Boston College
Private nonprofit four-year university in Chestnut Hill, MA that costs an average of $38,930 a year after financial aid, admits 16% of applicants and graduates 90% of full-time students.
Net price / year
$38,930
Acceptance rate
16%
Graduation rate
90%
Earnings after 10 yrs
$112,178
Private nonprofitSmall city10,085 undergraduates
Cost of Boston College
| Total cost of attendance (per year) | $93,039 |
|---|---|
| Tuition and fees, in-state | $73,508 |
| Housing and food (on campus) | $19,290 |
| Books and supplies | $1,250 |
| Average net price after aid | $38,930 |
Net price by family income
| Family income | Average net price / year |
|---|---|
| $0–30,000 | $7,293 |
| $30,001–48,000 | $10,451 |
| $48,001–75,000 | $9,615 |
| $75,001–110,000 | $23,616 |
| $110,001+ | $61,800 |
Net price is what students actually pay after grants and scholarships. Get your own estimate with Boston College's net price calculator ↗.
Admissions
| Acceptance rate | 16% |
|---|---|
| Average SAT | 1,507 |
| SAT reading (25th–75th percentile) | 710–760 |
| SAT math (25th–75th percentile) | 730–780 |
| ACT composite (25th–75th percentile) | 33–35 |
| Test scores | Considered but not required |
Graduation, earnings and debt
| Graduation rate | 90% |
|---|---|
| First-year retention | 96% |
| Median earnings 6 years after enrolling | $84,203 |
| Median earnings 10 years after enrolling | $112,178 |
| Rank in Massachusetts (earnings) | 7th of 65 similar colleges |
| Median debt of graduates | $19,000 |
| Typical monthly loan payment | $216 (10-year plan) |
| Students with Pell grants | 17% |
| Students with federal loans | 28% |
Majors and programs at Boston College
Earnings one year after graduation and median debt, by program. Click a program for details and comparisons.
Bachelor's degree programs (51)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations | 107 | $95,921 | — |
| Computer Science | 279 | $93,215 | $19,000 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 810 | $92,127 | $18,650 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | 230 | $88,876 | $19,000 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 210 | $86,406 | $11,150 |
| Information Science/Studies | 139 | $85,192 | $19,000 |
| Accounting and Related Services | 204 | $85,089 | $19,000 |
| Mathematics | 126 | $80,566 | $19,000 |
| Economics | 699 | $79,225 | $16,250 |
| Marketing | 189 | $76,748 | $19,000 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 204 | $75,464 | $18,625 |
| Philosophy | 148 | $58,101 | $19,000 |
| Communication and Media Studies | 328 | $56,442 | $18,967 |
| Political Science and Government | 331 | $54,705 | $19,000 |
| International/Globalization Studies | 163 | $54,538 | $19,000 |
| History | 126 | $53,565 | $19,000 |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | 244 | $53,507 | $19,000 |
| English Language and Literature | 159 | $52,401 | $19,000 |
| Sociology | 105 | $49,279 | $19,000 |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | 203 | $49,156 | $18,400 |
| Biology | 406 | $47,992 | $19,000 |
| Psychology | 266 | $46,725 | $16,250 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 52 | $43,395 | — |
| Area Studies | 5 | — | — |
| Chemistry | 42 | — | — |
| Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 15 | — | — |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 12 | — | — |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 12 | — | — |
| Education | 35 | — | — |
| Education, Other | 1 | — | — |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | 10 | — | — |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | 15 | — | — |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 48 | — | — |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 2 | — | — |
| Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 9 | — | — |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 11 | — | — |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | 11 | — | — |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | — | — | — |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | 12 | — | — |
| Music | 7 | — | — |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 87 | — | — |
| Natural Sciences | 2 | — | — |
| Physics | 16 | — | — |
| Public Health | 1 | — | — |
| Religion/Religious Studies | 4 | — | — |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 25 | — | — |
| Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 1 | — | — |
| Social Sciences | 4 | — | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 78 | — | $19,000 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 8 | — | — |
| Theological and Ministerial Studies | 20 | — | — |
Certificate programs (1)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other | — | — | — |
Master's degree programs (44)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 576 | $134,070 | $71,749 |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | 63 | $129,436 | — |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 103 | $122,402 | $51,250 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 117 | $113,371 | $117,522 |
| Economics | 171 | $93,486 | $33,387 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | 78 | $87,632 | $60,649 |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | 219 | $67,183 | $49,362 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 56 | $66,094 | — |
| Social Work | 580 | $63,684 | $44,802 |
| Special Education and Teaching | 42 | $61,422 | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 37 | $60,581 | — |
| Curriculum and Instruction | 142 | $60,524 | $41,000 |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | 9 | $59,373 | — |
| History | 31 | $59,022 | — |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 109 | $58,869 | $41,000 |
| Theological and Ministerial Studies | 169 | $54,634 | $34,750 |
| Accounting and Related Services | 48 | — | — |
| Applied Mathematics | 134 | — | — |
| Area Studies | 2 | — | — |
| Biology | 1 | — | — |
| Chemistry | 5 | — | — |
| Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 2 | — | — |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | — | — | — |
| Data Analytics | 11 | — | — |
| Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research | 29 | — | — |
| Educational/Instructional Media Design | 12 | — | — |
| English Language and Literature | 37 | — | — |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 10 | — | — |
| Human Resources Management and Services | — | — | — |
| International and Comparative Education | 17 | — | — |
| Legal Professions and Studies, Other | 25 | — | — |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | 1 | — | — |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | 32 | — | — |
| Mathematics | 1 | — | — |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | 5 | — | — |
| Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries | — | — | — |
| Philosophy | 53 | — | — |
| Physics | 15 | — | — |
| Political Science and Government | 13 | — | — |
| Psychology | 1 | — | — |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | 179 | — | $45,433 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 17 | — | — |
| Sociology | 12 | — | — |
| Student Counseling and Personnel Services | — | — | — |
Doctoral degree programs (26)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Educational Administration and Supervision | 53 | $139,209 | — |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 10 | $121,366 | $96,322 |
| Accounting and Related Services | 5 | — | — |
| Applied Mathematics | — | — | — |
| Biology | 6 | — | — |
| Chemistry | 24 | — | — |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | 14 | — | — |
| Curriculum and Instruction | 21 | — | — |
| Economics | 28 | — | — |
| Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research | 3 | — | — |
| English Language and Literature | 1 | — | — |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 6 | — | — |
| History | 8 | — | — |
| Human Resources Management and Services | 7 | — | — |
| Mathematics | 7 | — | — |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies | 1 | — | — |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | 6 | — | — |
| Philosophy | 12 | — | — |
| Physics | 7 | — | — |
| Political Science and Government | 13 | — | — |
| Religious Education | 3 | — | — |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | 15 | — | — |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | — | — | — |
| Social Work | 9 | — | — |
| Sociology | 6 | — | — |
| Theological and Ministerial Studies | 29 | — | — |
Professional degree programs (2)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Law | 585 | $175,620 | $144,123 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 113 | — | — |
Graduate certificate programs (3)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Curriculum and Instruction | — | — | — |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | — | — | — |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | — | — | — |
Similar colleges in Massachusetts
| College | City | Net price / yr | Acceptance | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harvard University | Cambridge | $19,148 | 3.6% | $121,957 |
| Berklee College of Music | Boston | $47,587 | 44% | $43,451 |
| Tufts University | Medford | $38,797 | 11% | $89,187 |
| Northeastern University | Boston | $17,850 | 5.2% | $99,371 |
| Boston University | Boston | $36,503 | 11% | $89,087 |
| Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Worcester | $43,885 | 60% | $113,513 |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Cambridge | $14,815 | 4.5% | $152,553 |
| Bentley University | Waltham | $38,969 | 45% | $126,427 |
About Boston College
| Type | Private nonprofit four-year university |
|---|---|
| Location | Chestnut Hill, MA |
| Setting | Small city |
| Undergraduates | 10,085 |
| Student-to-faculty ratio | 10 to 1 |
| Accreditor | New England Commission on Higher Education |
| Website | bc.edu ↗ |
Frequently asked questions
What is Boston College's acceptance rate?
Boston College admits 16% of applicants, making it highly selective. Admitted students average 1,507 on the SAT.
How much does Boston College cost per year?
The full cost of attendance is $93,039 a year (tuition and fees: $73,508). After grants and scholarships the average student pays $38,930 a year, and students from families earning under $30,000 pay about $7,293.
How much do Boston College graduates earn?
Former students earn a median of $112,178 a year, 10 years after first enrolling — 7th of 65 similar colleges in Massachusetts. The best-paid bachelor's program is entrepreneurial and small business operations ($95,921 a year after graduation).
What is Boston College's graduation rate?
90% of full-time students graduate within six years, and 96% of first-year students return for a second year.