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Private 4-Year Selective Chestnut Hill, MA NCAA Division I-FBS

Boston College

Chestnut Hill, MA

16.2%
Acceptance Rate
$93,168/yr
Est. Cost of Attendancesum of published cost components
$41,704/yr
Avg Price After Aid
90.9%
6-yr Grad Rate
10,085
Undergrads

About Boston College

Boston College is a private nonprofit university with an acceptance rate of 16.2% and undergraduate enrollment of 10,085 students. The institution has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10:1 and a 6-year graduation rate of 90.9%. Cost of attendance is $93,168, with a median earnings of $85,717 six years after enrollment.

Type
Private 4-Year
Undergrads
10,085
Avg Faculty Salary
$163,290
Athletics
NCAA Division I-FBS
Endowment
$3.9B
Pell Students
12.9%
First-Gen
13.2%
What Boston College Is Known For
Majors far more concentrated here than at colleges nationally
Applied Psychology 111 graduates · 4.6% of degrees here vs 0.08% nationally 60×
Management Sciences and Quantitative... 112 graduates · 4.7% of degrees here vs 0.16% nationally 29×
Econometrics and Quantitative Economics 324 graduates · 13.6% of degrees here vs 0.76% nationally 18×
Speech Communication and Rhetoric 172 graduates · 7.2% of degrees here vs 1.25% nationally
Finance 209 graduates · 8.7% of degrees here vs 2.13% nationally
SOURCEIPEDS Completions 2023, against the national share at the same degree level
Admissions
16.2%
Acceptance rate · Selective
33.4%
ED Rate
36,069
Applicants
Can I Get In? →
Cost & Aid
$41,704 avg net
Average net price after aid
$4,284
Under $30K income
$3.9B
Endowment
Can I Afford It? →
Outcomes
$85,717 median
Median earnings 6 years after entering
90.9%
6-yr Grad Rate
$19,000
Median Debt
Is It Worth It? →

Boston College Acceptance Rate & Admissions

Acceptance Rate
16.2%
36,069 applicants
Early Decision Rate
33.4%
ED applications: 4,288

Boston College is a highly selective private nonprofit university with a 16.2% acceptance rate and 10,085 undergraduates. The institution maintains a 10:1 student-to-faculty ratio and achieves a 90.9% six-year graduation rate.

How Selective Is That, Really?
Each dot is one of 100 applicants · Source: school's Common Data Set, else College Scorecard
1 in 6 applicants is admitted · 36,069 applied
10-Year Acceptance Rate Trend
10-year trend · Source: College Scorecard
10 years

SAT & ACT Score Ranges

Where Admitted Students Score
Middle 50% of enrolled students, on the full SAT scale · Source: College Scorecard (IPEDS)
Fall 2023
1440–1540
40080012001600

Admissions Requirements

Admission Factor Weights
Official weights from submitted institutional data · Source: Common Data Set, section C7
Class rank Important
Standardized test scores Important
Application essay Important
Recommendations Important
Extracurricular activities Important
Talent / special ability Important
Character / personal qualities Important
First generation status Considered
Alumni relation Considered
Geographic residence Considered
Volunteer work Important
Work experience Considered
Class Rank Profile
25% of students submitted rank · Source: Common Data Set
Top 10th of class
90%
Top quarter
96.9%
Top half
99.1%
Waitlist Statistics
Source: Common Data Set
7,444
Offered spot
4,139
Accepted offer
352
Admitted from WL
Who Applies, and Who Gets In
First-year applicants, admits and enrollees by gender
Applied Admitted Rate Enrolled
Men 14,358 2,510 17.5% 1,056
Women 21,711 3,135 14.4% 1,279
SOURCEIPEDS Admissions — Fall 2023 admissions cycle
How These Admissions Numbers Compare
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

Boston College admits 16.4% of applicants — a typical similar college admits 74%.

Acceptance rate
This school
16.4%
Similar colleges (1,009)
73.8%
MA (73)
71.2%
Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT (79)
72.2%
National (1,934)
78.1%

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

Boston College Tuition, Fees & Cost of Attendance

Avg Net Price
$41,704
Average for all students receiving federal aid, 2023-24
Median Federal Debt
$19,000
Federal Loan Rate
30%
Students borrowing federal loans

Boston College's cost of attendance is $93,168 annually. With 12.9% of students receiving Pell grants and a substantial $3.9 billion endowment, the institution has significant resources to support student affordability.

Cost of Attendance Breakdown
Estimated annual costs · on-campus, 2023-24 · Source: College Scorecard
$93,168
Tuition & Fees
$70,702
76%
Room & Board
$18,916
20%
Books & Supplies
$1,250
1%
Other Expenses
$2,300
2%

What You'd Actually Pay by Family Income

What You'd Actually Pay by Family Income
Average net price after all grants and scholarships · Source: College Scorecard (IPEDS net price)
Under $30,000
$4,284
$30,001 – $48,000
$7,304
$48,001 – $75,000
$13,112
$75,001 – $110,000
$19,999
Over $110,000
$60,308
Full Cost of Attendance
Source: College Scorecard
2023-24

Student Loan Debt

How Many Students Borrow
Undergraduates taking on any loan
Take out a loan
95%
Federal loans
30%

Graduates who borrowed carry a median monthly repayment of about $201.

SOURCECollege Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education
How This Price Compares
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

After aid, Boston College costs $41,704 a year — about 85% more than a typical similar college.

Cost of attendance
This school
$89,493
Similar colleges (1,094)
$49,718
MA (88)
$56,169
Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT (97)
$42,446
National (3,197)
$25,367
Students taking a loan
This school
95%
Similar colleges (998)
91.8%
MA (101)
91.7%
Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT (115)
91.9%
National (4,096)
86.4%
Median debt at graduation
This school
$19,000
Similar colleges (1,032)
$24,977
MA (110)
$22,610
Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT (133)
$21,082
National (4,347)
$13,097
Average net price
This school
$41,704
Similar colleges (1,105)
$22,585
MA (119)
$24,402
Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT (138)
$25,178
National (5,106)
$17,160

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

Boston College Graduation Rate & Student Outcomes

6-yr Grad Rate
90.9%
Median Earnings 6yr
$85,717
6 years after entering

Boston College graduates earn a median of $85,717 six years after enrollment and $103,937 ten years after enrollment. The university maintains a 90.9% six-year graduation rate.

Graduate Earnings After College

Median Graduate Earnings Over Time
6 and 10 years after entering · includes all students, not just graduates · Source: College Scorecard
Median Earnings by Gender · 6 Years After Entering
Students working 6 years after entering · Source: College Scorecard
$91,504
Men
$81,120
Women
Graduation Rate: Pell vs. Non-Pell
6-year graduation rate by grant status · Source: College Scorecard
88%
Pell recipients
93.8%
Non-Pell students

Top Majors & Programs

Top Majors by Graduates
Most recent year available · bachelor's degrees only · Source: IPEDS Completions 2023
MajorGraduates
Econometrics and Quantitative Economics324
Finance, General209
Biology/Biological Sciences, General185
Speech Communication and Rhetoric172
Computer Science128
Accounting127
Psychology, General127
Political Science and Government, General113
Management Sciences and Quantitative...112
Applied Psychology111
Graduation Rate by Race & Ethnicity
Completing within six years
White
93.1%
Hispanic
90.5%
Asian
88%
Black
83.2%
SOURCECollege Scorecard — groups with too few students to report are omitted
Earnings Further Out
The longer horizon

Median earnings eight years after entering Boston College are $89,620, and 88% of former students earn more than $25,000 six years after entry.

SOURCECollege Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education
How These Outcomes Compare
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

Six years after entry, former Boston College students earn $85,717 — 89% more than at a typical similar college.

Median earnings, 10 years
This school
$103,937
Similar colleges (1,077)
$54,064
MA (102)
$53,499
Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT (117)
$53,085
National (4,696)
$40,782
Median earnings, 6 years
This school
$85,717
Similar colleges (1,077)
$45,468
MA (102)
$46,710
Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT (119)
$46,673
National (4,847)
$35,433
Graduation rate
This school
90.9%
Similar colleges (1,074)
58.1%
MA (69)
66.8%
Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT (74)
67.1%
National (2,168)
52.3%
Freshman retention
This school
95.7%
Similar colleges (1,117)
76.6%
MA (65)
83.1%
Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT (72)
83.1%
National (1,841)
75.7%

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

Boston College Campus, Athletics & Faculty

Boston College is a private nonprofit university with an undergraduate enrollment of 10,085 students and a 10:1 student-to-faculty ratio. As an NCAA Division I-FBS institution, it maintains significant athletics operations with annual revenue of $36.7 million.

Student Demographics
Undergraduate enrollment · Source: College Scorecard / IPEDS
Race & Ethnicity
White
56.7%
Asian
11.1%
Hispanic
13%
Black
5.3%
Other Indicators
First-generation
13.2%
Pell grant recipients
12.9%
Women
52.2%
Boston College Athletics
Total Revenue
$36.7M
Total Expense
$38.8M
Athletes
883
454 men · 429 women
Head Coach Salaries
Men's vs Women's programs · Source: Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act
Men's sports
$674,124
Women's sports
$147,270

Average head coach salary by program gender.

Athletic Aid
Scholarship spending by gender · Source: Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act
Men's aid
$13,501,253
Women's aid
$12,922,833
Academic Resources
923
Full-time faculty
$163,290
Avg faculty salary
11,343
FT staff
$3.9B
Endowment
Faculty Salary by Gender
All instructional ranks combined · Source: IPEDS Human Resources
Men (avg)
$175,447
Women (avg)
$148,344
Overall avg
$163,290
Who Is on Campus
Beyond the undergraduate headcount
Undergraduates
10,085
Graduate students
5,118
Varsity Athletes
Play a varsity sport
7.9%

764 of 9,702 undergraduates, counting each athlete once regardless of how many sports they play.

SOURCEIPEDS enrollment; Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act filings
Online & Distance Learning
How much of the teaching happens remotely
Undergrads fully online
1.2%
Undergrads taking any
10.8%
Grad students fully online
12.4%

121 of 10,083 undergraduates study entirely at a distance, against 647 of 5,197 graduate students.

SOURCEIPEDS Fall Enrollment, distance education status

Boston College is accredited by the New England Commission on Higher Education.

How This Campus Compares
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

Boston College spends $14,070 per student on research — about a typical similar college.

Pell grant share
This school
12.9%
Similar colleges (1,171)
32.8%
MA (126)
31.6%
Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT (145)
30.6%
National (5,367)
40.1%
Research spending per student
This school
$14,070
Similar colleges (1,164)
$6,264
MA (92)
$8,492
Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT (101)
$8,334
National (2,823)
$5,605
Students per faculty member
This school
10:1
Similar colleges (1,191)
12:1
MA (130)
12:1
Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT (149)
12:1
National (5,427)
15:1

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

Every Major at Boston College
53 fields of study, bachelor's degree level, grouped by subject area
2,391 graduates
Business and Marketing 566 grads · 8 majors
Finance, General 209
Accounting 127
Management Sciences and Quantitative... 112
Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial Studies 49
Marketing/Marketing Management, General 36
Business Administration, Management and... 22
Business Administration and Management,... 8
Operations Management and Supervision 3
Social Sciences 471 grads · 5 majors
Econometrics and Quantitative Economics 324
Political Science and Government, General 113
Sociology, General 26
Economics, General 7
Social Sciences, General 1
Biological and Biomedical Sciences 312 grads · 3 majors
Biology/Biological Sciences, General 185
Neuroscience 105
Biochemistry 22
Psychology 238 grads · 2 majors
Psychology, General 127
Applied Psychology 111
Communication and Journalism 172 grads · 1 major
Speech Communication and Rhetoric 172
Computer and Information Sciences 147 grads · 2 majors
Computer Science 128
Information Science/Studies 19
Health Professions 96 grads · 2 majors
Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse 95
Public Health, General 1
Multidisciplinary Studies 69 grads · 3 majors
International/Globalization Studies 62
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other 5
Natural Sciences 2
English Language and Literature 56 grads · 1 major
English Language and Literature, General 56
Natural Resources and Conservation 46 grads · 1 major
Environmental Studies 46
History 44 grads · 1 major
History, General 44
Philosophy and Religious Studies 32 grads · 2 majors
Philosophy 31
Islamic Studies 1
Mathematics and Statistics 28 grads · 1 major
Mathematics, General 28
Visual and Performing Arts 27 grads · 5 majors
Art History, Criticism and Conservation 14
Fine/Studio Arts, General 6
Film/Cinema/Media Studies 3
Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 2
Music, General 2
Physical Sciences 23 grads · 3 majors
Chemistry, General 19
Physics, General 3
Geology/Earth Science, General 1
Education 22 grads · 3 majors
Elementary Education and Teaching 12
Education, General 9
Mathematics Teacher Education 1
Foreign Languages and Linguistics 18 grads · 5 majors
Classics and Classical Languages,... 7
German Language and Literature 4
Linguistics 4
Spanish Language and Literature 2
Italian Language and Literature 1
Area, Ethnic and Gender Studies 8 grads · 2 majors
African-American/Black Studies 6
Russian Studies 2
Liberal Arts and General Studies 7 grads · 1 major
Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies 7
Homeland Security and Protective Services 6 grads · 1 major
Criminal Justice/Safety Studies 6
Theology and Religious Vocations 3 grads · 1 major
Theology/Theological Studies 3
SOURCEIPEDS Completions 2023 — first majors only, so a student with a double major is counted once

Boston College Location & Campus Safety

Boston College is in Newton, MA, in what IPEDS classifies as a small city setting. The campus sits about 2 miles from the center of Newton. There are 43 other colleges within 25 miles, and Boston, MA is 7.7 miles away.

Boston College Other colleges within 30 miles
Small city
Campus Setting
2 mi
To City Center
43
Colleges Within 25 mi
88,504
Newton Population
Living in Newton
Cost of living and getting around, for the whole city — not the campus
ACS 2023
$2,388
Median Rent / mo
$184,989
Median Household Income
26.8%
Rent as % of Income
How People Commute
Drive alone
49.6%
Walk
5.4%
Public transit
8.8%

Middlesex County scores 12.0 out of 20 on the EPA National Walkability Index — above average walkable. The index is a county-wide average of block groups, so it describes the surrounding area rather than the campus itself.

Undergraduates make up about 8.7% of Newton's residents.

SOURCEU.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 5-year estimates; EPA National Walkability Index
Colleges Near Boston College
Within 30 miles, at least 500 students, by straight-line distance
Boston University 18,248 students 3.3 mi
Harvard University 7,601 students 3.7 mi
SOURCEIPEDS campus coordinates, Boston College to each campus

Campus Safety at Boston College

Every college that receives federal financial aid must publish its crime statistics each year under the Clery Act. These are the figures Boston College reported for 2024.

15
On-Campus Offenses
12
In Residence Halls
1
Per 1,000 Students
15
Domestic, Dating & Stalking

Read these numbers carefully. A Clery figure counts reports, not incidents. A university with active reporting channels, a large campus police force and a teaching hospital will record more offenses than one where the same events go unreported — so a higher count is not evidence of a more dangerous campus, and a low count is not evidence of a safe one. In 2024, 833 campuses with more than 1,000 students reported no offenses at all. Use these figures to ask a college questions, not to rank one against another.

Reported On-Campus Offenses by Year
Criminal offenses reported on campus, including residence halls · Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Clery Act disclosures
2022
46
2023
30
2024
15
What Was Reported in 2024
On-campus criminal offenses by category
Sexual offenses
12
Burglary
1
Aggravated assault
1
Arson
1

Separately, Boston College reported 623 disciplinary referrals for weapons, drug and liquor law violations on campus. Referrals for alcohol violations are usually the largest category at residential colleges and reflect how a school handles student conduct internally.

SOURCEU.S. Department of Education, Campus Safety and Security — Clery Act disclosures, 2024

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Boston College admissions, costs, and outcomes.