Boston University
Boston, Massachusetts · Private Nonprofit · 11.1% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 90/100 · Exceptional Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Boston University scores 90 (Exceptional Value) on the CampusROI scale. With $68,102 sticker tuition and a net price of $24,402, BU's aid model is strong at the lowest income brackets: the 0-30000 band pays $9,500 and the 30001-48000 band pays $9,342. BU posts average 6-year earnings of $52,800, an 88.7% completion rate, and a 4.9-year payback period. Median debt of $23,250 against a 0.44 debt-to-earnings ratio is the primary weakness. The program mix is wide: Computer Science (305 graduates, $90,050 year-one, $136,667 year-four) and Computer Engineering (99 graduates, $93,995 year-one, $135,394 year-four) are the headline performers. Business Administration is the highest-volume program at 672 graduates with $71,545 year-one and $108,412 year-four. On the other end, Drama/Theatre Arts earns $21,508 year-one with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.253 (F grade) and Fine and Studio Arts earns $17,374 year-one with a ratio of 1.554 (F grade). Music and English Language and Literature also carry F grades. BU's exceptional ROI score is driven primarily by its large STEM and business enrollment masking significant variance across the program portfolio. Repayment rate of 86.8% at three years is strong.
The median graduate earns $83,238 ten years after entry - well above the roughly $53,600 median across the schools we score.
Boston University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $68,102/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $68,102/yr |
| Average net price | $24,402/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $97,608 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $83,238 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $52,800 |
| Median debt at graduation | $23,250 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $246 |
| Estimated payback period | 4.9 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 88.7% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 18,248 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $68,102/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $24,402/year, or roughly $97,608 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $9,500/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $47,504/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $23,250, which works out to about $246 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($52,800) and comes to 0.44, which in our view is comfortably manageable.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $9,500 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $9,342 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $11,778 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $22,517 |
| $110,001+ | $47,504 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
The 0-30000 bracket pays $9,500 per year and the 30001-48000 bracket pays $9,342. Four years at $9,342 totals $37,368. Against average 6-year earnings of $52,800 and an 88.7% completion rate, the financial case is strong for low-income students in STEM or business programs. Even for liberal arts majors, $9,342 annually at a school with BU's employer access is defensible.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 48001-75000 bracket pays $11,778 and the 75001-110000 bracket pays $22,517. Four years at $11,778 totals $47,112. Middle-income families get solid value, particularly in STEM and business. The 88.7% completion rate means most students who start actually finish.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
The 110001-plus bracket pays $47,504 per year, totaling approximately $190,016 over four years. At a 4.9-year payback and $52,800 average earnings, BU is financially solid at full pay for students entering engineering, CS, or business. Drama, fine arts, and music graduates at full pay face a much longer recovery - full-pay families should have clear program-ROI expectations before enrolling in BU's arts programs.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Boston University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $108,412 | B+ |
| Economics | $96,723 | B |
| Computer Science | $136,667 | B+ |
| Psychology | $63,838 | C |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | $55,804 | C |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | $66,661 | C+ |
| International Relations | $66,373 | C |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General | $78,431 | C |
| Biology | $61,610 | C |
| Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | $64,112 | C |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Computer Science
Computer Science at BU has 305 graduates, $90,050 year-one earnings, $136,667 year-four earnings, and a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.258 (ROI grade B+). Median debt of $23,250 at $90k year-one is essentially negligible. The trajectory to $136,667 at year four reflects placements in Boston and New York tech, finance, and big tech nationally. At 305 graduates, this is a high-volume program that reliably delivers strong outcomes, not an artifact of a small cohort.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration is BU's highest-volume program at 672 graduates: $71,545 year-one, $108,412 year-four, debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.349 (ROI grade B+). Median debt of $25,000 at $71k year-one is a 0.35 ratio - manageable. The four-year trajectory to $108,412 reflects strong corporate finance, consulting, and management placements from BU's Questrom School of Business. Volume and trajectory both support the B+ grade.
Economics
Economics (307 graduates) earns $55,733 year-one and $96,723 year-four with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.440 (ROI grade B). Median debt of $24,500 at $55k year-one is a 0.44 ratio - tighter than STEM programs but reasonable. The four-year jump to $96,723 reflects economics graduates entering finance and consulting. At 307 graduates, this is a high-volume program with consistent outcomes.
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
Drama/Theatre Arts (51 graduates) earns $21,508 year-one and $39,322 year-four with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.253 (ROI grade F). Median debt of $26,958 against $21,508 year-one earnings is 125% of annual income - a deeply negative starting position. BU's College of Fine Arts is a well-known program in the performing arts world. Students pursuing BU drama should have non-financial motivations clearly articulated.
Fine and Studio Arts
Fine and Studio Arts (42 graduates) earns $17,374 year-one and $49,538 year-four with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.554 (ROI grade F). A $17,374 year-one figure is the lowest in BU's program portfolio. Median debt of $27,000 against $17,374 year-one earnings is 155% of annual income. The four-year figure of $49,538 shows recovery, but the early-career financial position is extremely difficult.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 83.7% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 86.8% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 85.7% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 89.2% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Boston University’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 11.1% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 730-780 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 690-750 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 32-34 |
| Enrollment | 18,248 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 19.1% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $16,623 |
At 11.1%, Boston University is highly selective. SAT is 730-780 Math and 690-750 Reading, and ACT is 32-34. BU's admissions process values academic strength and program fit - the school has 17 undergraduate colleges and schools, and applicants who apply to less-competitive programs within BU may have different admit rates than the overall 11.1% figure suggests. Program-specific admission context should be researched separately.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston University (this school) | 90 | $24,402 | $83,238 |
| Cornell University | 96 | $28,690 | $104,043 |
| University of Southern California | 91 | $32,740 | $92,498 |
| Amherst College | 90 | $23,367 | $77,644 |
| New York University | 84 | $37,050 | $82,509 |
| American International College | 38 | $23,274 | $53,124 |
Head-to-Head ROI Comparisons
See Boston University side by side with similar schools on ROI, cost, earnings, and debt.
Who Thrives Here
Boston University admits 11.1% of applicants with SAT ranges of 730-780 Math and 690-750 Reading; ACT 32-34. It enrolls 18,248. The Pell grant rate of 19.2% indicates moderate economic diversity. BU serves students across a wide range of disciplines but produces the strongest financial outcomes for students in engineering, computer science, and business. Students considering communications, journalism, arts, or performance programs should carefully weigh the significant earnings gap between those fields and BU's STEM/business tracks. The Boston location provides access to tech, biotech, finance, and healthcare employers.
The Verdict: The Investment Pays Off
If you're asking whether Boston University is worth it, the short answer is yes - it's one of the strongest money decisions in higher education. Four years here run about $97,608 after aid, and the typical graduate earns $83,238 ten years out. That earnings head start covers the cost in roughly 4.9 years, well ahead of most schools.
What it has going for it: a strong earnings premium over high school graduates, its 88.7% graduation rate, manageable debt relative to earnings, high loan repayment success.
Median debt of $23,250 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $52,800 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.44, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
Boston University: Common Questions
Is Boston University worth it?
In our view, yes - for most students Boston University pays off. It scores 90/100 on our ROI scale. You'd pay about $24,402 a year after aid ($97,608 over four years), and the typical graduate earns $83,238 ten years after enrollment, so the cost takes roughly 4.9 years to earn back.
How much does Boston University cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $24,402 a year, or roughly $97,608 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Boston University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $83,238 ten years after enrolling, roughly $41,438 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off Boston University?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 4.9 years for Boston University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Boston University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $23,250, against average earnings of $52,800 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.44. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at Boston University?
The six-year graduation rate is 88.7%, at or above the 64% national average for four-year schools (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.