Boston University
#1 Best Communications Colleges in MassachusettsBottom 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.
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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
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
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, keeps a competitive admissions bar, accepting about 11% of those who apply. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,480. The school reports a graduation rate of roughly 89%.
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
When weighing the true cost of attending Boston University, prospective students should look past the published sticker price of $68,102 in tuition. The figure that matters more is the average net price — the actual out-of-pocket cost after federal grants, institutional scholarships, and student loans — which works out to about $24,402 for families who qualify for aid. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $9,500 after need-based grants. Graduates leave with a median federal student-loan debt of about $23,250.
What Families Actually Pay
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Graduate Outcomes
Is Boston University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Boston University earn a median of $83,238 — an exceptional return on investment that outpaces national averages for bachelor's-degree holders.
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
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.
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 useful read on the campus's socioeconomic mix.
Research & Teaching
Data: Times Higher Education World University Rankings
How Research-Intensive Is Boston University? World Rank, Teaching & Citations
On the global stage, 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.
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.
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
Top Programs
The fields Boston University awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Each links to its degree guide — with salary, growth, and the schools with the strongest outcomes.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Boston University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements +
Boston University, located in Boston, Massachusetts, keeps a competitive admissions bar, accepting about 11% of those who apply. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,480. The school reports a graduation rate of roughly 89%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Boston University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid +
When weighing the true cost of attending Boston University, prospective students should look past the published sticker price of $68,102 in tuition. The figure that matters more is the average net price — the actual out-of-pocket cost after federal grants, institutional scholarships, and student loans — which works out to about $24,402 for families who qualify for aid. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $9,500 after need-based grants. Graduates leave with a median federal student-loan debt of about $23,250.
Is Boston University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI +
Ten years out, alumni of Boston University earn a median of $83,238 — an exceptional return on investment that outpaces national averages 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 useful read on 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, with an economic connectedness score of 1.89 (about 1.0 is the national norm). Its friending bias is low (-0.00), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds genuinely 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 +
On the global stage, 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.
Compare Boston University
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Similar Schools
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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, with an economic connectedness score of 1.89 (about 1.0 is the national norm). Its friending bias is low (-0.00), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds genuinely mix rather than self-segregate. Around 10% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note