Boston University
#1 Best Communications Colleges in Massachusetts- Graduation Rate
- 89% A
- Most students who enroll finish their degree here
- Earnings (10yr)
- $83,238 A
- Top 3% nationally — exceptional earning power
- Net Price
- $24,402 D
- 42% more than the typical college
- Acceptance Rate
- 11% A+
- Rejects about 89 of every 100 applicants
Bottom line: A B overall grade — strong outcomes across the board. 23.2× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $23.2 over 20 years. Ranked #1 in Best Communications Colleges in Massachusetts.
Every $1 spent returns $23.2 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $2,167,101.
What The Data Says
-
A B overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.
-
Graduates earn 104% more than the national college median.
-
A 89% graduation rate — 56% above the national average.
-
Inventor rate in the top 25% nationally — patents, startups, and new technology flow from its graduates.
-
Social mobility rate of 2.02% — an engine of upward economic mobility.
Economic Footprint
- Inventor Rate
- 0.9%
- Top 25%
- Patents
- 246
- Linked to graduates
- World Rank
- #59
- Times Higher Education
- Patent Citations
- 423
- Downstream influence
- Research Score
- 52/100
- Times Higher Education
Why Boston University Matters
Boston University is a private research university in Boston, MA ranked #59 in the world by Times Higher Education, and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by exceptional admissions selectivity, a top-tier research enterprise, an unusually high rate of inventors and patents, and a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: graduates whose earnings land in the top 3% of all U.S. colleges.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Private Research University
- Carnegie Class
- R1 · Very High Research
- Enrollment
- 18,248
- Setting
- Urban
- Primary Strengths
- Business & Marketing, Social Sciences, Communications, Biology & Biomedical
Why students choose Boston University
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
Highly selective — admits about 11% of applicants, with a middle-50% SAT of 1420–1530. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $24,402 a year after grants and scholarships — 42% above the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $83,238 ten years after enrolling — 104% above the typical college, against $23,250 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 2.0% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 27% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.89 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
With an acceptance rate of just 11%, Boston University is a great fit for motivated students who are ready to engage with a vibrant urban campus. It's an appealing choice for those interested in Business & Marketing, Social Sciences, Communications, Biology & Biomedical, or Computer Science & IT. The school’s diverse offerings attract students who are eager to explore various disciplines and prepare for dynamic careers.
After graduation, students from Boston University can expect to earn an impressive average of $83,238 within a decade. This means graduates are stepping into solid financial footing relatively quickly, which is encouraging for those considering their return on investment. With a graduation rate of 89%, it shows that students not only enroll but also successfully complete their degrees, paving the way for upward mobility in their careers.
When it comes to the practical side of financing your education, the net price after aid stands at approximately $24,402, which is manageable for many families. The median debt for graduates is $23,250, a figure that many could navigate effectively post-graduation. Students who thrive here tend to be those who are ready to take advantage of Boston’s resources and connections, ultimately setting themselves up for successful futures.
Rankings
- #1 Best Communications Colleges in Massachusetts
- #3 Best Online Colleges in Massachusetts
- #3 Best MBA Programs in Massachusetts
- #3 Best MBA Programs for Healthcare Management
- #4 Best Colleges for Communications
- #4 Best Bachelor's in Communications
- #5 Best Master's in Communications
- #5 Best Business Colleges in Massachusetts
Can I Get In?
How selective Boston University is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into Boston University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Boston University, located in Boston, Massachusetts, sets a competitive bar: about 11% of applicants get an offer. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,480. The graduation rate is roughly 89%.
- Acceptance Rate
- 11%
- Retention Rate
- 95%
- SAT Average
- 1480
- ACT Midpoint
- 33
- SAT Range
- 1420–1530
- ACT Range
- 32–34
- Full-Time Faculty
- 70%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $16,623
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 11:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.79
- First-Gen Students
- 17%
- Applicants
- 80,796
- Admitted
- 11,607
Inside the Admissions Office
School-reported Common Data Set · unknown
The acceptance rate tells you how hard Boston University is to get into. Its Common Data Set tells you what happens once you are admitted: how many students say yes, how many arrived without test scores, and whether applying early tilts the odds. 35% of admitted students go on to enroll here, making it a school many admits weigh against other offers.
- Yield Rate
- 35%
- of admits enroll
- Submitted SAT
- 36%
- of enrolled freshmen
- Submitted ACT
- 10%
- of enrolled freshmen
- Early Decision Admit Rate
- 31.3%
- vs 12.8% overall
Applying early pays off here. Of 6,907 Early Decision applicants, 2,165 were admitted — a 31.3% admit rate, roughly 2.4× the 12.8% rate for the overall pool. That binding round alone filled about 63% of the entering class (2,165 of 3,449 first-years). The catch: Early Decision is a commitment you make before you can compare aid offers.
Test-optional, in practice. Only about 46% of enrolled freshmen submitted an SAT or ACT score, so a strong application without test scores is genuinely competitive here, not a long shot.
Can I Afford It?
What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.
Cost & Financial Aid
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Boston University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Boston University is $68,102, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $24,402. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $9,500 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $23,250 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $68,102
- Out-of-State
- $68,102
- Avg Net Price
- $24,402
- Median Debt
- $23,250
- Pell Grant Rate
- 19%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 23%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $9,500
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $9,342
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $11,778
- Family Income $110K+
- $47,504
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Students Like You
Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Boston University — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.
Graduate Outcomes
Is Boston University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Boston University earn a median of $83,238, well above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $65,655
- 8 Years
- $73,661
- 10 Years
- $83,238
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.28x
- Earning > $25K
- 81%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (3,269)
- 84%
- 100% (3,269)
- 84%
- 100% (3,269)
- 84%
- 100% (3,269)
- 84%
How Boston Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
The Mobility Equation
Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?
College ROI Calculator
Is Boston University Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Boston University delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $24,402/year ($97,608 total). Graduates earn $83,238 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $2,264,709 in total earnings — a net gain of $2,167,101 (23.2× your investment). The median debt is $23,250, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 89% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $97,608
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $2,264,709
- Net Return
- $2,167,101
- ROI Multiple
- 23.2×
- Cost Per Year
- $24,402
- Median Debt
- $23,250
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 89%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Social Mobility
Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records
Does Boston University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Boston University is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 2.02%, among the highest in the country. About 4% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 50.4% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $126,800, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 2.02%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 50.4%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 4.0%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $172,277
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Research & Teaching
Data: Times Higher Education World University Rankings
How Research-Intensive Is Boston University? World Rank, Teaching & Citations
Times Higher Education places Boston University at #59 worldwide, a mark of serious research standing. Its profile spans a research score of 52/100, teaching at 54/100, and citation impact of 91/100, reflecting both the volume of research output and how often that work is cited by scholars elsewhere.
- World Rank
- #59
- Teaching
- 53.6
- Research
- 51.9
- Citations
- 91.4
- International
- 38.1
Innovation & Knowledge Creation
Patents, inventors, and research influence · Opportunity Insights & Times Higher Education
Boston University produces inventors at an above-average rate (top 25% nationally), with 246 patents tied to its graduates, and ranks among research universities with a 52/100 research score.
- Inventor Rate
- 0.95%
- Top 25% nationally
- Patents Produced
- 246
- Linked to graduates
- Patent Citations
- 423
- Downstream influence
- Research Score
- 52/100
- Times Higher Ed
- Academic Influence
- 91/100
- Citation impact (THE)
- Industry Engagement
- 30/100
- Knowledge transfer (THE)
- Inventors From Low-Income
- 0.33%
- Bottom-20% families
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Investment Income
- $-217,307,000
Top Programs
The fields Boston University awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.
- Business & Marketing 16% $72,001 early-career
- Social Sciences 14% $63,514 early-career
- Communications 14% $56,582 early-career
- Biology & Biomedical 11% $43,640 early-career
- Computer Science & IT 10% $100,989 early-career
- Engineering 9% $97,955 early-career
- Psychology 5% $45,173 early-career
- Health Professions 5% $42,363 early-career
Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Boston University's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- CChief Executive Officer$189,520 · 3% growthAdaptable 64
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- C+Marketing Manager$156,580 · 8% growthAdaptable 64
- C+Cloud Architect$142,000 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Site Reliability Engineer$140,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CAdvertising Manager$138,730 · 6% growthAdaptable 64
- CSolutions Architect$138,000 · 12% growthAdaptable 52
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Boston University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Boston University, located in Boston, Massachusetts, sets a competitive bar: about 11% of applicants get an offer. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,480. The graduation rate is roughly 89%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Boston University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Boston University is $68,102, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $24,402. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $9,500 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $23,250 in federal student loans.
Is Boston University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Boston University earn a median of $83,238, well above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.
Does Boston University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Boston University is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 2.02%, among the highest in the country. About 4% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 50.4% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $126,800, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Boston University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Boston University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.89, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.00), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 10% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
How Research-Intensive Is Boston University? World Rank, Teaching & Citations
Times Higher Education places Boston University at #59 worldwide, a mark of serious research standing. Its profile spans a research score of 52/100, teaching at 54/100, and citation impact of 91/100, reflecting both the volume of research output and how often that work is cited by scholars elsewhere.
Does Boston University offer Early Decision, and does it improve admission chances?
Yes. Boston University offers a binding Early Decision plan, and it carries a real advantage: Early Decision applicants were admitted at 31%, about 2.4 times the overall 13% acceptance rate, and ED filled roughly 63% of the entering class. Because ED is binding, it makes sense only if Boston University is a clear first choice and you can commit before comparing aid offers (unknown Common Data Set).
Is Boston University really test-optional?
In practice, yes. Only about 46% of enrolled first-year students submitted an SAT or ACT score, so a strong application without test scores is genuinely competitive at Boston University (unknown Common Data Set).
What percentage of admitted students enroll at Boston University?
About 35% of admitted students choose to enroll at Boston University — its yield rate (unknown Common Data Set). Yield reflects how often a school wins when applicants weigh competing offers.
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Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Boston University.
- University of Virginia-Main CampusCharlottesville, VA · Close peer95% grad $86,863 earn 17% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Northeastern UniversityBoston, MA · Close peer90% grad $92,538 earn 5% acceptWhy: similar selectivity · similar grad rate · similar size
- Emory UniversityAtlanta, GA · Close peer91% grad $80,137 earn 11% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- University of Southern CaliforniaLos Angeles, CA · Close peer92% grad $92,498 earn 10% acceptWhy: similar selectivity · similar grad rate · similar size
- New York UniversityNew York, NY · Close peer88% grad $82,509 earn 9% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Northwestern UniversityEvanston, IL · Close peer96% grad $89,363 earn 8% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Boston University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Boston University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.89, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.00), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 10% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note