Private not-for-profit · City: Large
Boston University
Boston, Massachusetts
Detailed ICP profile · Partial Common Data Set research. Each figure has its own reporting year. This is a research snapshot, not a live update.
At a glance
- 2026–27 published cost
- $98,419
- Any state of residence · On campus · before aid
- Details about 2026–27 published cost ↓
Admissions
Historical admissions describe the reported applicant pool, not your chances. Early-plan applicants form different pools.
Applicants admitted
12.8%
Fall 2025
Historical first-year applicant pool; not your admission chances.
About this number: Applicants admitted
Admission offers divided by applications for the reported pool. Applicant characteristics and campus scope vary; this does not predict an individual decision.
Boston University Common Data Set · Fall 2025
Who or what this describes: First-time, first-year degree-seeking students
First-year applications
76,776
Fall 2025
Historical applications in the source-defined pool and year.
About this number: First-year applications
This is an application count, not the size of the entering class. Campus/program reporting scope matters.
Boston University Common Data Set · Fall 2025
Who or what this describes: First-time, first-year degree-seeking students
More admissions statistics (5)
First-year admission offers
9,853
Fall 2025
Historical offers of admission, not students who enrolled.
About this number: First-year admission offers
Admitted and enrolled populations differ. This count is separate from acceptance rate or yield.
Boston University Common Data Set · Fall 2025
Who or what this describes: First-time, first-year degree-seeking students
New first-year students
3,449
Fall 2025
Historical entering class under the source definition.
About this number: New first-year students
This is neither all undergraduates nor all students who received an admission offer.
Boston University Common Data Set · Fall 2025
Who or what this describes: First-time, first-year degree-seeking students
Early Decision applicants admitted
31.3%
Fall 2025
A separate historical applicant pool; not proof of an admissions advantage.
About this number: Early Decision applicants admitted
Applicants using this plan differ from the overall pool. This rate does not establish current availability, binding conditions or a causal advantage.
Boston University Common Data Set · Fall 2025
Who or what this describes: First-time, first-year degree-seeking students
Historical Early Decision applicants
6,907
Fall 2025
Reported population and year apply; missing is not zero.
About this number: Historical Early Decision applicants
Read the source-defined population and conditions before comparing this figure with another institution.
Boston University Common Data Set · Fall 2025
Who or what this describes: First-time, first-year degree-seeking students
Historical Early Decision admitted
2,165
Fall 2025
Reported population and year apply; missing is not zero.
About this number: Historical Early Decision admitted
Read the source-defined population and conditions before comparing this figure with another institution.
Boston University Common Data Set · Fall 2025
Who or what this describes: First-time, first-year degree-seeking students
Academic profile of entering students
Scores and GPA describe past students, not current requirements. Reporting methods and populations differ.
SAT middle 50%
1,420–1,510
Fall 2025
Enrolled students who submitted SAT scores. Not a required range or personal admission prediction.
About the 25th percentile: SAT 25th percentile
The 25th and 75th percentiles bound the middle 50% of the reported score-submitting group. They are not minimum requirements or averages; no composite is inferred by adding component percentiles.
Boston University Common Data Set · Fall 2025
Who or what this describes: first time first year degree seeking sat submitters
About the 75th percentile: SAT 75th percentile
The 25th and 75th percentiles bound the middle 50% of the reported score-submitting group. They are not minimum requirements or averages; no composite is inferred by adding component percentiles.
Boston University Common Data Set · Fall 2025
Who or what this describes: first time first year degree seeking sat submitters
ACT middle 50%
33–34
Fall 2025
Enrolled students who submitted ACT scores. Not a required range or personal admission prediction.
About the 25th percentile: ACT 25th percentile
The 25th and 75th percentiles bound the middle 50% of the reported score-submitting group. They are not minimum requirements or averages; no composite is inferred by adding component percentiles.
Boston University Common Data Set · Fall 2025
Who or what this describes: first time first year degree seeking act submitters
About the 75th percentile: ACT 75th percentile
The 25th and 75th percentiles bound the middle 50% of the reported score-submitting group. They are not minimum requirements or averages; no composite is inferred by adding component percentiles.
Boston University Common Data Set · Fall 2025
Who or what this describes: first time first year degree seeking act submitters
Average reported high-school GPA
3.86
Fall 2025
Among GPA reporters. Weighting and scale may vary; not a required or verified unweighted GPA.
About this number: Average reported high-school GPA
Schools report GPA differently. This mean cannot be compared as a universal scale or used as an admission cutoff.
Boston University Common Data Set · Fall 2025
Who or what this describes: first year enrollees reporting high school gpa
More academics statistics (11)
SAT reading/writing · 25th percentile
700
Fall 2025
Enrolled score submitters, not all students or a required score.
About this number: SAT reading/writing · 25th percentile
The 25th and 75th percentiles bound the middle 50% of the reported score-submitting group. They are not minimum requirements or averages; no composite is inferred by adding component percentiles.
Boston University Common Data Set · Fall 2025
Who or what this describes: first time first year degree seeking sat submitters
SAT reading/writing · 75th percentile
750
Fall 2025
Enrolled score submitters, not all students or a required score.
About this number: SAT reading/writing · 75th percentile
The 25th and 75th percentiles bound the middle 50% of the reported score-submitting group. They are not minimum requirements or averages; no composite is inferred by adding component percentiles.
Boston University Common Data Set · Fall 2025
Who or what this describes: first time first year degree seeking sat submitters
SAT math · 25th percentile
720
Fall 2025
Enrolled score submitters, not all students or a required score.
About this number: SAT math · 25th percentile
The 25th and 75th percentiles bound the middle 50% of the reported score-submitting group. They are not minimum requirements or averages; no composite is inferred by adding component percentiles.
Boston University Common Data Set · Fall 2025
Who or what this describes: first time first year degree seeking sat submitters
SAT math · 75th percentile
780
Fall 2025
Enrolled score submitters, not all students or a required score.
About this number: SAT math · 75th percentile
The 25th and 75th percentiles bound the middle 50% of the reported score-submitting group. They are not minimum requirements or averages; no composite is inferred by adding component percentiles.
Boston University Common Data Set · Fall 2025
Who or what this describes: first time first year degree seeking sat submitters
SAT submitter share
36.0%
Fall 2025
Share of the source-defined enrolled group submitting this test.
About this number: SAT submitter share
Submission rates depend on the reported population and policy at that time, not today’s testing requirement.
Boston University Common Data Set · Fall 2025
Who or what this describes: First-time, first-year degree-seeking students
ACT submitter share
10.0%
Fall 2025
Share of the source-defined enrolled group submitting this test.
About this number: ACT submitter share
Submission rates depend on the reported population and policy at that time, not today’s testing requirement.
Boston University Common Data Set · Fall 2025
Who or what this describes: First-time, first-year degree-seeking students
Share reporting GPA
100.0%
Fall 2025
Share of the entering group with reported GPA.
About this number: Share reporting GPA
The average reported GPA may describe only this subset; weighting and scale are source-specific.
Boston University Common Data Set · Fall 2025
Who or what this describes: First-time, first-year degree-seeking students
Share reporting class rank
14.0%
Fall 2025
Among students reporting class rank; nonreporters are not assumed to have a rank.
About this number: Share reporting class rank
Schools use different ranking systems. Check the reported population rather than treating this as an admission threshold.
Boston University Common Data Set · Fall 2025
Who or what this describes: First-time, first-year degree-seeking students
Top tenth of high-school class
86.0%
Fall 2025
Among students reporting class rank; nonreporters are not assumed to have a rank.
About this number: Top tenth of high-school class
Schools use different ranking systems. Check the reported population rather than treating this as an admission threshold.
Boston University Common Data Set · Fall 2025
Who or what this describes: First-time, first-year degree-seeking students
Top quarter of high-school class
98.0%
Fall 2025
Among students reporting class rank; nonreporters are not assumed to have a rank.
About this number: Top quarter of high-school class
Schools use different ranking systems. Check the reported population rather than treating this as an admission threshold.
Boston University Common Data Set · Fall 2025
Who or what this describes: First-time, first-year degree-seeking students
Top half of high-school class
100.0%
Fall 2025
Among students reporting class rank; nonreporters are not assumed to have a rank.
About this number: Top half of high-school class
Schools use different ranking systems. Check the reported population rather than treating this as an admission threshold.
Boston University Common Data Set · Fall 2025
Who or what this describes: First-time, first-year degree-seeking students
Costs & financial aid
Compare the year and population before comparing prices. Published budgets, group averages and your actual aid offer are different.
2026–27 cost of attendance
Published by Boston University$98,419
Published cost of attendance · per year, before financial aid
- 2026–27
This budget assumes
- Any state of residence
- On campus
- All undergraduates
What the school includes
- Tuition
- $73,024
- Fees
- $1,570
- Books & Supplies (estimated)
- $1,000
- Housing & Food (most plans)
- $20,740
- Incidentals (estimated)
- $2,085
- Published total
- $98,419
Not included in this total
College of General Studies first-year budget.
This is the school’s budget before financial aid. It is not a bill, the federal average net price, or your own aid offer.
About this budget
- The school labels these figures 2026–27.
- Source: Cost of Attendance for Undergraduates 2026/2027 (Boston University Student Financial Services). Researched October 21, 2026; independently audited October 22, 2026.
Research notes: Housing & Food reflects most plans; College of General Studies first-year students excluded.
Understand the five kinds of college costs
- Tuition & fees
- Instruction and required college fees; living costs are additional unless explicitly included.
- Attendance budget
- College charges plus estimated living, books, travel and other included expenses, before aid.
- Average annual cost after grants & scholarships
- A historical average after federal, state/local and college grant aid for a specified federal-aid population. Outside private scholarships are not automatically deducted; loans and work-study are not discounts.
- Your net cost
- Your entered attendance cost minus selected grants and scholarships. Loans and work-study remain funding sources.
- Borrowing
- Debt to repay, not a discount. Work-study is earned over time, not an upfront bill reduction.
Average annual cost after grants & scholarships
$36,503
2024–25
Includes applicable federal, state/local and college grants and scholarships. First-time, full-time students receiving federal financial aid form the reporting population. The attendance budget includes estimated living expenses. Your actual cost may differ.
About this number: Average annual cost after grants & scholarships
Federal average net price: average attendance cost (tuition, fees, books, supplies and living expenses) minus qualifying federal, state/local and institutional grants and scholarships for this population. Federal aid defines the reporting population, not the only aid deducted; some included students receive federal loans or work-study but no grants. This is a historical average, not a personalized award. Outside private scholarships are not automatically deducted. Loans and work-study are not subtracted. This is not tuition alone, an individual award, a guaranteed price or necessarily a college bill.
U.S. Department of Education · 2024–25
Who or what this describes: First-time, full-time students receiving federal financial aid at private institutions
Tuition
$69,870
academic year unspecified in 2025–2026 CDS G
Historical published tuition; fees and living expenses may be additional.
About this number: Tuition
Tuition covers instruction under the source conditions. Do not treat it as a full attendance budget or subtract average net price from it.
Boston University Common Data Set · academic year unspecified in 2025–2026 CDS G
Who or what this describes: First-time, full-time first-year students
More costs statistics (8)
Required fees
$1,502
academic year unspecified in 2025–2026 CDS G
Separate source-defined fees; do not add to an amount already including fees.
About this number: Required fees
Review the same-year tuition definition before adding separate fees.
Boston University Common Data Set · academic year unspecified in 2025–2026 CDS G
Who or what this describes: First-time, full-time first-year students
Housing & food
$19,970
academic year unspecified in 2025–2026 CDS G
Source-defined living arrangement and year; not necessarily your college bill.
About this number: Housing & food
Living expenses vary by housing arrangement. Do not mix these with a total budget that already includes them.
Boston University Common Data Set · academic year unspecified in 2025–2026 CDS G
Who or what this describes: First-time, full-time first-year students
Tuition & fees · in-state
$71,372
2025–26
Historical federal amount, before aid and living expenses.
About this number: Tuition & fees · in-state
Tuition and required fees are combined here. Do not add the institution’s separate fees again or confuse this with total attendance cost.
U.S. Department of Education · 2025–26
Who or what this describes: In-state tuition and fees
Tuition & fees · out-of-state
$71,372
2025–26
Historical federal amount, before aid and living expenses.
About this number: Tuition & fees · out-of-state
This combines tuition and fees for the reported residency. It is separate from a differently dated institutional tuition figure.
U.S. Department of Education · 2025–26
Who or what this describes: Out-of-state tuition and fees
Undergraduates receiving Pell Grants
21.4%
2024–25
Source-defined undergraduate recipients; not an eligibility prediction.
About this number: Undergraduates receiving Pell Grants
This describes reported recipients, not whether your family qualifies.
U.S. Department of Education · 2024–25
Who or what this describes: Percentage of undergraduates who receive a Pell Grant
Undergraduates receiving federal loans
29.8%
2024–25
Borrowing participation; loans are debt, not grants.
About this number: Undergraduates receiving federal loans
A loan must generally be repaid and does not reduce net price. This is not a measure of the amount each student borrows.
U.S. Department of Education · 2024–25
Who or what this describes: Percent of all undergraduate students receiving a federal student loan
Average need-based grant for recipients
$66,926
2025–2026 estimated
Source-defined first-year aid recipients, not all students.
About this number: Average need-based grant for recipients
An average grant is not an average net price or a promise of aid. Eligibility, institutional need definitions and award amounts vary.
Boston University Common Data Set · 2025–2026 estimated
Who or what this describes: First-time, full-time first-year students
Average financial need met
98.0%
2025–2026 estimated
Institution-defined need among the reported aid population.
About this number: Average financial need met
The college’s definition of need may differ from a family budget or federal Student Aid Index. This percentage does not predict your award.
Boston University Common Data Set · 2025–2026 estimated
Who or what this describes: First-time, full-time first-year students
Campus & student outcomes
Enrollment, return rates and completion rates describe different source populations. They are not a measure of every student’s experience.
Undergraduate students
18,289
Fall 2025
Source-defined undergraduate headcount, not just first-year students.
About this number: Undergraduate students
Institutional reporting scope can include multiple schools or campuses. Federal and institutional counts can use different populations or dates.
Boston University Common Data Set · Fall 2025
Who or what this describes: All undergraduates in the report
Students per faculty member
10
Fall 2025
A reporting ratio, not average class size.
About this number: Students per faculty member
Student and faculty inclusion rules vary. This does not tell you the size of a particular class or guarantee access to an instructor.
Boston University Common Data Set · Fall 2025
Who or what this describes: undergraduate and applicable graduate fte
Returned after the first year
94.0%
Fall 2024 to Fall 2025
Source-defined entering cohort and enrollment population.
About this number: Returned after the first year
Retention measures continuation under the source rules, not graduation or satisfaction.
Boston University Common Data Set · Fall 2024 to Fall 2025
Who or what this describes: full time first time bachelors degree seeking
Graduated within six years
90.0%
Fall 2019 entering cohort six year outcome
Reported entering cohort, not every student attending today.
About this number: Graduated within six years
A cohort completion rate describes the source-defined group over time; transfer and part-time populations can differ.
Boston University Common Data Set · Fall 2019 entering cohort six year outcome
Who or what this describes: full time first time bachelors degree seeking
More campus and outcome statistics (7)
Undergraduate students · federal
18,805
Fall 2024
Fall 2024 undergraduate headcount, including full-time and part-time students.
About this number: Undergraduate students · federal
This is the source-defined institutional reporting unit, not a count of majors, degrees awarded or all graduate and undergraduate students.
U.S. Department of Education · Fall 2024
Who or what this describes: Grand total
Students per faculty member · federal
10
Fall 2024
A reporting ratio, not average class size.
About this number: Students per faculty member · federal
This federal measure uses its own student and instructional-staff definitions. It is separate from class size.
U.S. Department of Education · Fall 2024
Who or what this describes: Student-to-faculty ratio
Reported academic calendar
Semester
2025–26
Reported population and year apply; missing is not zero.
About this number: Reported academic calendar
Read the source-defined population and conditions before comparing this figure with another institution.
U.S. Department of Education · 2025–26
Who or what this describes: Institution-level service or characteristic, rather than a student cohort
Undergraduate research in federal reporting
Yes
2025–26
Historical service reporting; an unmarked option is not proof that research is unavailable.
About this number: Undergraduate research in federal reporting
The source describes a reported co-curricular option, not the full current research opportunities available to students. Verify current offerings directly.
U.S. Department of Education · 2025–26
Who or what this describes: Institution-level service or characteristic, rather than a student cohort
Study abroad reported
Yes
2025–26
Reported population and year apply; missing is not zero.
About this number: Study abroad reported
Read the source-defined population and conditions before comparing this figure with another institution.
U.S. Department of Education · 2025–26
Who or what this describes: Institution-level service or characteristic, rather than a student cohort
Academic & career counseling reported
Yes
2025–26
Reported population and year apply; missing is not zero.
About this number: Academic & career counseling reported
Read the source-defined population and conditions before comparing this figure with another institution.
U.S. Department of Education · 2025–26
Who or what this describes: Institution-level service or characteristic, rather than a student cohort
AP credit reported
Yes
2025–26
Reported population and year apply; missing is not zero.
About this number: AP credit reported
Read the source-defined population and conditions before comparing this figure with another institution.
U.S. Department of Education · 2025–26
Who or what this describes: Institution-level service or characteristic, rather than a student cohort
What could you study?
These examples come from historical bachelor’s degrees awarded, not a verified current-major catalog. Confirm current programs, campus and entry conditions with the college.
- Business Administration and Management, General
- Computer Science
- Psychology, General
- Economics, General
- Radio and Television
- Advertising
Historical degree records & sources
Reported first-major bachelor’s credentials, not necessarily distinct graduates. Examples with the largest reported counts, including ties; no campus or classification totals are added together.
- Business Administration and Management, General
812 degrees awarded · 2024-25
- Computer Science
440 degrees awarded · 2024-25
- Psychology, General
269 degrees awarded · 2024-25
- Economics, General
267 degrees awarded · 2024-25
- Radio and Television
215 degrees awarded · 2024-25
- Advertising
205 degrees awarded · 2024-25
- International Relations and Affairs
198 degrees awarded · 2024-25
- Mechanical Engineering
185 degrees awarded · 2024-25
- Biology/Biological Sciences, General
181 degrees awarded · 2024-25
- Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
173 degrees awarded · 2024-25
Plan your application
Check current official instructions for testing, essays, recommendations and dates. Historical admissions outcomes are not application requirements. Early Decision can be binding; review the institution’s conditions before choosing it.
Boston University — SAT/ACT policy
Not verified for this cycle
We have not verified a SAT/ACT policy for this entry year and applicant group.
Fall 2027 · first-year U.S. citizen / permanent resident applicant.
Read Boston University’s official testing guidance ↗ (opens in a new tab)Different applicant situation?
SAT/ACT and English proficiency are different requirements. Program, recruitment and scholarship rules may need separate confirmation.
Sources & research
Institutional Common Data Sets and federal statistics have different reporting periods and populations. Research snapshot: October 16–19, 2026. Missing values can reflect nonreporting, conflict, ambiguity or incomplete review; they are never zero. Institution earnings remain withheld under the research restrictions.
How ICP selects and explains data →