59% 59% 12% 6% 0% 0% $73,439 94 +1.54 52 79% 5.7% 9% — —
Japanese Language & Literature 2 +2 100% 50% 50% 0% 0% 0% $51,394 25 -0.59 5 — — 9% — —
Korean Language & Literature 2 — 50% 0% 0% 0% 50% 50% $51,649 27 -0.57 5 — — 9% — —
Latin American Studies — — — — — — — — $60,588 57 +0.11 18 — — 9% — —
Linguistics 20 +3 15% 65% 5% 5% 10% 10% $46,247 11 -1.05 3 91% — 9% — —
Middle East & North Africa Studies 3 +1 33% 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% $60,825 59 +0.13 19 — — 9% — —
Middle Eastern and South Asian Languages & Literatures 1 — 0% 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% $51,785 28 -0.56 6 — — 9% — —
Philosophy 47 +14 45% 43% 6% 6% 17% 17% $79,057 89 +1.33 64 87% — 9% — —
Religion 6 +2 67% 17% 33% 17% 0% 17% $59,894 90 +1.12 17 — — 9% — —
Romance Languages 1 — 0% 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% $51,785 28 -0.56 6 — — 9% — —
Spanish 2 +2 50% 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% $51,105 25 -0.62 5 84% — 9% — —
Anthropology 20 +7 5% 65% 15% 0% 0% 10% $54,459 47 -0.22 8 94% — 9% — —
Environmental Analysis & Policy 24 +5 25% 62% 12% 0% 12% 0% $72,342 96 +1.18 49 94% — 9% — —
International Relations 198 +4 37% 47% 13% 4% 9% 17% $73,698 57 +0.05 52 92% — 9% — —
Political Science 161 +22 29% 51% 15% 10% 16% 4% $76,291 66 +0.30 59 93% — 9% — —
Psychological & Brain Sciences 269 +41 15% 38% 17% 5% 13% 18% $65,726 96 +1.62 31 91% 7.5% 9% — —
Sociology 37 +10 19% 27% 14% 14% 14% 27% $59,174 69 +0.21 15 94% — 9% — —
Architectural Studies 32 — 34% 44% 16% 9% 6% 12% $70,318 61 +0.26 43 — — 9% — —
Cinema & Media Studies 6 +1 17% 0% 50% 0% 17% 17% $45,948 27 -0.45 3 96% — 9% — —
History of Art & Architecture 21 +2 5% 48% 10% 5% 5% 29% $52,435 63 +0.05 6 84% — 9% — —
⇅ Ranked Trends Degrees Male White Asian Black Hispanic Intl Earnings Earn % Earn z ROI Employment Debt-to-Earn Accept SAT p25 SAT p75
College of Communication 743 25% 41% 12% 3% 9% 27% $71,041 47 +0.74 45 95% 14%
Advertising and Public Relations 205 +11 21% 28% 19% 3% 8% 36% $78,435 56 +0.07 63 96% — 14% — —
Communication 36 +3 14% 50% 8% 6% 6% 19% $83,037 97 +1.98 71 96% — 14% — —
Communication 4 — 50% 75% 0% 0% 0% 0% $72,755 86 +1.02 50 — — 14% — —
Journalism 117 +9 23% 53% 10% 4% 12% 15% $65,992 68 +0.41 31 94% — 14% — —
Public Relations 166 +5 17% 39% 11% 1% 6% 36% $78,435 74 +0.62 63 96% — 14% — —
Film and Television 215 — 38% 45% 10% 3% 12% 20% $58,991 93 +1.45 15 94% — 14% — —
⇅ Ranked Trends Degrees Male White Asian Black Hispanic Intl Earnings Earn % Earn z ROI Employment Debt-to-Earn Accept SAT p25 SAT p75
College of Engineering 482 70% 34% 27% 3% 10% 16% $109,122 98 +0.13 93 97% 12%
Biomedical Engineering 153 — 48% 34% 25% 2% 12% 14% $99,578 57 +0.07 88 97% — 12% — —
Computer Engineering 103 +8 85% 25% 30% 2% 11% 16% $149,174 93 +1.52 100 99% — 12% — —
Electrical Engineering 41 +1 76% 39% 20% 5% 10% 27% $103,971 23 -0.62 91 94% — 12% — —
Mechanical Engineering 185 +3 78% 37% 28% 5% 9% 15% $95,858 33 -0.42 85 96% — 12% — —
⇅ Ranked Trends Degrees Male White Asian Black Hispanic Intl Earnings Earn % Earn z ROI Employment Debt-to-Earn Accept SAT p25 SAT p75
College of Fine Arts 172 28% 51% 17% 5% 12% 9% $54,396 3 +0.44 8 94% 17%
Acting 27 — 56% 59% 4% 11% 19% 4% $44,372 58 +0.18 2 96% — 17% — —
Art Education — — — — — — — — $59,177 93 +1.32 15 91% — 17% — —
Art/Art Studies 8 — 0% 38% 25% 12% 12% 12% $52,435 78 +0.60 6 84% — 17% — —
Directing and Theatrical Production 3 — 0% 33% 0% 0% 67% 0% $44,372 58 +0.18 2 96% — 17% — —
Graphic Design 44 — 7% 25% 39% 2% 9% 16% $79,959 93 +1.55 66 100% — 17% — —
Music 9 — 33% 22% 22% 0% 11% 22% $41,051 26 -0.61 2 88% — 17% — —
Music Education 10 — 40% 50% 10% 10% 20% 0% $59,177 96 +1.34 15 91% — 17% — —
Music Performance 28 — 36% 61% 14% 4% 11% 4% $41,051 26 -0.61 2 88% — 17% — —
Music Theory and Composition 6 — 33% 33% 17% 0% 17% 17% $41,051 26 -0.61 2 88% — 17% — —
Painting 10 +1 30% 80% 0% 0% 0% 20% $52,435 78 +0.60 6 84% — 17% — —
Printmaking — — — — — — — — $52,435 26 -0.59 6 84% — 17% — —
Sculpture 1 +1 0% 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% $52,435 78 +0.60 6 84% — 17% — —
Technical Theatre/Theatre Design and Technology 15 — 27% 87% 7% 0% 0% 0% $44,372 58 +0.18 2 96% — 17% — —
Theatre 11 — 45% 73% 0% 18% 9% 0% $44,372 58 +0.18 2 96% — 17% — —
⇅ Ranked Trends Degrees Male White Asian Black Hispanic Intl Earnings Earn % Earn z ROI Employment Debt-to-Earn Accept SAT p25 SAT p75
Metropolitan College 1 0% 0% 0% 100% 0% 0% $62,906 19 +0.41 23 94%
Criminal Justice 1 — 0% 0% 0% 100% 0% 0% $62,906 72 +0.41 23 94% — — — —
⇅ Ranked Trends Degrees Male White Asian Black Hispanic Intl Earnings Earn % Earn z ROI Employment Debt-to-Earn Accept SAT p25 SAT p75
Questrom School of Business 816 54% 29% 27% 2% 7% 28% $110,709 98 +1.73 94 96% 11%
Business Administration 812 — 55% 29% 27% 2% 7% 28% $110,854 92 +1.73 94 96% — 11% — —
Hospitality Administration/Management 4 — 0% 50% 25% 0% 0% 25% $81,311 97 +1.87 68 95% — 11% — —
⇅ Ranked Trends Degrees Male White Asian Black Hispanic Intl Earnings Earn % Earn z ROI Employment Debt-to-Earn Accept SAT p25 SAT p75
Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences 410 29% 30% 30% 10% 12% 9% $77,059 65 +0.61 60 98% 14%
Physiology 127 — 43% 32% 35% 7% 9% 8% $74,033 69 +0.41 53 100% — 14% — —
Nutrition Sciences 16 — 25% 19% 25% 0% 25% 31% $64,489 49 +0.05 27 100% — 14% — —
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Technician 6 — 17% 0% 17% 33% 17% 17% $100,948 97 +2.07 89 100% — 14% — —
Communication Sciences and Disorders 10 — 0% 40% 0% 10% 40% 0% $67,185 77 +0.66 35 100% — 14% — —
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences 28 — 43% 36% 43% 11% 7% 4% $78,286 83 +0.67 63 100% — 14% — —
Health Science 173 — 20% 31% 30% 12% 11% 10% $81,255 90 +0.88 68 96% — 14% — —
Medical Science 11 — 36% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% $74,916 73 +0.44 55 — — 14% — —
Rehabilitation Science 39 — 23% 33% 26% 13% 18% 10% $72,039 57 +0.11 48 95% — 14% — —
⇅ Ranked Trends Degrees Male White Asian Black Hispanic Intl Earnings Earn % Earn z ROI Employment Debt-to-Earn Accept SAT p25 SAT p75
School of Hospitality Administration 46 28% 43% 22% 0% 11% 20% $81,311 76 +1.87 68 95% 21%
Hospitality Management 46 — 28% 43% 22% 0% 11% 20% $81,311 97 +1.87 68 95% — 21% — —
⇅ Ranked Trends Degrees Male White Asian Black Hispanic Intl Earnings Earn % Earn z ROI Employment Debt-to-Earn Accept SAT p25 SAT p75
Wheelock College of Education and Human Development 67 10% 55% 13% 6% 10% 9% $54,572 3 -0.03 8 96% 24%
Youth Services/Administration — — — — — — — — $60,950 93 +0.91 19 100% — 24% — —
Bilingual and Multilingual Education 1 — 0% 0% 0% 0% 100% 0% $59,600 75 +0.58 16 — — 24% — —
Early Childhood Education 1 — 0% 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% $54,208 71 +0.29 8 96% — 24% — —
Education 56 +1 9% 55% 16% 5% 9% 11% $54,037 45 -0.12 8 97% — 24% — —
Education of Hearing Impaired 1 — 0% 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% $61,065 77 +0.78 19 100% — 24% — —
Elementary Education 4 — 0% 50% 0% 0% 25% 0% $54,208 71 +0.29 8 96% — 24% — —
English Education — — — — — — — — $59,177 74 +0.52 15 91% — 24% — —
Foreign Language Teacher Education — — — — — — — — $59,177 74 +0.52 15 91% — 24% — —
Mathematics Teacher Education 2 — 0% 0% 0% 50% 0% 0% $59,177 71 +0.14 15 91% — 24% — —
Science Teacher Education/General Science Teacher Education — — — — — — — — $59,177 71 +0.14 15 91% — 24% — —
Social Studies Teacher Education 1 — 100% 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% $59,177 78 +0.61 15 91% — 24% — —
Special Education and Teaching 1 — 100% 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% $61,065 77 +0.78 19 100% — 24% — —

Financial

Tuition & Fees $72,632
ROI Percentile 77th

Retention & Graduation

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

Earnings by Major Category

Each major category's degree-weighted estimated median 5-year earnings at this college, expressed as a z-score against the national degree-weighted distribution for that category. 0 is the national average. The shaded band between +1.28 and −1.28 marks the central 80% of the national distribution (10th–90th percentile).

Academics

⇅ % Degrees Male White Asian Black Hispanic Intl Earnings Earn % Earn z ROI Employment Debt-to-Earn
Business & Economics 26.3% 1,392 49% 28% 22% 2% 6% 34% $100,263 86 +1.02 88 96% —
Social Sciences 19.5% 1,032 23% 45% 14% 5% 11% 18% $71,310 91 +0.73 46 93% 7.5%
Life & Natural Sciences 10.9% 579 37% 34% 28% 6% 9% 12% $70,237 62 +0.20 43 92% —
Computer Science 10.9% 577 68% 20% 34% 4% 5% 29% $133,360 81 +0.35 99 98% 3.3%
Engineering 9.1% 482 70% 34% 27% 3% 10% 16% $109,122 77 +0.13 93 97% —
Arts 8.4% 446 32% 47% 13% 4% 11% 16% $57,548 74 +0.88 12 93% —
Health Sciences 5.0% 267 22% 30% 28% 12% 12% 9% $79,252 59 +0.74 65 96% —
Humanities 4.3% 230 37% 61% 8% 3% 10% 8% $62,596 84 +0.51 23 89% 5.7%
Physical Sciences & Math 2.6% 137 56% 28% 17% 1% 8% 36% $71,572 30 -0.59 47 93% —
Agriculture & Food Science 1.5% 81 35% 41% 17% 2% 16% 16% $58,389 42 +0.05 14 92% —
Education 1.3% 67 10% 55% 13% 6% 10% 9% $54,573 58 -0.03 8 96% —
Professional 0.0% 1 0% 0% 0% 100% 0% 0% $62,906 37 +0.41 23 94% —

Research R1

⇅ Research $ Rank Federal Industry $ PhDs Rank PhD students Postdocs
Health Sciences $246M #40 54% $3.2M 178 #4 188 61
Life & Natural Sciences $227M #23 64% $10.2M 74 #31 533 96
Engineering $114M #47 54% $2.0M 82 #46 546 56
Humanities & Social Sciences $67.1M #23 34% $0.2M 158 #14 285 33
Physical Sciences & Math $63.5M #58 63% $0.4M 60 #49 430 48
Computer Science $25.7M #41 30% $4.7M 11 #90 156 4
Education $17.3M #33 40% $0.3M 38 #94 — —
Business & Economics $12.4M #53 6% $0.0M 29 #34 130 —
Agriculture & Food Science $0 #318 — $0 — — — —
Total $774M #42 54% $21.1M 630 #23 2,268 298

Expenditure and funding source: NSF HERD, FY2024. Degrees: IPEDS completions, 2023–24. Students and postdocs: NSF Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates, fall 2024, which covers science, engineering and selected health fields only. An em dash means the source does not report the figure, which is not the same as zero.

Sports NCAA D1

⇅ Athletes ▼ Revenue Expenses Net
Track & Field (combined) 95 $2.0M $2.0M $0
Lacrosse 58 $2.2M $2.2M $0
Rowing 44 $2.4M $2.4M $0
Swimming & Diving 31 $421K $421K $0
Soccer 28 $1.5M $1.5M $0
Ice Hockey 27 $4.8M $4.8M $0
Basketball 15 $3.2M $3.2M $0
Tennis 8 $133K $133K $0
Total 250 $16.7M $16.7M $0
⇅ Athletes ▼ Revenue Expenses Net
Track & Field (combined) 135 $2.0M $2.0M $0
Rowing 85 $2.8M $2.8M $0
Soccer 32 $2.3M $2.3M $0
Lacrosse 30 $1.7M $1.7M $0
Field Hockey 29 $1.8M $1.8M $0
Swimming & Diving 29 $421K $421K $0
Ice Hockey 25 $3.1M $3.1M $0
Softball 20 $1.9M $1.9M $0
Basketball 16 $2.4M $2.4M $0
Tennis 11 $1.0M $1.0M $0
Golf 7 $665K $665K $0
Total 342 $20.3M $20.3M $0
⇅ Athletes ▼ Revenue Expenses Net
Track & Field (combined) 230 $4.0M $4.0M $0
Rowing 129 $5.2M $5.2M $0
Lacrosse 88 $3.9M $3.9M $0
Soccer 60 $3.9M $3.9M $0
Swimming & Diving 60 $842K $842K $0
Ice Hockey 52 $7.9M $7.9M $0
Basketball 31 $5.7M $5.7M $0
Field Hockey 29 $1.8M $1.8M $0
Softball 20 $1.9M $1.9M $0
Tennis 19 $1.2M $1.2M $0
Golf 7 $665K $665K $0
Total 592 $44.0M $44.0M $0

Source: U.S. Department of Education, Equity in Athletics Data Analysis. Each team's revenue and expenses are what the college attributes to it. The Total view's totals row is the department's grand total, which also includes money not attributed to any team; the Male and Female totals rows only add up their teams.

Admissions

Uses Common App Yes
Acceptance Rate 14.8%
Yield (non-ED) 16%
Early Decision 1 Nov 2
Regular Decision Jan 1
Early Decision 2 Jan 15

Acceptance Rates

In-State Out-of-State International
Regular Decision 11% 10% 14%
Early Decision 33% 29% 39%
Unhooked Early Decision 30% 26% —

Hooked: recruited athletes, faculty-related, and Questbridge

Standardized Tests

Test Policy optional
Submitted Test Scores 46%
SAT Range 1420 – 1510
SAT Math Range 720 – 780
SAT RW Range 700 – 750