Boston University: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Boston, Massachusetts · Private nonprofit · Highly selective · CDS 2025-2026
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Boston University is a private nonprofit university in Boston, Massachusetts that admits about 13% of applicants, making it a highly selective school. The average family pays about $24,402 a year after financial aid, which matters more than the published sticker price. It is best known for Business Administration, Management and Operations, Economics and Computer Science, its largest undergraduate programs by number of graduates. About 90% of students graduate within six years. Its most recent Clery Act report shows roughly 5.0 criminal offenses per 1,000 students.
Boston University is a private institution located in Boston, Massachusetts and one of the highly selective schools in the country. For the most recent reporting cycle, Boston University admits between 1 in 10 and 1 in 4 applicants, with an overall admission rate of 13%. Admitted students typically post a median SAT of 1470 and an ACT composite around 33. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $24,402 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price.
What parents should know about Boston University right now
Boston University, founded in 1839 by a group of Boston Methodists and chartered in Boston in 1869, is a private research university along the Charles River in Boston and a member of the Association of American Universities. With roughly 36,000 students across 17 schools and colleges, BU offers an unusually broad academic footprint for a private university, including the Questrom School of Business, the College of Communication, the College of Engineering, and the Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences. The university is also home to a top-ranked seven-year combined BA/MD program with the Aram V. Chobanian and Edward Avedisian School of Medicine, a draw for families considering accelerated pre-medical pathways. For parents, recent news worth flagging includes BU's continued test-optional policy through recent admissions cycles and its 2023 leadership transition with the appointment of Melissa Gilliam as president, the first woman to lead the university, who took office in 2024. BU has also expanded financial aid, with the BU Pledge guaranteeing tuition coverage for admitted Massachusetts residents from families with adjusted gross incomes under a published threshold. Application strategy notes include BU's binding Early Decision I and II rounds and the increasingly competitive admit rate, which has fallen meaningfully over the past five cycles as applications have surged.
What GPA does my child need for Boston University?
72% of enrolled students at Boston University had a high school GPA of 3.75 or above, and the average was 3.86, according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set.
What does Boston University weight in admissions?
Boston University reports these factor weights in its Common Data Set (2025-2026). What the weights mean
- • Rigor of secondary school record
- • Academic GPA
- • Class rank
- • Application essay
- • Recommendations
- • Extracurricular activities
- • Character/personal qualities
SAT and ACT scores Boston University typically admits
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 730–780, with an EBRW midpoint near 700. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 32–34. 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 | 1420 |
| 50th percentile | 1470 |
| 75th percentile | 1510 |
| % submitting SAT | 36% |
| 25th percentile | 33 |
| 50th percentile | 34 |
| 75th percentile | 34 |
| % submitting ACT | 10% |
- • 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 | 86% |
| Top 25% of class | 98% |
| Top 50% of class | 100% |
| % submitting class rank | 14% |
How much does Boston University actually cost?
Published tuition is $68,102 for in-state students and $68,102 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $19,020 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $24,402 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 19% of students receive Pell Grants.
| In-state tuition | $69,870 |
| Room and board | $19,970 |
| Average net price (after aid) | $24,402 |
| Application fee | $80 (waivers available) |
Application deadlines and early decision data for Boston University
| Regular deadline | 1/5 |
| Notification date | 4/1 |
| Reply deadline | 5/1 |
| Offers Early Decision | Yes |
| ED deadline | November 1 |
| Offers Early Decision II | Yes |
| ED II deadline | January 5 |
| ED acceptance rate (all rounds) | 31% |
Will my child graduate from Boston University?
These predict outcomes at Boston University better than its acceptance rate does. How to read retention and graduation rates
Most popular majors at Boston University
The most popular undergraduate programs at Boston University, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Business Administration, Management and Operations, Economics and Computer Science. Across all programs, Boston University confers roughly 2,444 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Business Administration, Management and Operations program report a median income of about $102,943 five years after entering college. What these figures mean
| Major | Graduates / year | Median earnings (5 yrs out) |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 678 | $102,943 |
| Economics | 305 | $88,959 |
| Computer Science | 294 | $137,182 |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | 276 | — |
| Psychology, General | 276 | $60,374 |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | 233 | $74,117 |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | 203 | $58,649 |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General | 179 | $75,810 |
Is Boston University safe? Campus crime & safety
In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), Boston University disclosed 91 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 5.0 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 50 violent offenses and 20 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Why per-1,000 rates, not counts
What is campus life like at Boston University?
About 57% of undergraduates at Boston University live in campus housing, making it a largely residential campus. In Greek life, 11% of women join a sorority. 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 University
Common questions parents ask about Boston University
What GPA do I need for Boston University?
72% of enrolled students at Boston University had a high school GPA of 3.75 or above, and the average was 3.86, according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set.
What SAT or ACT score does Boston University typically admit?
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 730–780, with an EBRW midpoint near 700. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 32–34.
How much does Boston University actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at Boston University after grants and scholarships is $24,402 per year, against a published in-state tuition of $68,102. Budget against the net figure.
Is Boston University realistic for my child?
Boston University admits 13% of applicants, so 730–780 SAT Math is target range and below 730 is a reach. Then check the $24,402 average net price against what your family can carry.
What is the acceptance rate at Boston University?
Boston University accepts about 13% of applicants out of roughly 76,776 who apply each year. That makes it a highly selective school.
Is Boston University test-optional?
Yes. Boston University 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 University?
About 90% of students at Boston University graduate within six years, and 82% finish in four years. 94% of freshmen return for sophomore year. Graduation rate predicts real outcomes better than acceptance rate.
Does applying Early Decision improve my chances at Boston University?
Boston University's Early Decision acceptance rate is about 31%, compared with its overall rate of 13%. Applying ED can meaningfully improve admission odds, but it is a binding commitment to enroll if accepted.
What does Boston University look for in applicants?
Boston University 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 University a public or private school, and where is it located?
Boston University is a private nonprofit institution located in Boston, Massachusetts.
What are the most popular majors at Boston University?
The largest undergraduate majors at Boston University by annual graduates are Business Administration, Management and Operations, Economics and Computer Science. The school awards about 2,444 bachelor's degrees a year in total. These figures come from federal IPEDS completion data.
Is Boston University safe? What is its campus crime rate?
Boston University reported 91 total criminal offenses in its most recent Clery Act disclosure (2024), roughly 5.0 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 University?
At Boston University, 57% of undergraduates live on campus, 11% of women are in sororities, according to its most recent Common Data Set.
Sources: the 2025-2026 Common Data Set submitted by Boston University, the College Scorecard and IPEDS, and Clery Act disclosures. What each source covers