Boston University

www.bu.edu

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2023 Undergraduate Tuition

$63,798

4.5% growth from 2022

2023 Average Net Price

$27,551

After Financial Aid

2020 Default Rate

on Student Loans

2023 Acceptance Rate

10.8%

80,495 Applicants

2023 Enrolled Students

36,624

79.5% Full-Time

2023 Graduation Rate

90%

3,138 Graduates

About

Boston University is a higher education institution located in Suffolk County, MA. In 2023, the most popular Masters Degree concentrations at Boston University were General Business Administration & Management (1,021 degrees awarded), Social Work (321 degrees), and Other Management Sciences & Quantitative Methods (295 degrees).

In 2023, 13,495 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Boston University. 57.7% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 42.3% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (4,722 degrees), 2.83 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (1,668 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Boston University is $63,798, which is $32,795 more than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,004).

In 2020 the default rate for borrower's at Boston University was 0%, corresponding to 0 out of the 5,147 total borrowers.

About the photo: BU Central

Photo by Mark Zastrow

Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity Doctoral Universities

Costs

In 2023, the median undergraduate tuition at Boston University is $63,798, which is $32,795 more than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,004).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $27,551.

In 2023, 48% of undergraduate students attending Boston University received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 23% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$63,798

2023 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2023, the cost of tuition at Boston University was $63,798. The cost of tuition at Boston University is $32,795 more than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,004).

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

Average Net Price

$27,551

2023 Value

0.999%

1 Year Growth

In 2023 Boston University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $27,551. Between 2022 and 2023, the average net price of Boston University grew by 0.999%.

This chart compares the average net price of Boston University (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

$17,400

Room and Board

$1,000

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Boston University was of $17,400 in 2023. The cost of room and board increased by 3.33% between 2022 and 2023.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,000. The cost of books and supplies did not change during the same period.

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

Financial Aid by Income Level

48%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

23%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

48% of undergraduate students at Boston University received financial aid through grants or loans in 2023. This represents a decline of 2.04% with respect to 2022, when 49% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at Boston University (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 University was 0%, which represents 0 out of the 5147 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 University received 80,495 undergraduate applications in 2023, which represents a 0.373% annual growth. Out of those 80,495 applicants, 8,733 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 10.8% acceptance rate.

There were 36,624 students enrolled at Boston University in 2023. 28% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

Boston University has an overall enrollment yield of 36%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

10.8%

Acceptance Rate in 2023

8,733

Accepted Out of 80,495

In 2023, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Boston University was 10.8% (8,733 admissions from 80,495 applications). This is lower than the acceptance rate of 2022, which was 14.4%. Between 2022 and 2023, the number of applicants declined by 0.373%, while admissions declined by 24.8%.

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

SAT Scores

28%

Submission Percentage (2023)

892

Scores Submitted (2023)

28% of enrolled first-time students at Boston University 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 University had a total enrollment of 36,624 students in 2023. The full-time enrollment at Boston University is 29,104 students and the part-time enrollment is 7,520. This means that 79.5% of students enrolled at Boston University are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Boston University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 33.5% White, 15.1% Asian, 9.37% Hispanic or Latino, 4.91% Black or African American, 3.4% Two or More Races, 0.0601% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders, and 0.0491% American Indian or Alaska Native.

Students enrolled at Boston University in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (19.9%), followed by White Male (12.9%) and Asian Female (10.5%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (20.2%), followed by White Male (12%) and Asian Female (5.99%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

79.5%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Boston University in 2023, both undergraduate and graduate, is 36,624 students. The full-time enrollment at Boston University is 29,104 and the part-time enrollment is 7,520. This means that 79.5% of students enrolled at Boston University 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 University (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 University was 95%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Doctoral Universities (84%), Boston University had a retention rate higher than its peers.

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

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2023)

White
12,255 enrolled students
Asian
5,543 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
3,433 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at Boston University is 33.5% White, 15.1% Asian, 9.37% Hispanic or Latino, 4.91% Black or African American, 3.4% Two or More Races, 0.0601% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders, and 0.0491% American Indian or Alaska Native. 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, 1,841 students (5.03%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2023, 2,073 more women than men received degrees from Boston University. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Boston University is white (4,722 degrees awarded). There were 2.83 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (1,668 degrees).

The most common Masters Degree concentration at Boston University is General Business Administration & Management (1,021 degrees awarded), followed by Social Work (321 degrees) and Other Management Sciences & Quantitative Methods (295 degrees).

In 2023, the most specialized majors across all degree types at Boston University, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Communications (981 degrees awarded), Legal (461 degrees), and Biology (1,258 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Other managers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Boston University are Other managers (466,216 people), Physicians (427,026 people), Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers (403,513 people), Postsecondary teachers (267,471 people), and Elementary & middle school teachers (237,019 people).

The most specialized majors at Boston University in 2023 are Communications (981 degrees awarded), Legal (461 degrees), Biology (1,258 degrees), Math & Statistics (337 degrees), and Social Sciences (1,123 degrees) (as of 2023).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Podiatrists

Highest Paying Job

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

The most specialized majors at Boston University are Communications (981 degrees awarded), Legal (461 degrees), Biology (1,258 degrees), Math & Statistics (337 degrees), and Social Sciences (1,123 degrees) (as of 2023).

Common Industries by Major

Computer Systems Design

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Boston University are Computer Systems Design (695,593 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (670,838 people), General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (623,493 people), Elementary & secondary schools (543,242 people), and Architectural, engineering & related services (489,817 people).

Majors Awarded

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

Most Common (2023)

General Business Administration & Management
1,021 degrees awarded
Social Work
321 degrees awarded
Other Management Sciences & Quantitative Methods
295 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common masters degree concentration at Boston University was General Business Administration & Management with 1,021 degrees awarded.

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

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

5,711

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2023

7,784

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2023

In 2023, 5,711 degrees were awarded to men at Boston University, which is 0.734 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (7,784).

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

Most Common Male Majors

In 2023, 1,010 degrees were awarded to men at Boston University in General Business Administration & Management, which is 1.48 times more than the 683 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2023, 683 degrees were awarded to men at Boston University in General Business Administration & Management, which is 0.676 times less than the 1,010 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

84%

100% Completion Time

89%

150% Completion Time

In 2023, 84% of students graduating from Boston University completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 89% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 90% 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.

American Indian or Alaska Native Male

Highest Graduation Rate (100%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2023 at Boston University is Male and American Indian or Alaska Native (100% 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, 3.31% of graduates (104 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2023)

White
4,722 degrees awarded
Asian
1,668 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
1,131 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Boston University is white (4,722 degrees awarded). There were 2.83 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (1,668 degrees).

4.66% of degree recipients (629 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2023)

White Female
2,915 degrees awarded
White Male
1,807 degrees awarded
Asian Female
995 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Boston University is white female (2,915 degrees awarded). There were 1.61 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (1,807 degrees).

Operations

Boston University has an endowment valued at nearly $3.14B, as of the end of the 2023 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 250M (7.96%) compared to the 4.37% average return (19M on 434M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2023, Boston University had a total salary expenditure of 2.42B. Boston University employs 505 Professors, 422 Lecturers and 352 Associate professors. Most academics at Boston University are Male Professor (360), Female Lecturer (233), and Female No academic rank (190).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Boston University are: Management, with 1,115 employees, Business and Financial Operations, with 900 employees, and Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media with 873 employees.

Endowment

$3.14B

2023 Endowment

5.55%

growth from 2022

Boston University has an endowment valued at about $3.14B, as of the end of the 2023 fiscal year. The endowment of Boston University grew 5.55% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $2.7B higher than than the median endowment of Doctoral Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at Boston University (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

$359M - Federal
$4.55M - State
$35k - Local

As of 2023, Boston University received $359M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $4.55M from state grants and contracts, and $35k from local grants and contracts.

Salary Expenditure

$1.03B

2023 Salaries

7.32%

growth from 2022

In 2023, Boston University paid a median of $1.03B in salaries, which represents 42.6% of their overall expenditure ($2.42B) and a 7.32% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 8.05% growth between 2021 and 2022, and a 1.23% decline between 2020 and 2021.

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

Instructional Salaries

$302M

Instructional Salaries

1,960

Number of Employees

In 2023, Boston University paid a total of $302M to 1,960 employees working as instructors, which represents 29.3% 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

505 Employees

Management

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

1,115 Employees

In 2023, the most common positions for instructional staff at Boston University were Professor with 505 employees, Lecturer with 422 employees, and Associate professor with 352 employees.

In 2023, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Boston University were Management with 1,115 employees, Business and Financial Operations with 900 employees, and Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media with 873 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic (2023)

Male Professor
Female Lecturer
Female No academic rank

In 2023, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Boston University was Male Professor with 360 employees, Female Lecturer with 233 employees, and Female No academic rank with 190 employees.

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

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