Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA · Private four-year · City: Small
10,083undergraduates
16%admitted
Test-optionalSAT/ACT
$32,590average net price per year
91%graduate in 6 years
95%return for year two
Admissions
- Applicants
- 36,069
- Admitted
- 5,645
- Admit rate
- 16%
- Admit rate, women
- 14%
- Admit rate, men
- 17%
- Admitted students who enroll
- 41%
- First-year students
- 2,335
- SAT/ACT
- Test-optional
- Students who sent SAT scores
- 28%
- SAT reading and writing (middle 50%)
- 710-760
- SAT math (middle 50%)
- 720-780
- Students who sent ACT scores
- 16%
- ACT composite (middle 50%)
- 33-34
| High school GPA | Required |
|---|---|
| High school record | Required |
| College-prep coursework | Required |
| SAT or ACT scores | Considered, not required |
| Recommendations | Required |
| Essay or personal statement | Required |
| Class rank | Considered, not required |
| Demonstrated competencies | Considered, not required |
| English proficiency test | Required |
| Work experience | Considered, not required |
| Legacy status | Considered, not required |
Majors
53 undergraduate programs that awarded a degree or certificate last year, grouped by field. Numbers are how many were awarded.
Business, management, marketing, and related support services (8)
- Accounting Bachelor's (127 awarded)
- Business Administration and Management, General Bachelor's (8 awarded)
- Business Administration, Management and Operations, Other Bachelor's (22 awarded)
- Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial Studies Bachelor's (49 awarded)
- Finance, General Bachelor's (209 awarded)
- Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods, Other Bachelor's (112 awarded)
- Marketing/Marketing Management, General Bachelor's (36 awarded)
- Operations Management and Supervision Bachelor's (3 awarded)
Social sciences (5)
- Econometrics and Quantitative Economics Bachelor's (324 awarded)
- Economics, General Bachelor's (7 awarded)
- Political Science and Government, General Bachelor's (113 awarded)
- Social Sciences, General Bachelor's (1 awarded)
- Sociology, General Bachelor's (26 awarded)
Biological and biomedical sciences (3)
- Biochemistry Bachelor's (22 awarded)
- Biology/Biological Sciences, General Bachelor's (185 awarded)
- Neuroscience Bachelor's (105 awarded)
Psychology (2)
- Applied Psychology Bachelor's (111 awarded)
- Psychology, General Bachelor's (127 awarded)
Communication, journalism, and related programs (1)
- Speech Communication and Rhetoric Bachelor's (172 awarded)
Computer and information sciences and support services (2)
- Computer Science Bachelor's (128 awarded)
- Information Science/Studies Bachelor's (19 awarded)
Health professions and related programs (2)
- Public Health, General Bachelor's (1 awarded)
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse Bachelor's (95 awarded)
Multi/interdisciplinary studies (3)
- International/Globalization Studies Bachelor's (62 awarded)
- Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other Bachelor's (5 awarded)
- Natural Sciences Bachelor's (2 awarded)
English language and literature/letters (1)
- English Language and Literature, General Bachelor's (56 awarded)
Natural resources and conservation (1)
- Environmental Studies Bachelor's (46 awarded)
History (1)
- History, General Bachelor's (44 awarded)
Philosophy and religious studies (2)
- Islamic Studies Bachelor's (1 awarded)
- Philosophy Bachelor's (31 awarded)
Mathematics and statistics (1)
- Mathematics, General Bachelor's (28 awarded)
Visual and performing arts (5)
- Art History, Criticism and Conservation Bachelor's (14 awarded)
- Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General Bachelor's (2 awarded)
- Film/Cinema/Media Studies Bachelor's (3 awarded)
- Fine/Studio Arts, General Bachelor's (6 awarded)
- Music, General Bachelor's (2 awarded)
Physical sciences (3)
- Chemistry, General Bachelor's (19 awarded)
- Geology/Earth Science, General Bachelor's (1 awarded)
- Physics, General Bachelor's (3 awarded)
Education (3)
- Education, General Bachelor's (9 awarded)
- Elementary Education and Teaching Bachelor's (12 awarded)
- Mathematics Teacher Education Bachelor's (1 awarded)
Foreign languages, literatures, and linguistics (5)
- Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General Bachelor's (7 awarded)
- German Language and Literature Bachelor's (4 awarded)
- Italian Language and Literature Bachelor's (1 awarded)
- Linguistics Bachelor's (4 awarded)
- Spanish Language and Literature Bachelor's (2 awarded)
Area, ethnic, cultural, gender, and group studies (2)
- African-American/Black Studies Bachelor's (6 awarded)
- Russian Studies Bachelor's (2 awarded)
Liberal arts and sciences, general studies and humanities (1)
- Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies Bachelor's (7 awarded)
Homeland security, law enforcement, firefighting and related protective services (1)
- Criminal Justice/Safety Studies Bachelor's (6 awarded)
Theology and religious vocations (1)
- Theology/Theological Studies Bachelor's (3 awarded)
Graduate programs (60)
- Accounting Master's, Doctorate (research)
- Business Administration and Management, General Master's
- Finance, General Master's, Doctorate (research)
- Management Science Master's
- Organizational Behavior Studies Doctorate (research)
- Organizational Leadership Master's
- Law Doctorate (professional)
- Legal Professions and Studies, Other Master's
- Biology Teacher Education Master's
- Chemistry Teacher Education Master's
- Curriculum and Instruction Master's, Doctorate (research)
- Early Childhood Education and Teaching Master's
- Educational Assessment, Testing, and Measurement Master's
- Educational Evaluation and Research Master's, Doctorate (research)
- Educational Leadership and Administration, General Master's, Doctorate (research)
- Educational Statistics and Research Methods Master's
- Educational/Instructional Technology Master's
- Elementary Education and Teaching Master's
- English/Language Arts Teacher Education Master's
- Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Master's, Doctorate (research)
- History Teacher Education Master's
- International and Comparative Education Master's
- Mathematics Teacher Education Master's
- Physics Teacher Education Master's
- Spanish Language Teacher Education Master's
- Special Education and Teaching, General Master's
- Social Work Master's, Doctorate (research)
- Health/Health Care Administration/Management Master's
- Nursing Practice Doctorate (professional)
- Nursing Science Doctorate (research)
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse Master's
- Econometrics and Quantitative Economics Master's, Doctorate (research)
- Political Science and Government, General Master's, Doctorate (research)
- Sociology, General Master's, Doctorate (research)
- Counseling Psychology Doctorate (research)
- Developmental and Child Psychology Master's, Doctorate (research)
- Psychology, General Master's
- Social Psychology Doctorate (research)
- Divinity/Ministry Master's
- Theology/Theological Studies Master's, Doctorate (research)
- Financial Mathematics Master's
- Mathematics, General Master's, Doctorate (research)
- Sport and Fitness Administration/Management Master's
- Philosophy Master's, Doctorate (research)
- Chemistry, General Master's, Doctorate (research)
- Geology/Earth Science, General Master's
- Geophysics and Seismology Master's
- Physics, General Master's, Doctorate (research)
- Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance Master's
- History, General Master's, Doctorate (research)
- English Language and Literature, General Master's, Doctorate (research)
- Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General Master's
- French Language and Literature Master's
- Italian Language and Literature Master's
- Spanish Language and Literature Master's
- Data Analytics, General Master's
- Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General Doctorate (research)
- Biology/Biological Sciences, General Master's, Doctorate (research)
- Neuroscience Master's, Doctorate (research)
- Near and Middle Eastern Studies Master's
Cost and aid
- Tuition and fees, in-state
- $67,680
- Housing and food on campus
- $18,475
- Books and supplies
- $1,250
- Other on-campus costs
- $2,200
- Total cost on campus, in-state
- $89,605
- Total cost on campus, out-of-state
- $89,605
- Total cost living at home
- $74,088
Published prices for 2023-24.
| Family income | Per year |
|---|---|
| $0-30,000 | $5,851 |
| $30,001-48,000 | $7,655 |
| $48,001-75,000 | $12,554 |
| $75,001-110,000 | $23,325 |
| Over $110,000 | $56,247 |
Net price is the full cost minus grants and scholarships, for full-time first-year students who got aid in 2022-23.
- First-year students who got any aid
- 55%
- Got grants or scholarships
- 43%
- Average grant or scholarship
- $51,099
- Got a grant from the college
- 42%
- Average grant from the college
- $49,342
- Undergraduates with a Pell grant
- 13%
- First-year students who borrowed
- 32%
- Average amount borrowed
- $3,580
Graduation
- Bachelor's in 4 years
- 88%
- Bachelor's in 5 years
- 91%
- Bachelor's in 6 years
- 91%
- Bachelor's in 8 years
- 91%
- Any degree in 6 years (all students)
- 91%
- Transferred to another college
- 7%
- Came back for year two
- 95%
| Pell grant students | 89% |
|---|---|
| Subsidized loan, no Pell | 92% |
| Neither | 91% |
| Group | Students | Graduated |
|---|---|---|
| Women | 1,249 | 93% |
| Men | 1,160 | 89% |
| Asian | 257 | 90% |
| Black | 96 | 80% |
| Hispanic | 296 | 92% |
| White | 1,394 | 92% |
| Two or more races | 91 | 89% |
| Race unknown | 95 | 93% |
| International | 180 | 88% |
| Started | Students | Earned a degree or certificate here | Enrolled at another college |
|---|---|---|---|
| Started here, full-time | 2,306 | 92% | 6% |
| Transferred in, full-time | 144 | 97% | 3% |
| Transferred in, part-time | 60 | 68% | 12% |
Graduation rates follow students who started full-time for the first time in fall 2017. Groups under 20 students are marked because a few students change the rate a lot.
Students
- Total students
- 15,280
- Undergraduates
- 10,083
- Full-time undergraduates
- 9,856
- Part-time undergraduates
- 227
- Graduate students
- 5,197
- Students per faculty member
- 13 to 1
- Undergraduates age 25 and up
- 2%
- Undergraduates taking all classes online
- 1%
- Undergraduates registered with disability services
- 9%
| Women | 53% |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaska Native | 0% |
| Asian | 11% |
| Black | 5% |
| Hispanic | 11% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 0% |
| White | 57% |
| Two or more races | 4% |
| Race unknown | 3% |
| International | 8% |
Campus life
- Setting
- City: Small
- Address
- 140 Commonwealth Avenue, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467
- County
- Middlesex County
- Type
- Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity
- Highest degree
- Doctor's degree - research/scholarship and professional practice
- Academic calendar
- Semester
- Religious affiliation
- Roman Catholic
- Athletics
- NCAA
- Teams include
- football, basketball, baseball, cross country and track
- Offers
- Army ROTC, Navy ROTC, Air Force ROTC, Study abroad, Teacher certification, Weekend or evening classes, Online programs, Credit for AP exams, On-campus child care, Yellow Ribbon (veterans)
Source: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS (2022-23 to 2024-25 surveys), and the College Scorecard.