Boston College: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts · Private nonprofit · Highly selective · CDS 2024-2025
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Boston College is a private nonprofit university in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts that admits about 16% of applicants, making it a highly selective school. The average family pays about $41,704 a year after financial aid, which matters more than the published sticker price. It is best known for Economics, Finance and Financial Management Services and Communication and Media Studies, its largest undergraduate programs by number of graduates. About 91% of students graduate within six years. Its most recent Clery Act report shows roughly 1.6 criminal offenses per 1,000 students.
Boston College is a private institution located in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts and one of the highly selective schools in the country. For the most recent reporting cycle, Boston College admits between 1 in 10 and 1 in 4 applicants, with an overall admission rate of 16%. Admitted students typically post a median SAT of 1500 and an ACT composite around 34. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $41,704 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price.
What parents should know about Boston College right now
Boston College, founded in 1863 by the Society of Jesus, is a private Catholic Jesuit research university in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, with more than 15,000 total students. BC's identity blends a strong liberal-arts core grounded in the Jesuit tradition of formation and reflection with nationally recognized professional schools, including the Carroll School of Management, one of the most respected undergraduate business schools in the country, the Lynch School of Education and Human Development, and the Connell School of Nursing. The Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences anchors the undergraduate experience, with required Core curriculum courses in philosophy, theology, and the arts that distinguish BC from secular peers. For parents, several recent developments are noteworthy. BC remains test-optional for first-year applicants and uses both binding Early Decision I and II rounds plus a Restrictive Early Action option, giving families multiple strategic timing choices. The Pine Manor Institute for Student Success, launched after BC's 2020 acquisition of Pine Manor College, has continued to expand support programs for first-generation and underrepresented students, and the university has steadily increased its financial aid budget, with admit-deny aid policies that emphasize meeting demonstrated need for admitted domestic students. Recent campus news of family interest includes ongoing construction in the Heights and continued ACC athletics programming.
What GPA does my child need for Boston College?
Most admitted students at Boston College present unweighted GPAs in the 3.85–4.0 range with five or more AP or honors courses across high school.
What does Boston College weight in admissions?
Boston College reports these factor weights in its Common Data Set (2024-2025). What the weights mean
- • Rigor of secondary school record
- • Academic GPA
- • Class rank
- • Standardized test scores
- • Application essay
- • Recommendations
- • Extracurricular activities
- • Talent/ability
- • Character/personal qualities
- • Volunteer work
SAT and ACT scores Boston College typically admits
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 730–780, with an EBRW midpoint near 725. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 33–35. Scores below the 25th-percentile mark are accepted occasionally, but the realistic submission target for most families is the school's middle-50 floor or higher.
| 25th percentile | 1460 |
| 50th percentile | 1500 |
| 75th percentile | 1520 |
| % submitting SAT | 30% |
| 25th percentile | 33 |
| 50th percentile | 34 |
| 75th percentile | 35 |
| % submitting ACT | 15% |
- • Test-optional: Standardized test scores are not required, but may be submitted and considered.
- • Policy detail: Considered if submitted
Where admitted students ranked in their high school class
Class rank distribution gives parents a clear sense of how academically dominant a typical admitted student was within their own high school cohort — often a more meaningful signal than absolute GPA.
| Top 10% of class | 90% |
| Top 25% of class | 96.9% |
| Top 50% of class | 99.1% |
| % submitting class rank | 26.6% |
How much does Boston College actually cost?
Published tuition is $70,702 for in-state students and $70,702 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $18,916 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $41,704 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 13% of students receive Pell Grants.
| In-state tuition | $72,180 |
| Room and board | $19,290 |
| Average net price (after aid) | $41,704 |
| Application fee | — (waivers available) |
Application deadlines and early decision data for Boston College
| Regular deadline | 1/2 |
| Notification date | 1-Apr |
| Reply deadline | 5/1/25 |
| Offers Early Decision | Yes |
| ED deadline | November 1 |
| Offers Early Decision II | Yes |
| ED II deadline | January 2 |
| ED acceptance rate (all rounds) | 33% |
Will my child graduate from Boston College?
These predict outcomes at Boston College better than its acceptance rate does. How to read retention and graduation rates
Most popular majors at Boston College
The most popular undergraduate programs at Boston College, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Economics, Finance and Financial Management Services and Communication and Media Studies. Across all programs, Boston College confers roughly 1,580 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Economics program report a median income of about $112,774 five years after entering college. What these figures mean
| Major | Graduates / year | Median earnings (5 yrs out) |
|---|---|---|
| Economics | 354 | $112,774 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 325 | $135,373 |
| Communication and Media Studies | 191 | $81,317 |
| Biology, General | 182 | $80,290 |
| Political Science and Government | 142 | $90,434 |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | 138 | $68,755 |
| Computer Science | 125 | $155,305 |
| Accounting and Related Services | 123 | $122,243 |
Is Boston College safe? Campus crime & safety
In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), Boston College disclosed 16 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 1.6 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 1 violent offenses and 13 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Why per-1,000 rates, not counts
What is campus life like at Boston College?
About 80% of undergraduates at Boston College live in campus housing, making it a largely residential campus. Residential rate and Greek participation shape day-to-day social life and are worth weighing alongside academics and cost.
Other colleges in Massachusetts parents ask about
Next steps for Boston College
Common questions parents ask about Boston College
What GPA do I need for Boston College?
Most admitted students at Boston College present unweighted GPAs in the 3.85–4.0 range with five or more AP or honors courses across high school.
What SAT or ACT score does Boston College typically admit?
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 730–780, with an EBRW midpoint near 725. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 33–35.
How much does Boston College actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at Boston College after grants and scholarships is $41,704 per year, against a published in-state tuition of $70,702. Budget against the net figure.
Is Boston College realistic for my child?
Boston College admits 16% of applicants, so 730–780 SAT Math is target range and below 730 is a reach. Then check the $41,704 average net price against what your family can carry.
What is the acceptance rate at Boston College?
Boston College accepts about 16% of applicants out of roughly 34,779 who apply each year. That makes it a highly selective school.
Is Boston College test-optional?
Yes. Boston College is test-optional, so SAT and ACT scores are not required, but strong scores can still be submitted and will be considered.
What is the graduation rate at Boston College?
About 91% of students at Boston College graduate within six years. 96% of freshmen return for sophomore year. Graduation rate predicts real outcomes better than acceptance rate.
Does applying Early Decision improve my chances at Boston College?
Boston College's Early Decision acceptance rate is about 33%, compared with its overall rate of 16%. Applying ED can meaningfully improve admission odds, but it is a binding commitment to enroll if accepted.
What does Boston College look for in applicants?
Boston College rates course rigor and GPA as "very important" in its Common Data Set. These are the factors the admissions committee weighs most heavily when reviewing an application.
Is Boston College a public or private school, and where is it located?
Boston College is a private nonprofit institution located in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.
What are the most popular majors at Boston College?
The largest undergraduate majors at Boston College by annual graduates are Economics, Finance and Financial Management Services and Communication and Media Studies. The school awards about 1,580 bachelor's degrees a year in total. These figures come from federal IPEDS completion data.
Is Boston College safe? What is its campus crime rate?
Boston College reported 16 total criminal offenses in its most recent Clery Act disclosure (2024), roughly 1.6 per 1,000 students. Compare the per-1,000 rate rather than the raw total, since larger schools report more incidents.
What is campus life like at Boston College?
At Boston College, 80% of undergraduates live on campus, according to its most recent Common Data Set.
Sources: the 2024-2025 Common Data Set submitted by Boston College, the College Scorecard and IPEDS, and Clery Act disclosures. What each source covers