Boston College acceptance rate, cost and outcomes
Boston College · Private nonprofit · Chestnut Hill, MA · 10,083 undergraduates (IPEDS fall 2023)
Boston College admitted 15.7% of applicants for fall 2023, down from 32.2% in 2013. Tuition and fees are $73,508 for every student in 2025-26.
Admit rate, 2013 to 2023
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| Fall | Admit rate | Applicants | Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 32.2% | 24,538 | 7,905 |
| 2014 | 33.9% | 23,223 | 7,875 |
| 2015 | 28.5% | 29,486 | 8,405 |
| 2016 | 31.1% | 28,956 | 9,017 |
| 2017 | 32.4% | 28,454 | 9,223 |
| 2018 | 27.9% | 31,084 | 8,669 |
| 2019 | 27.2% | 35,552 | 9,679 |
| 2020 | 26.4% | 29,382 | 7,752 |
| 2021 | 19.0% | 39,846 | 7,587 |
| 2022 | 16.7% | 40,494 | 6,748 |
| 2023 | 15.7% | 36,069 | 5,645 |
Applications went from 24,538 in fall 2013 to 36,069 in fall 2023. Admit rate = admitted ÷ applicants. Source: IPEDS fall admissions.1
What families actually pay
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| Family income | Net price / year, 2024-25 |
|---|---|
| $0 to $30,000 | $7,293 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $10,451 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $9,615 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $23,616 |
| Over $110,000 | $61,800 |
| Tuition and fees, all students (2025-26) | $73,508 |
| Cost of attendance (2024-25) | $93,039 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid (2024-25) | $38,930 |
Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants, for first-time full-time students with federal aid, 2024-25. Tuition is 2025-26. Source: College Scorecard.2
SAT and ACT
Middle 50% (25th to 75th percentile) of enrolled first-year students who submitted scores: 28% submitted the SAT, 16% the ACT. Source: IPEDS fall 2023.1
Similar private colleges
| College | Admit rate | Tuition and fees |
|---|---|---|
| Boston University MA | 10.8% | $71,372 same for all |
| Tufts MA | 10.1% | $73,616 same for all |
| Northeastern MA | 5.6% | $69,289 same for all |
Same state and type first, then the nearest admit rate. Fall 2023 and 2025-26 figures.
What the numbers say
Boston College admitted 15.7% from a fall 2023 applicant pool of 36,069.1 The 2013 rate was 32.2%, which means admission is 16.5 percentage points lower now.1 The rate declined in 7 of the 10 yearly comparisons, including a slide from 26.4% in 2020 to 19.0% in 2021.1 Applications grew 47%, but the admitted group shrank 29%, from 7,905 to 5,645.1
Applicants may leave out test scores. Among those who sent them, the middle 50% scored 710 to 760 in SAT reading and writing, 720 to 780 in SAT math, and 33 to 34 on the ACT.1
Tuition and fees of $73,508 apply for 2025-26, set beside a $53,710 median for 52 private colleges in Massachusetts.2 Aid changes the 2024-25 average net price a great deal: $7,293 for families earning $0 to $30,000, $9,615 for $48,001 to $75,000, and $61,800 for those over $110,000.2
90% of the 2019 entrants graduated within 6 years, against a 70% median across 64 Massachusetts colleges.2 Retention reached 96% for fall 2023 entrants, with Pell grants going to 17% of undergraduates.2 Median earnings are $112,178 at 10 years after entry, and median federal debt is $19,000.2
Every number on this page, with its source field
| Figure | Value | File, field, year |
|---|---|---|
| Applicants | 36,069 | IPEDS ADM2023, APPLCN, fall 20231 |
| Admitted | 5,645 | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMSSN, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled first-years | 2,335 | IPEDS ADM2023, ENRLT, fall 20231 |
| Undergraduates | 10,083 | IPEDS DRVEF2023, EFUG, fall 20234 |
| Admission policy | Selective (not open admission) | IPEDS IC2023, OPENADMP, 2023-243 |
| Test policy | Test-optional | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMCON7, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 25th percentile | 710 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR25, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 75th percentile | 760 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR75, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 25th percentile | 720 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT25, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 75th percentile | 780 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT75, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 25th percentile | 33 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM25, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 75th percentile | 34 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM75, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting SAT | 28% | IPEDS ADM2023, SATPCT, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting ACT | 16% | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTPCT, fall 20231 |
| Tuition and fees, all students | $73,508 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_IN, 2025-262 |
| Cost of attendance | $93,039 | College Scorecard, COSTT4_A, 2024-252 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid | $38,930 | College Scorecard, NPT4_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $0 to $30,000 | $7,293 | College Scorecard, NPT41_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $30,001 to $48,000 | $10,451 | College Scorecard, NPT42_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $48,001 to $75,000 | $9,615 | College Scorecard, NPT43_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $75,001 to $110,000 | $23,616 | College Scorecard, NPT44_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income over $110,000 | $61,800 | College Scorecard, NPT45_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Graduation rate within 6 years | 90% | College Scorecard, C150_4, 2019 entrants2 |
| First-year retention | 96% | College Scorecard, RET_FT4, fall 2023 entrants2 |
| Undergraduates with a Pell grant | 17% | College Scorecard, PCTPELL, 2024-252 |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $112,178 | College Scorecard, MD_EARN_WNE_P10, 2022-232 |
| Median federal debt of graduates | $19,000 | College Scorecard, GRAD_DEBT_MDN, FY2024-252 |
| Median tuition and fees, private nonprofit colleges, Massachusetts (N = 52) | $53,710 | College Scorecard, median TUITIONFEE_IN, private nonprofit bachelor's institutions, 2025-262 |
| Median graduation rate within 6 years, Massachusetts (N = 64) | 70% | College Scorecard, median C150_4, bachelor's institutions, 2019 entrants2 |
Sources
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS admissions files, fall 2013 to fall 2023 (IC2013, ADM2014, ADM2015, ADM2016, ADM2017, ADM2018, ADM2019, ADM2020, ADM2021, ADM2022, ADM2023). Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- U.S. Department of Education: College Scorecard, Most Recent Institution-Level Data (Most-Recent-Cohorts-Institution (release of 15 Oct 2026)). Data years: 2019 entrants, 2022-23, 2024-25, 2025-26, FY2024-25, fall 2023 entrants. Checked 25 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Institutional Characteristics 2023-24 (IC2023.zip). Data years: 2023-24. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Fall Enrollment, derived variables, fall 2023 (DRVEF2023.zip). Data years: 2023. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
AdmitFacts is not affiliated with Boston College, the U.S. Department of Education or NCES. Missing values are shown as Not reported, never estimated. The file field behind each figure is listed under "Every number on this page". How we build each page