Boston College

www.bc.edu

Add Comparison

2023 Undergraduate Tuition

$66,410

5.5% growth from 2022

2023 Average Net Price

$32,590

After Financial Aid

2020 Default Rate

on Student Loans

2023 Acceptance Rate

15.7%

36,069 Applicants

2023 Enrolled Students

15,280

88.1% Full-Time

2023 Graduation Rate

91%

2,192 Graduates

About

Boston College is a higher education institution located in Middlesex County, MA. In 2023, the most popular Bachelors Degree concentrations at Boston College were General Finance (384 degrees awarded), Econometrics & Quantitative Economics (317 degrees), and General Biological Sciences (220 degrees).

In 2023, 5,118 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Boston College. 54.5% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 45.5% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (2,958 degrees), 6 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (493 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Boston College is $66,410, which is $35,407 more than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,004).

In 2020 the default rate for borrower's at Boston College was 0%, corresponding to 0 out of the 1,906 total borrowers.

Photo by Jim McIntosh

Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity Doctoral Universities

Costs

In 2023, the median undergraduate tuition at Boston College is $66,410, which is $35,407 more than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,004).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $32,590.

In 2023, 45% of undergraduate students attending Boston College received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 32% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$66,410

2023 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2023, the cost of tuition at Boston College was $66,410. The cost of tuition at Boston College is $35,407 more than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,004).

This chart compares the tuition costs of Boston College (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$32,590

2023 Value

6.65%

1 Year Growth

In 2023 Boston College had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $32,590. Between 2022 and 2023, the average net price of Boston College grew by 6.65%.

This chart compares the average net price of Boston College (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$13,935

Room and Board

$1,250

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Boston College was of $13,935 in 2023. The cost of room and board increased by 2.64% between 2022 and 2023.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,250. The cost of books and supplies did not change during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at Boston College (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

45%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

32%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

45% of undergraduate students at Boston College received financial aid through grants or loans in 2023. This represents a growth of 2.27% with respect to 2022, when 44% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at Boston College (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

2020 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2020 the default rate for borrower's at Boston College was 0%, which represents 0 out of the 1906 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Admissions

Boston College received 36,069 undergraduate applications in 2023, which represents a 10.9% annual growth. Out of those 36,069 applicants, 5,645 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 15.7% acceptance rate.

There were 15,280 students enrolled at Boston College in 2023. 28% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

Boston College has an overall enrollment yield of 41.4%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

15.7%

Acceptance Rate in 2023

5,645

Accepted Out of 36,069

In 2023, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Boston College was 15.7% (5,645 admissions from 36,069 applications). This is lower than the acceptance rate of 2022, which was 16.7%. Between 2022 and 2023, the number of applicants declined by 10.9%, while admissions declined by 16.3%.

This chart compares the acceptance rate of Boston College (in red) with that of other similar universities, and the chart below shows the acceptance rate by gender.

SAT Scores

28%

Submission Percentage (2023)

662

Scores Submitted (2023)

28% of enrolled first-time students at Boston College in 2023 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

The following chart shows the average SAT scores for the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile of applicants for each section of the test that they are evaluated on.

Enrollment

Boston College had a total enrollment of 15,280 students in 2023. The full-time enrollment at Boston College is 13,467 students and the part-time enrollment is 1,813. This means that 88.1% of students enrolled at Boston College are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Boston College, both undergraduate and graduate, is 56.3% White, 9.76% Hispanic or Latino, 9.45% Asian, 5.47% Black or African American, 3.38% Two or More Races, 0.0982% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0458% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Boston College in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (31.3%), followed by White Male (26.4%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (6.14%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (33.8%), followed by White Male (19.5%) and Asian Female (4.2%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

88.1%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Boston College in 2023, both undergraduate and graduate, is 15,280 students. The full-time enrollment at Boston College is 13,467 and the part-time enrollment is 1,813. This means that 88.1% of students enrolled at Boston College are enrolled full-time compared with 77.9% at similar Doctoral Universities.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at Boston College (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

95%

2023 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at Boston College was 95%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Doctoral Universities (84%), Boston College had a retention rate higher than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at Boston College (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2023)

White
8,609 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
1,491 enrolled students
Asian
1,444 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at Boston College is 56.3% White, 9.76% Hispanic or Latino, 9.45% Asian, 5.47% Black or African American, 3.38% Two or More Races, 0.0982% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0458% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Doctoral Universities is 46.5% White, 15.9% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.78% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 514 students (3.36%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2023, 456 more women than men received degrees from Boston College. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Boston College is white (2,958 degrees awarded). There were 6 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (493 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at Boston College is General Finance (384 degrees awarded), followed by Econometrics & Quantitative Economics (317 degrees) and General Biological Sciences (220 degrees).

In 2023, the most specialized majors across all degree types at Boston College, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Philosophy and Religious Studies (114 degrees awarded), Legal (257 degrees), and Theology (101 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Boston College are Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers (362,600 people), Other managers (262,405 people), Social workers, all other (202,488 people), Elementary & middle school teachers (131,769 people), and Chief executives & legislators (123,970 people).

The most specialized majors at Boston College in 2023 are Philosophy and Religious Studies (114 degrees awarded), Legal (257 degrees), Theology (101 degrees), Social Sciences (679 degrees), and Public Administration and Social Service (311 degrees) (as of 2023).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Surgeons

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Boston College are Surgeons, Cardiovascular technologists and technicians, Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents, Nuclear medicine technologists and medical dosimetrists, and Dentists

The most specialized majors at Boston College are Philosophy and Religious Studies (114 degrees awarded), Legal (257 degrees), Theology (101 degrees), Social Sciences (679 degrees), and Public Administration and Social Service (311 degrees) (as of 2023).

Common Industries by Major

Elementary & secondary schools

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Boston College are Elementary & secondary schools (377,199 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (313,012 people), Legal services (288,726 people), Computer Systems Design (238,606 people), and Justice, public order, & safety activities (183,309 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by Boston College.

Most Common (2023)

General Finance
384 degrees awarded
Econometrics & Quantitative Economics
317 degrees awarded
General Biological Sciences
220 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common bachelors degree concentration at Boston College was General Finance with 384 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at Boston College according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

2,331

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2023

2,787

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2023

In 2023, 2,331 degrees were awarded to men at Boston College, which is 0.836 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (2,787).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at Boston College by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2023, 341 degrees were awarded to men at Boston College in General Finance, which is 3.28 times more than the 104 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2023, 271 degrees were awarded to men at Boston College in Social Work, which is 6.78 times more than the 40 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

88%

100% Completion Time

91%

150% Completion Time

In 2023, 88% of students graduating from Boston College completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 91% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 91% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Doctoral Universities Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

Hispanic or Latino Female

Highest Graduation Rate (94%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2023 at Boston College is Female and Hispanic or Latino (94% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Non-resident Alien Male students have the highest graduation rate (65.7%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 4.01% of graduates (88 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2023)

White
2,958 degrees awarded
Asian
493 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
440 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Boston College is white (2,958 degrees awarded). There were 6 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (493 degrees).

5.55% of degree recipients (284 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2023)

White Female
1,617 degrees awarded
White Male
1,341 degrees awarded
Asian Female
281 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Boston College is white female (1,617 degrees awarded). There were 1.21 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (1,341 degrees).

Operations

Boston College has an endowment valued at nearly $3.55B, as of the end of the 2023 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of −89.2M (−2.52%) compared to the 4.37% average return (19M on 434M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2023, Boston College had a total salary expenditure of 1.02B. Boston College employs 331 Professors, 281 Associate professors and 189 Assistant professors. Most academics at Boston College are Male Professor (218), Female Associate professor (144), and Male Associate professor (137).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Boston College are: Management, with 591 employees, Service, with 467 employees, and Office and Administrative Support with 334 employees.

Endowment

$3.55B

2023 Endowment

4.53%

decline from 2022

Boston College has an endowment valued at about $3.55B, as of the end of the 2023 fiscal year. The endowment of Boston College declined 4.53% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $3.11B higher than than the median endowment of Doctoral Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at Boston College (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity Carnegie Classification grouping.

Government Grants and Contracts

Grants & Contracts

$45.5M - Federal
$2.96M - State
$4.95M - Local

As of 2023, Boston College received $45.5M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $2.96M from state grants and contracts, and $4.95M from local grants and contracts.

Salary Expenditure

$440M

2023 Salaries

5.85%

growth from 2022

In 2023, Boston College paid a median of $440M in salaries, which represents 43.1% of their overall expenditure ($1.02B) and a 5.85% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 4.53% growth between 2021 and 2022, and a 1.27% growth between 2020 and 2021.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 246M (41.5% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$140M

Instructional Salaries

893

Number of Employees

In 2023, Boston College paid a total of $140M to 893 employees working as instructors, which represents 31.9% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $6.13M (2.35%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Occupations by Share

Professor

Most Common Instructor

331 Employees

Management

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

591 Employees

In 2023, the most common positions for instructional staff at Boston College were Professor with 331 employees, Associate professor with 281 employees, and Assistant professor with 189 employees.

In 2023, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Boston College were Management with 591 employees, Service with 467 employees, and Office and Administrative Support with 334 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic (2023)

Male Professor
Female Associate professor
Male Associate professor

In 2023, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Boston College was Male Professor with 218 employees, Female Associate professor with 144 employees, and Male Associate professor with 137 employees.

This chart shows the sex split between each academic rank present at Boston College.

Keep Exploring

New York University

University

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

University

Boston University

University

Tulane University of Louisiana

University

University of Rochester

University