Boston University

www.bu.edu

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2022 Undergraduate Tuition

$61,050

4.25% growth from 2021

2022 Average Net Price

$27,829

After Financial Aid

2020 Default Rate

on Student Loans

2022 Acceptance Rate

14.4%

80,796 Applicants

2022 Enrolled Students

36,714

79.7% Full-Time

2022 Graduation Rate

89%

3,144 Graduates

About

Boston University is a higher education institution located in Suffolk County, MA. In 2022, the most popular Bachelors Degree concentrations at Boston University were General Business Administration & Management (678 degrees awarded), General Economics (305 degrees), and Computer Science (294 degrees).

In 2022, 12,366 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Boston University. 58.7% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 41.3% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (4,396 degrees), 2.66 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (1,655 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Boston University is $61,050, which is $30,900 more than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($30,150).

In 2020 the default rate for borrower's at Boston University was 0%, corresponding to 0 out of the 5147 total borrowers.

About the photo: BU Central

Photo by Mark Zastrow

Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity Doctoral Universities

Costs

In 2022, the median undergraduate tuition at Boston University is $61,050, which is $30,900 more than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($30,150).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $27,829.

In 2022, 49% of undergraduate students attending Boston University received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 24% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$61,050

2022 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2022, the cost of tuition at Boston University was $61,050. The cost of tuition at Boston University is $30,900 more than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($30,150).

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

Average Net Price

$27,829

2022 Value

7.65%

1 Year Growth

In 2022 Boston University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $27,829. Between 2021 and 2022, the average net price of Boston University grew by 7.65%.

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

$16,840

Room and Board

$1,000

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Boston University was of $16,840 in 2022. The cost of room and board increased by 1.2% between 2021 and 2022.

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

49%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

24%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

49% of undergraduate students at Boston University received financial aid through grants or loans in 2022. This represents a decline of 2% with respect to 2021, when 50% 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 80,796 undergraduate applications in 2022, which represents a 6.62% annual growth. Out of those 80,796 applicants, 11,607 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 14.4% acceptance rate.

There were 36,714 students enrolled at Boston University in 2022. 23% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

Boston University has an overall enrollment yield of 31.3%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

14.4%

Acceptance Rate in 2022

11,607

Accepted Out of 80,796

In 2022, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Boston University was 14.4% (11,607 admissions from 80,796 applications). This is lower than the acceptance rate of 2021, which was 18.6%. Between 2021 and 2022, the number of applicants grew by 6.62%, while admissions declined by 17.8%.

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

23%

Submission Percentage (2022)

823

Scores Submitted (2022)

23% of enrolled first-time students at Boston University in 2022 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 36,714 students in 2022. The full-time enrollment at Boston University is 29,251 students and the part-time enrollment is 7,463. This means that 79.7% of students enrolled at Boston University are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Boston University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 34.5% White, 14.8% Asian, 8.98% Hispanic or Latino, 4.46% Black or African American, 3.43% Two or More Races, 0.0735% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders, and 0.0518% American Indian or Alaska Native.

Students enrolled at Boston University in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (20%), followed by White Male (12.9%) and Asian Female (10.5%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (20.6%), followed by White Male (12.3%) and Asian Female (5.77%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

79.7%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Boston University in 2022, both undergraduate and graduate, is 36,714 students. The full-time enrollment at Boston University is 29,251 and the part-time enrollment is 7,463. This means that 79.7% of students enrolled at Boston University are enrolled full-time compared with 77.4% 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

94%

2022 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 94%. 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 (2022)

White
12,654 enrolled students
Asian
5,418 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
3,298 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at Boston University is 34.5% White, 14.8% Asian, 8.98% Hispanic or Latino, 4.46% Black or African American, 3.43% Two or More Races, 0.0735% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders, and 0.0518% 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 47.5% White, 15.5% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.58% 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, 1,848 students (5.03%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2022, 2,152 more women than men received degrees from Boston University. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Boston University is white (4,396 degrees awarded). There were 2.66 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (1655 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at Boston University is General Business Administration & Management (678 degrees awarded), followed by General Economics (305 degrees) and Computer Science (294 degrees).

In 2022, 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 Legal (524 degrees awarded), Biology (1,137 degrees), and Math & Statistics (318 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 (611,028 people), Software developers (540,919 people), Physicians (449,577 people), Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers (386,991 people), and Miscellaneous engineers, including nuclear engineers (361,529 people).

The most specialized majors at Boston University in 2022 are Legal (524 degrees awarded), Biology (1,137 degrees), Math & Statistics (318 degrees), Social Sciences (1,123 degrees), and Engineering (812 degrees) (as of 2022).

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 Legal (524 degrees awarded), Biology (1,137 degrees), Math & Statistics (318 degrees), Social Sciences (1,123 degrees), and Engineering (812 degrees) (as of 2022).

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 (2022)

General Business Administration & Management
371 degrees awarded
Other Management Sciences & Quantitative Methods
349 degrees awarded
Social Work
303 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common masters degree concentration at Boston University was General Business Administration & Management with 371 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

5,107

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2022

7,259

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2022

In 2022, 5,107 degrees were awarded to men at Boston University, which is 0.704 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (7,259).

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

Most Common Male Majors

In 2022, 562 degrees were awarded to men at Boston University in General Business Administration & Management, which is 1.15 times more than the 487 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2022, 487 degrees were awarded to men at Boston University in General Business Administration & Management, which is 0.867 times less than the 562 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

84%

100% Completion Time

89%

150% Completion Time

In 2022, 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 2022 at Boston University is Male and American Indian or Alaska Native (100% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (73.2%).

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, 3.98% of graduates (125 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2022)

White
4,396 degrees awarded
Asian
1,655 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
1,014 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Boston University is white (4,396 degrees awarded). There were 2.66 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (1655 degrees).

5.14% of degree recipients (635 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2022)

White Female
2,742 degrees awarded
White Male
1,654 degrees awarded
Asian Female
970 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Boston University is white female (2,742 degrees awarded). There were 1.66 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (1654 degrees).

Operations

Boston University has an endowment valued at nearly $2.97B, as of the end of the 2022 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of −217M (−7.31%) compared to the 1.13% average return (4.2M on 373M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2022, Boston University had a total salary expenditure of 2.32B. Boston University employs 502 Professors, 405 Lecturers and 344 Associate professors. Most academics at Boston University are Male Professor (364), Female Lecturer (227), and Female No academic rank (192).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Boston University are: Management, with 962 employees, Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media, with 826 employees, and Business and Financial Operations with 809 employees.

Endowment

$2.97B

2022 Endowment

12.4%

decline from 2021

Boston University has an endowment valued at about $2.97B, as of the end of the 2022 fiscal year. The endowment of Boston University declined 12.4% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $2.6B 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

$409M - Federal
$5.82M - State
$10k - Local

As of 2022, Boston University received $409M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $5.82M from state grants and contracts, and $10k from local grants and contracts.

Salary Expenditure

$961M

2022 Salaries

8.05%

growth from 2021

In 2022, Boston University paid a median of $961M in salaries, which represents 41.5% of their overall expenditure ($2.32B) and a 8.05% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 1.23% decline between 2020 and 2021, and a 3.87% growth between 2019 and 2020.

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

Instructional Salaries

$281M

Instructional Salaries

1,906

Number of Employees

In 2022, Boston University paid a total of $281M to 1,906 employees working as instructors, which represents 29.2% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $73.7M (30%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Occupations by Share

Professor

Most Common Instructor

502 Employees

Management

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

962 Employees

In 2022, the most common positions for instructional staff at Boston University were Professor with 502 employees, Lecturer with 405 employees, and Associate professor with 344 employees.

In 2022, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Boston University were Management with 962 employees, Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media with 826 employees, and Business and Financial Operations with 809 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic (2022)

Male Professor
Female Lecturer
Female No academic rank

In 2022, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Boston University was Male Professor with 364 employees, Female Lecturer with 227 employees, and Female No academic rank with 192 employees.

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

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