Boston University: Statistics
Updated:
| Position | Category |
|---|---|
| #48 of 14,131 | In the World |
| #40 of 2,597 | In North America |
| #37 of 2,496 | In the United States |
| #3 of 88 | In Massachusetts |
| #1 of 24 | In Boston |
| #5 of 1,114 | For Military science |
| Top100 | For 114 other topics |
Quick Review
- Acceptance rate
- 11%
- Undergraduates
- 18,805
- Graduates
- 18,932
- Male:Female Ratio
- 42:58
- Control
- Private
not-for-profit - Highest Degree
- Doctor's degree
- Website
- bu.edu
Boston University Acceptance rate and admissions statistics
Boston University has an acceptance rate of 11% and is among the top 3% of the most difficult universities to gain admission to in the United States. The university reports the admission statistics without distinguishing between local and international students.
| Total | Men | Women | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance Rate | 11% | 11% | 11% |
| Applicants | 78,769 | 30,456 | 44,822 |
| Admissions | 8,749 | 3,492 | 4,975 |
| Freshmen enrolled full time | 3,268 | 1,267 | 1,887 |
1,354 students enrolled in some distance education courses.
5,423 enrolled exclusively in distance education.
SAT scores
Among admitted applicants
1,083 or 33%
submitted SAT
25% of them
had 1420
or below
75% of them
had 1530
or below
Typical SAT scores of first-years in Boston University are 1420-1530 (middle 50% range).
ACT scores
Among admitted applicants
330 or 10%
submitted ACT
25% of them
had 32
or below
75% of them
had 34
or below
Typical ACT scores of first-years in Boston University are 32-34 (middle 50% range).
Admissions requirements
| College-preparatory program | Required |
|---|---|
| Recommendations | Required |
| Secondary school GPA | Required |
| Secondary school record | Required |
| TOEFL | Required |
| SAT/ACT | Considered but not required |
| Secondary school rank | Considered but not required |
| Formal demonstration of competencies | Neither required nor recommended |
| Other Tests | Neither required nor recommended |
Enrollment demographics by race or ethnicity
| White | 12524 (33%) |
|---|---|
| Nonresident Alien | 9910 (26%) |
| Asian | 6013 (16%) |
| Hispanic | 3579 (9%) |
| Race or Ethnicity unknown | 2392 (6%) |
| Black or African American | 1929 (5%) |
| Two or more races | 1351 (4%) |
| Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander | 21 (0.1%) |
| American Indian or Alaska Native | 7 (0%) |
Costs per year: Tuition, Housing, Fees
The average net cost to attend Boston University is $24,420 per year, calculated as the sum of the average cost of tuition, room and board, books, and supplies, reduced by the amount of average financial aid received.
The final cost of attendance varies for each student based on household income, residency, program, and other factors.
Average costs by household income
| <$30K | $9,500 |
|---|---|
| $30-48K | $9,342 |
| $48-75K | $11,778 |
| $75-110K | $22,517 |
| $110K+ | $47,504 |
Tuition and fees
| Undergraduates | Graduates | |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition in-district | $66,670 | $66,670 |
| Tuition in-state | $66,670 | $66,670 |
| Tuition out-of-state | $66,670 | $66,670 |
| Fee in-district | $1,432 | $956 |
| Fee in-state | $1,432 | $956 |
| Fee out-of-state | $1,432 | $956 |
Room and board costs
| Dormitory capacity | 11,808 |
|---|---|
| Combined charge for room and board | $19,020 |
| Room charge | $12,180 |
| Meal charge | $6,840 |
Boston University majors
Boston University has granted 4,505 bachelor's degrees across 97 programs, 6,733 master's across 146 programs, and 1,341 doctorate degrees across 69 programs. Below is a table with majors that lead to degrees at Boston University.
| Major | Bachelor | Master | Doctoral |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Administration and Management, General | 713 | 1,061 | 3 |
| Computer Science | 328 | 284 | 11 |
| Psychology, General | 313 | 35 | 17 |
| Social Work | 344 | 3 | |
| Law | 296 | ||
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods, Other | 243 | ||
| Economics, General | 237 | ||
| Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering | 121 | 82 | 23 |
| Business Analytics | 226 | ||
| Biology & Biological Sciences, General | 169 | 41 | 10 |
| Dentistry | 214 | ||
| Advertising | 165 | 45 | |
| Data Processing and Data Processing Technology & Technician | 201 | ||
| Mechanical Engineering | 130 | 58 | 13 |
| Information Science & Studies | 198 | ||
| International Marketing | 195 | ||
| Epidemiology | 189 | 5 | |
| Radio and Television | 169 | 18 | |
| International Relations and Affairs | 142 | 41 | |
| Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other | 169 | ||
| Public Relations & Image Management | 126 | 40 | |
| Electrical and Electronics Engineering | 28 | 110 | 21 |
| Medicine | 154 | ||
| Financial Analytics | 153 | ||
| Health Services & Allied Health & Health Sciences, General | 138 | ||
| Political Science and Government, General | 114 | 12 | 9 |
| Neuroscience | 122 | 11 | |
| Econometrics and Quantitative Economics | 102 | 19 | |
| Programs for Foreign Lawyers | 120 | ||
| Physiology, General | 109 | 10 | |
| Computer Software and Media Applications, Other | 113 | ||
| Digital Communication and Media & Multimedia | 110 | 3 | |
| Health Services Administration | 108 | ||
| Journalism | 88 | 17 | |
| Management Science | 104 | ||
| Criminal Justice & Safety Studies | 3 | 99 | |
| Music Performance, General | 18 | 59 | 19 |
| Finance, General | 95 | ||
| Hospitality Administration & Management, General | 43 | 48 | |
| Mathematics, General | 84 | 4 | 2 |
| Public Health Education and Promotion | 89 | ||
| Computer Engineering, General | 70 | 7 | 11 |
| Occupational Therapy & Therapist | 87 | ||
| Educational Leadership and Administration, General | 84 | 2 | |
| Theology & Theological Studies | 28 | 55 | |
| Curriculum and Instruction | 76 | 3 | |
| Financial Mathematics | 77 | 2 | |
| Statistics, General | 69 | 10 | |
| Music Teacher Education | 4 | 46 | 28 |
| Chemistry, General | 22 | 24 | 24 |
| Communication, General | 50 | 20 | |
| Molecular Biology | 69 | 1 | |
| Biostatistics | 57 | 9 | |
| Nutrition Sciences | 18 | 48 | |
| Philosophy | 56 | 2 | 8 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations, Other | 64 | ||
| Health & Health Care Administration & Management | 56 | 7 | |
| Logistics, Materials, and Supply Chain Management | 62 | ||
| Physical Therapy & Therapist | 62 | ||
| Audiology & Audiologist and Speech-Language Pathology & Pathologist | 12 | 42 | 1 |
| Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | 53 | ||
| Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other | 27 | 25 | |
| English Language and Literature, General | 43 | 5 | 3 |
| History, General | 36 | 7 | 8 |
| Mathematical Economics | 51 | ||
| Sociology, General | 42 | 3 | 5 |
| Graphic Design | 24 | 25 | |
| Tax Law & Taxation | 49 | ||
| Bioinformatics | 36 | 9 | |
| Art History, Criticism and Conservation | 22 | 12 | 9 |
| Fine and Studio Arts Management | 43 | ||
| Health & Medical Preparatory Programs, Other | 43 | ||
| Clinical Psychology | 42 | ||
| Counselor Education & School Counseling and Guidance Services | 42 | ||
| Non-Profit & Public & Organizational Management | 42 | ||
| Artificial Intelligence | 38 | ||
| Banking, Corporate, Finance, and Securities Law | 38 | ||
| Rehabilitation Science | 36 | ||
| Special Education and Teaching, General | 7 | 26 | 2 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | 33 | ||
| Materials Engineering | 26 | 7 | |
| Medical Informatics | 33 | ||
| Social Sciences, Other | 32 | ||
| Environmental Science | 31 | ||
| Physics, General | 20 | 1 | 10 |
| Education, General | 27 | 3 | |
| Public Health, Other | 27 | ||
| Technical Theatre & Theatre Design and Technology | 13 | 14 | |
| Computational Mathematics | 26 | ||
| Linguistics | 18 | 7 | 1 |
| Astronomy | 15 | 7 | 3 |
| Marine Biology and Biological Oceanography | 25 | ||
| Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering | 25 | ||
| Painting | 8 | 16 | |
| Systems Engineering | 16 | 7 | |
| Art Teacher Education | 1 | 21 | |
| Multi- & Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | 21 | ||
| Data Modeling & Warehousing and Database Administration | 20 | ||
| Drama and Dramatics & Theatre Arts, General | 20 | ||
| Pre-Medicine & Pre-Medical Studies | 20 | ||
| Acting | 19 | ||
| Actuarial Science | 19 | ||
| Biotechnology | 19 | ||
| City & Urban, Community, and Regional Planning | 19 | ||
| Forensic Science and Technology | 19 | ||
| Divinity & Ministry | 1 | 17 | |
| Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language & ESL Language Instructor | 18 | ||
| Architectural History and Criticism, General | 17 | ||
| Conservation Biology | 17 | ||
| Culinary Arts and Related Services, Other | 17 | ||
| Environmental Health | 10 | 7 | |
| Geology & Earth Science, General | 8 | 9 | |
| Systems Science and Theory | 17 | ||
| Applied Psychology | 11 | 5 | |
| Cell & Cellular and Molecular Biology | 16 | ||
| Creative Writing | 15 | ||
| Early Childhood Education and Teaching | 8 | 6 | |
| Health Communication | 14 | ||
| Genetic Counseling & Counselor | 13 | ||
| Reading Teacher Education | 13 | ||
| Ancient Studies & Civilization | 6 | 1 | 5 |
| Hospitality Administration & Management, Other | 12 | ||
| Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies, Other | 12 | ||
| Public Administration and Social Service Professions, Other | 3 | 9 | |
| Science Teacher Education & General Science Teacher Education | 2 | 10 | |
| Social Studies Teacher Education | 1 | 11 | |
| Education Policy Analysis | 11 | ||
| Elementary Education and Teaching | 7 | 4 | |
| Manufacturing Engineering | 11 | ||
| Music, General | 11 | ||
| Urban Studies & Affairs | 11 | ||
| Cell & Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences, Other | 3 | 7 | |
| Forensic Anthropology | 10 | ||
| Illustration | 10 | ||
| Religion & Religious Studies | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| Child Development | 9 | ||
| Pathology & Experimental Pathology | 9 | ||
| Anatomy | 5 | 3 | |
| Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other | 1 | 7 | |
| Endodontics & Endodontology | 5 | 3 | |
| Mathematics Teacher Education | 1 | 7 | |
| Music Theory and Composition | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| Anthropology, General | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| Archeology | 6 | 1 | |
| Cultural Anthropology | 7 | ||
| English & Language Arts Teacher Education | 3 | 4 | |
| Foreign Language Teacher Education | 7 | ||
| Insurance | 7 | ||
| Musicology and Ethnomusicology | 3 | 4 | |
| Orthodontics & Orthodontology | 7 | ||
| Spanish Language and Literature | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| Directing and Theatrical Production | 6 | ||
| Film & Cinema & Media Studies | 6 | ||
| International Relations and National Security Studies, Other | 6 | ||
| Periodontics & Periodontology | 6 | ||
| Sculpture | 1 | 5 | |
| Taxation | 6 | ||
| Biochemistry | 5 | ||
| Data Science, General | 5 | ||
| Education & Teaching of Individuals with Hearing Impairments Including Deafness | 5 | ||
| Engineering Physics & Applied Physics | 5 | ||
| French Language and Literature | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Keyboard Instruments | 2 | 3 | |
| Physical and Biological Anthropology | 5 | ||
| Anthropology, Other | 4 | ||
| Art & Art Studies, General | 4 | ||
| Fine Arts and Art Studies, Other | 4 | ||
| Genetics, General | 4 | ||
| Health Professions Education | 4 | ||
| Pharmacology | 4 | ||
| Prosthodontics & Prosthodontology | 2 | 2 | |
| Public Health, General | 4 | ||
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions, Other | 4 | ||
| Chemistry, Other | 3 | ||
| Chinese Language and Literature | 3 | ||
| Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General | 3 | ||
| Clinical & Medical Laboratory Technician | 3 | ||
| Comparative Literature | 1 | 2 | |
| Computer and Information Systems Security & Auditing & Information Assurance | 3 | ||
| Dental Public Health and Education | 3 | ||
| Economics and Computer Science | 3 | ||
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services, Other | 3 | ||
| Medical Anthropology | 3 | ||
| Regional Studies (U.S., Canadian, Foreign) | 3 | ||
| American & United States Studies & Civilization | 2 | ||
| Conducting | 2 | ||
| Geoarcheaology | 2 | ||
| Physical Sciences, General | 2 | ||
| Asian Studies & Civilization | 1 | ||
| Bilingual and Multilingual Education | 1 | ||
| Broadcast Journalism | 1 | ||
| European Studies & Civilization | 1 | ||
| Historic Preservation and Conservation, General | 1 | ||
| International Business, Trade, and Tax Law | 1 | ||
| Japanese Language and Literature | 1 | ||
| Latin American Studies | 1 | ||
| Pediatric Dentistry & Pedodontics | 1 | ||
| Printmaking | 1 | ||
| Radiologic Technology & Science - Radiographer | 1 | ||
| Religious & Sacred Music | 1 | ||
| Youth Services & Administration | 1 | ||
| Grand Total | 4,505 | 6,733 | 1,341 |
Boston University has a graduation rate of 89%, which is among the 5% highest for universities in the US.
| Total | Men | Women | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graduation rate | 89% | 86% | 90% |
| |||
Publications & Citations
Boston University is a world-class research university with 188,236 scientific papers published and 8,956,098 citations received. The research profile covers a range of fields, including Medicine, Biology, Liberal Arts & Social Sciences, Chemistry, Computer Science, Psychology, Engineering, Physics, Genetics, and Pathology.
Publication / Citation count by topic
Annual publication & citation counts
| Year | Publications | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | 1580 | 32155 |
| 1994 | 1782 | 34943 |
| 1995 | 1962 | 39547 |
| 1996 | 1970 | 42255 |
| 1997 | 2299 | 48858 |
| 1998 | 2459 | 55257 |
| 1999 | 2519 | 63137 |
| 2000 | 2552 | 74358 |
| 2001 | 2562 | 82398 |
| 2002 | 3331 | 98691 |
| 2003 | 3305 | 111050 |
| 2004 | 3365 | 121403 |
| 2005 | 3680 | 138648 |
| 2006 | 3985 | 159391 |
| 2007 | 4019 | 174639 |
| 2008 | 4293 | 194533 |
| 2009 | 4498 | 215434 |
| 2010 | 5349 | 240340 |
| 2011 | 5397 | 269516 |
| 2012 | 5766 | 302064 |
| 2013 | 6156 | 332060 |
| 2014 | 6009 | 351605 |
| 2015 | 6273 | 370753 |
| 2016 | 6378 | 381501 |
| 2017 | 6940 | 400435 |
| 2018 | 7310 | 424573 |
| 2019 | 7815 | 465994 |
| 2020 | 8900 | 550387 |
| 2021 | 8737 | 605249 |
| 2022 | 8516 | 574077 |
| 2023 | 9303 | 584920 |
| 2024 | 8224 | 577588 |
| 2025 | 6893 | 515245 |
Boston University alumni
-
Martin Luther King Jr
- Enrolled in Boston University
- 1951-1955 graduated with Doctor of Philosophy in systematic theology
- Occupations
- civil rights advocatewriterpreacherpeace activistreligious leader
- Biography
-
Martin Luther King Jr. was an American civil rights activist and Baptist minister who was a leader of the civil rights movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968. He advanced civil rights for people of color in the United States through the use of nonviolent resistance and civil disobedience against Jim Crow laws and other forms of legalized discrimination, which most commonly affected African Americans.
-
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
- Enrolled in Boston University
- In 2011 studied economics and international relations
- Occupations
- waiterpublishereducational strategistbartenderpolitician
- Biography
-
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, also known by her initials AOC, is an American politician and activist who has served since 2019 as the U.S. representative for New York's 14th congressional district. She is a member of the Democratic Party.
-
Marisa Tomei
- Occupations
- actortelevision actorfilm actorvoice actorstage actor
- Biography
-
Marisa Tomei is an American actress. She gained prominence for her comedic performance in My Cousin Vinny (1992), which earned her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She received further nominations in the category for In the Bedroom (2001) and The Wrestler (2008).
-
Julianne Moore
- Enrolled in Boston University
- In 1983 graduated with Bachelor of Fine Arts
- Occupations
- voice actorstage actorchildren's writeractortelevision actor
- Biography
-
Julie Anne Smith, known professionally as Julianne Moore, is an American actress. She is particularly known for her portrayals of emotionally troubled and vulnerable women. Prolific in independent films and blockbusters since the early 1990s, she is the recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, two Emmy Awards, and two Golden Globe Awards. She is one of only two actresses to win the Best Actress award at all three major European film festivals—Cannes Film Festival, Berlin Film Festival, and the Venice Film Festival.
General info
| Alternative names | BU Boston U |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1869 |
| Motto | Learning, Virtue, Piety |
| Colors | scarlet, white |
| Academic calendar | September to May (September - December; January-May). Also Summer Session (May-August) |
| Total FTE staff | 10,512 |
| Carnegie classification | Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity |
Location and contacts
| Address | One Silber Way Boston, Massachusetts, 02215 United States |
|---|---|
| City population | 676,000 |
| Phone | 6173532000 |