Boston University acceptance rate, cost and outcomes
Boston University · Private nonprofit · Boston, MA · 18,656 undergraduates (IPEDS fall 2023)
Boston University admitted 10.8% of applicants for fall 2023, down from 45.6% in 2013. Tuition and fees are $71,372 for every student in 2025-26.
Admit rate, 2013 to 2023
Show as table
| Fall | Admit rate | Applicants | Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 45.6% | 44,006 | 20,071 |
| 2014 | 34.5% | 54,190 | 18,701 |
| 2015 | 32.6% | 54,781 | 17,871 |
| 2016 | 29.4% | 57,441 | 16,907 |
| 2017 | 25.1% | 60,825 | 15,273 |
| 2018 | 22.1% | 64,481 | 14,247 |
| 2019 | 18.9% | 62,224 | 11,786 |
| 2020 | 20.1% | 61,007 | 12,254 |
| 2021 | 18.6% | 75,778 | 14,129 |
| 2022 | 14.4% | 80,796 | 11,607 |
| 2023 | 10.8% | 80,495 | 8,733 |
Applications went from 44,006 in fall 2013 to 80,495 in fall 2023. Admit rate = admitted ÷ applicants. Source: IPEDS fall admissions.1
What families actually pay
Show as table
| Family income | Net price / year, 2024-25 |
|---|---|
| $0 to $30,000 | $16,336 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $39,763 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $52,880 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $70,352 |
| Over $110,000 | $83,101 |
| Tuition and fees, all students (2025-26) | $71,372 |
| Cost of attendance (2024-25) | $90,106 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid (2024-25) | $36,503 |
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, 10% the ACT. Source: IPEDS fall 2023.1
Similar private colleges
| College | Admit rate | Tuition and fees |
|---|---|---|
| Tufts MA | 10.1% | $73,616 same for all |
| Boston College MA | 15.7% | $73,508 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 University admitted 10.8% of applicants for fall 2023, down from 45.6% for fall 2013.1 That is a drop of 34.8 percentage points, and the rate declined in 9 of the 10 annual changes.1 Applications rose 83% to 80,495, while offers of admission fell from 20,071 to 8,733.1
BU was test-optional for fall 2023; SAT submitters in the middle 50% scored 720 to 780 in math.1
Tuition and fees are $71,372 for 2025-26, compared with a $53,710 median at the 52 private nonprofit bachelor's colleges in Massachusetts.2 The average net price climbs steeply with income: $16,336 for aided families earning up to $30,000 in 2024-25 and $39,763 for those earning $30,001 to $48,000.2 Families earning $75,001 to $110,000 paid $70,352 and families over $110,000 paid $83,101.2
Of students who started in 2019, 90% graduated within 6 years, and former students earned a median $89,087 a year 10 years after entering.2 The typical BU graduate with federal loans owes $17,500.2 Of the 80,495 applicants for fall 2023, 3,145 enrolled as first-year students.1
Every number on this page, with its source field
| Figure | Value | File, field, year |
|---|---|---|
| Applicants | 80,495 | IPEDS ADM2023, APPLCN, fall 20231 |
| Admitted | 8,733 | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMSSN, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled first-years | 3,145 | IPEDS ADM2023, ENRLT, fall 20231 |
| Undergraduates | 18,656 | 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 | 680 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR25, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 75th percentile | 740 | 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 | 32 | 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 | 10% | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTPCT, fall 20231 |
| Tuition and fees, all students | $71,372 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_IN, 2025-262 |
| Cost of attendance | $90,106 | College Scorecard, COSTT4_A, 2024-252 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid | $36,503 | College Scorecard, NPT4_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $0 to $30,000 | $16,336 | College Scorecard, NPT41_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $30,001 to $48,000 | $39,763 | College Scorecard, NPT42_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $48,001 to $75,000 | $52,880 | College Scorecard, NPT43_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $75,001 to $110,000 | $70,352 | College Scorecard, NPT44_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income over $110,000 | $83,101 | College Scorecard, NPT45_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Graduation rate within 6 years | 90% | College Scorecard, C150_4, 2019 entrants2 |
| First-year retention | 95% | College Scorecard, RET_FT4, fall 2023 entrants2 |
| Undergraduates with a Pell grant | 21% | College Scorecard, PCTPELL, 2024-252 |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $89,087 | College Scorecard, MD_EARN_WNE_P10, 2022-232 |
| Median federal debt of graduates | $17,500 | 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 |
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 University, 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