16.4%
Acceptance Rate
$70,702
Avg Cost (In-State)
$70,702
Avg Cost (Out-of-State)
90.9%
Graduation Rate
10,085
Total Enrollment
We're showing you this because it offers your suggested major.
← Back to political science collegesBy the numbers
Boston College, at a glance
Graduation rate is the standard federal 6-year completion rate (students often take longer than four years). Earnings & selectivity rankings are computed across every US college in our catalog. Figures from College Scorecard / IPEDS; sticker cost is before financial aid.
What they weigh most
Source: Common Data Set
Popular programs
Application requirements
Regular Deadline
January 2
Early Deadline
November 1 (Early Decision I and Early Action), January 2 (Early Decision II)
Common App
Yes
Test Policy
Test Optional
Essays Required
1
Letters of Rec
2
Application Fee
$80
Interview
Not required
Essays: One required supplemental essay (400 words) in addition to Common App personal statement
Requirements are AI-generated from public data and may change. Always verify directly with the college.
Getting there
Graduate outcomes
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard
$58,619
Median Earnings at 6 Years
median graduate salary 6 years after starting
$62,123
Median Earnings at 10 Years
median graduate salary 10 years after starting
36%
4-Year Graduation Rate
students completing degree within 4 years
Earnings data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Figures reflect federal aid recipients only — actual median earnings may be higher at schools where many students receive grants rather than loans.
Earnings by major
Median earnings 1 year after graduation, by bachelor's program. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard FieldOfStudy data.
| Program | Median earnings (1yr) | Earnings (4yr) | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Finance and Financial Management Services. | $82,495 | $147,746 | 262 |
| Economics. | $72,099 | $121,337 | 243 |
| Biology, General. | $38,592 | $83,614 | 159 |
| Political Science and Government. | $46,764 | $86,537 | 147 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | $78,934 | $94,867 | 141 |
| Communication and Media Studies. | $55,162 | $83,586 | 139 |
| Marketing. | $66,227 | $106,353 | 107 |
| English Language and Literature, General. | $41,878 | $70,141 | 91 |
Tracked through federal tax records. Programs with fewer than 30 graduates with reported earnings are privacy-suppressed. 4-year figure tracks the same cohort 3 years later.
What current students say
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Personalized cost estimate based on your family's finances and academic profile
Calculate Your Cost at Boston College
Get a personalized estimate of what you'd pay to attend Boston College
Tactics that apply here
Things you can do that most families don't know about.
Early Action priority deadlines unlock the biggest merit pools
~$15k valueAt many public universities, applying by the EA deadline (Nov 1) instead of regular (Feb 1) decides whether you're considered for the top merit awards.
Who it helps: Students with their applications ready by November of senior year, especially those targeting merit-rich publics.
How to use: List each target school's EA deadline (commonly Nov 1, sometimes Oct 15 or Dec 1). Submit complete applications + test scores by then. Confirm merit-scholarship deadlines separately — some require a different priority date or supplemental essay.
Source ↗File FAFSA the day it opens
~$5k valueMost schools award state and institutional aid first-come-first-served from a fixed pool. Filing FAFSA in October beats filing in February by thousands.
Who it helps: Every student applying for need-based aid, but especially families relying on state grants or institutional aid.
How to use: Set a calendar reminder for the FAFSA opening date (currently Oct 1 most years; Dec 1 in the 2024-25 transition year). Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to auto-fill tax info. Submit even if you have to estimate; corrections are easy.
Source ↗CSS Profile is required by 200+ private schools — separate from FAFSA
Most selective private colleges use the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA. It costs $25 + $16/school and reaches deeper into family finances than FAFSA does.
Who it helps: Any student applying to a private 4-year with significant institutional aid needs.
How to use: Check the CSS Profile school list for each of your target colleges. Open the app at cssprofile.collegeboard.org as soon as it opens (early Oct). Submit ahead of each school's earliest priority date — often before the FAFSA deadline.
Source ↗Scholarships
Scholarships you may qualify for.
Boston College Presidential Scholars Program
Full tuition + summer enrichment
universityTop 15 BC freshmen via competitive process. Need + merit considered.
Deadline: Early Action by November 1
Learn more ↗Boston College Presidential Scholars Program (PSP)
Full tuition + service-learning cohort + summer funding
universityBC incoming freshmen who exemplify intellectual + leadership + service excellence; cohort programming with sustained engagement; competitive selection from accepted-student pool.
Deadline: November 1
Learn more ↗Boston College AHANA Achievement Scholarship
$5,000-$15,000/year (renewable)
universityBC incoming freshmen of African, Hispanic, Asian, Native American descent (AHANA); demonstrate academic merit + leadership + commitment to AHANA community at BC.
Deadline: November 1
Learn more ↗Boston College Gabelli Presidential Scholarship
Full tuition + summer enrichment + research stipend (renewable 4 years)
universityTop BC incoming freshmen via competitive process; ~15-20 scholars per cohort; 3.85+ GPA + top SAT/ACT; honors program with summer programming + research; flagship merit award at BC.
Deadline: November 1 (Early Action)
Learn more ↗Wellesley College Need-Met Aid
100% need met (loans capped per year)
universityAll admitted Wellesley students with demonstrated need.
Deadline: CSS Profile + FAFSA + IDOC
Learn more ↗Boston Foundation Scholarships
$1,000-$5,000
localEastern Massachusetts students with academic merit + financial need.
Deadline: Varies
Learn more ↗Salem State Scholarship
$1,500-$5,000/year
universitySSU incoming freshmen via automatic merit grid.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗Mount Holyoke Need-Met Aid
100% need met for international + most domestic students
universityAdmitted Mount Holyoke students with demonstrated need.
Deadline: CSS Profile + FAFSA
Learn more ↗UMass Lowell Chancellor's Scholarship
Up to full tuition + fees
universityTop UML freshmen with 3.5+ GPA + 1300+ SAT.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗Net price by income
What it actually costs your family.
Average net price (tuition, fees, room/board minus grant aid) by household income tier, AY 2023–24. Source: IPEDS NPRC1.
| Household income | Average net price / year |
|---|---|
| $0 – $30,000 | $9,500 |
| $30,001 – $48,000 | $9,342 |
| $48,001 – $75,000 | $11,778 |
| $75,001 – $110,000 | $22,517 |
| $110,001+ | $47,504 |
Cost calculator
See the full income-tier cost breakdown for Boston College →
Type your household income and get a per-family estimate, plus % off sticker and a methodology breakdown.
Round-by-round
Acceptance rates by application round.
The single overall 16.4% rate hides a 2–4x gap between ED and RD at most selective schools. Class of 2027 cycle.
Early Decision I
27%
acceptance
BC added binding ED in recent cycles.
Source ↗Early Decision II
22%
acceptance
Regular Decision
15%
acceptance
Overall ~17%.
Source ↗Class profile
Who actually goes here.
From the most recent Common Data Set and IPEDS.
11.0%
% Pell-eligible
Federal Pell grant recipients
13.0%
% first-generation
First in family to attend college
25.0%
% in-state
Residents of the college's home state
23.0%
% URM
Black, Hispanic/Latino, Native combined
35.0%
Yield rate
Share of admitted students who enroll
95.0%
1st-to-2nd year retention
Freshmen who return as sophomores
92.0%
6-year grad rate
Graduate within 150% normal time
Demonstrated interest
Important
Visiting, attending info sessions and opening admissions emails meaningfully helps your chances. Track your touchpoints.
Peer colleges
Similar colleges to consider.
Similar selectivity
Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus
Atlanta, GA
14.1% acceptance
Both admit around 14% of applicants, with 19k undergrads and a u campus — a close selectivity match.
University of Miami
Coral Gables, FL
18.9% acceptance
Both admit around 19% of applicants, with 13k undergrads and a s campus — a close selectivity match.
Georgetown University
Washington, DC
12.9% acceptance
Both admit around 13% of applicants, with 8k undergrads and a u campus — a close selectivity match.
Cheaper alternatives
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
Tallahassee, FL
20.6% acceptance
Similar selectivity (21% vs 16%) but out-of-state cost runs $18k — meaningfully less than $71k.
Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL
24.2% acceptance
Similar selectivity (24% vs 16%) but out-of-state cost runs $19k — meaningfully less than $71k.
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL
24.2% acceptance
Similar selectivity (24% vs 16%) but out-of-state cost runs $29k — meaningfully less than $71k.
Safer alternatives
Binghamton University
Vestal, NY
38.6% acceptance
Same s setting in the Northeast, but higher admit rate (39% vs 16%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
SUNY Stony Brook
Stony Brook, NY
49% acceptance
Same s setting in the Northeast, but higher admit rate (49% vs 16%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
Stony Brook University
Stony Brook, NY
49% acceptance
Same s setting in the Northeast, but higher admit rate (49% vs 16%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
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