11.1%
Acceptance Rate
$68,102
Avg Cost (In-State)
$68,102
Avg Cost (Out-of-State)
89.3%
Graduation Rate
18,248
Total Enrollment
What they weigh most
Source: Common Data Set
Popular programs
Application requirements
Regular Deadline
January 4
Early Deadline
November 1 (Early Decision)
Common App
Yes
Test Policy
Test Optional
Essays Required
1
Letters of Rec
2
Application Fee
$95
Interview
Not required
Essays: One required essay from Common Application plus optional BU-specific essay responding to prompt about what about being a BU student excites you
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
$65,655
Median Earnings at 6 Years
median graduate salary 6 years after starting
$83,238
Median Earnings at 10 Years
median graduate salary 10 years after starting
89%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and Operations. | $71,545 | $108,412 | 518 |
| Communication and Media Studies. | $47,349 | $80,306 | 332 |
| Psychology, General. | $39,175 | $63,838 | 155 |
| International Relations and National Security Studies. | $45,870 | $66,661 | 153 |
| Computer Science. | $90,050 | $136,667 | 151 |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication. | $37,225 | $55,804 | 145 |
| Mechanical Engineering. | $76,337 | $95,757 | 126 |
| Economics. | $55,733 | $96,723 | 125 |
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 University
Get a personalized estimate of what you'd pay to attend Boston University
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 University Trustee Scholarship
Full tuition (~$66,000)
universityTop ~20 BU freshmen via competitive process; strong academic + leadership.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗BU Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship
Full tuition
universityTop BU freshmen committed to civil rights + social justice values; competitive process.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗BU Presidential Scholarship
$30,000/year
universityBU freshmen with top academic credentials; automatic for admitted top candidates.
Deadline: January 4
Learn more ↗PROMYS Summer Math Program Scholarship
Tuition + need-based aid
nationalHS students 14-18 attending PROMYS at Boston University.
Deadline: March
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 ↗UMass Boston Chancellor's Scholarship
Full tuition + fees
universityTop UMass Boston freshmen via competitive process; need + merit considered.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗Boston Foundation Scholarships
$1,000-$5,000
localEastern Massachusetts students with academic merit + financial need.
Deadline: Varies
Learn more ↗Smith College Need-Met Aid
100% need met; loans replaced for first-year families under $60k
universityAll admitted Smith students with demonstrated need.
Deadline: CSS Profile + FAFSA
Learn more ↗Salem State Scholarship
$1,500-$5,000/year
universitySSU incoming freshmen via automatic merit grid.
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 | $22,100 |
| $30,001 – $48,000 | $26,400 |
| $48,001 – $75,000 | $35,200 |
| $75,001 – $110,000 | $47,100 |
| $110,001+ | $64,200 |
Cost calculator
See the full income-tier cost breakdown for Boston University →
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 11.1% rate hides a 2–4x gap between ED and RD at most selective schools. Class of 2027 cycle.
Early Decision I
30%
acceptance
ED edgeRegular Decision
13%
acceptance
Overall ~14%.
Source ↗Early Decision II
25%
acceptance
ED edgeClass profile
Who actually goes here.
From the most recent Common Data Set and IPEDS.
17.0%
% Pell-eligible
Federal Pell grant recipients
18.0%
% first-generation
First in family to attend college
17.0%
% in-state
Residents of the college's home state
19.0%
% URM
Black, Hispanic/Latino, Native combined
26.0%
Yield rate
Share of admitted students who enroll
94.0%
1st-to-2nd year retention
Freshmen who return as sophomores
89.0%
6-year grad rate
Graduate within 150% normal time
Demonstrated interest
Considered
Visiting, attending info sessions and opening admissions emails meaningfully helps your chances. Track your touchpoints.
Peer colleges
Similar colleges to consider.
Similar selectivity
University of California-Berkeley
Berkeley, CA
11% acceptance
Both admit around 11% of applicants, with 33k undergrads and a u campus — a close selectivity match.
Tulane University
New Orleans, LA
11% acceptance
Both admit around 11% of applicants, with 14k undergrads and a u campus — a close selectivity match.
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA
9.8% acceptance
Both admit around 10% of applicants, with 20k 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 11%) but out-of-state cost runs $18k — meaningfully less than $68k.
Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus
Atlanta, GA
14.1% acceptance
Similar selectivity (14% vs 11%) but out-of-state cost runs $34k — meaningfully less than $68k.
Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA
16% acceptance
Similar selectivity (16% vs 11%) but out-of-state cost runs $38k — meaningfully less than $68k.
Safer alternatives
Berklee College of Music
Boston, MA
43.5% acceptance
Same u setting in the Northeast, but higher admit rate (44% vs 11%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
Syracuse University
Syracuse, NY
45.9% acceptance
Same u setting in the Northeast, but higher admit rate (46% vs 11%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
CUNY Bernard M Baruch College
New York, NY
47.5% acceptance
Same u setting in the Northeast, but higher admit rate (48% vs 11%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
Transfer pathways
Routes in from a community college.
From MA community colleges
articulation onlyBU is fairly transfer-friendly, admitting ~1,500-2,000 transfers per year. BU has articulation agreements with several Massachusetts community colleges via the MassTransfer pathway. Transfer deadlines: November 1 (spring) and March 15 (fall). Minimum 12 transferable credits requi…
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