Quad

Boston College

Chestnut Hill, MAQuad's selectivityHighly selective
Known forTop test scoresHigh earnersHigh graduation rateTest-optional heavy
WebsiteAdmissionsApplyVisitFinancial aid

Updates

What changed

New and revised figures from the latest data releases, each with its year.

Published Oct 11, 2026

  • Fall 2026 applicants: Test scores required (fall 2024: Test-optional)Boston College Common Data Set 2024–25

Published Oct 10, 2026

  • Fall 2026: 41,923 applied (fall 2024: 35,037)Boston College (Fall 2026)
  • Fall 2026: 5,636 admits (fall 2024: 5,755)Boston College (Fall 2026)
  • Fall 2026: 13% admitted (fall 2024: 16%)Boston College (Fall 2026)

Sources:Boston College Common Data Set 2024–25, Fall 2026 applicants;Boston College (Fall 2026), Fall 2026About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)

Admissions · Fall 2026

1 in 7 applicants admitted

Boston admits about 1 in 7 applicants (13%). That puts it in the "Highly selective" tier, more selective than 97% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.

13%

13%

acceptance rateQuad's selectivityHighly selective

Applied

41,923

Admitted

5,636

Yield

43%

of admits enroll

SAT middle 50%

1440–1540

10001600
ACT middle 50%

33–35

1836
Applications +51% since fall 2014 · admit rate 34% → 16%Over time

Getting in, in detail: funnel, what they look at, your scores

Students

Who's on campus

A medium campus of 10,085 undergrads, where 13% receive Pell Grants, a low share compared to other colleges.

10.1K

undergrads · larger than 89% of colleges

Diversity index

0.64

Pell Grant

13%

below the median

First generation

13%

below the median

Small cityNCAA D-I FBS · Atlantic Coast ConferenceROTCStudy abroad
More diverse · index 0.60 → 0.64 since fall 2014Over time

Students and campus life in detail

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Econometrics and Quantitative Economics (13% of graduates). 10 students for every faculty member, fewer than at 76% of colleges. 61% of faculty are full-time. Spends $27,008 a year on instruction per student.

10 to 1

students per faculty member · fewer than at 76% of colleges

Most popular major

Econometrics and Quantitative Economics

13% of 2024–25 graduates

Top-earning major

Finance and Financial Management Services

$147.7K four years after completion

Full-time faculty

61%

of faculty

Instruction spending

$27K

per student a year

All majors with search, earnings by major, and faculty

Cost & aid · 2023–24

What it costs

In 2023–24, the average first-year paid an estimated $66,646 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), $42.4K more than the national median. The 40% who received grants paid $32,519 on average; the other 60% paid the full sticker price of $89,605.

26%

$66.6K

average total cost per year, all first-years, after grants (est.) · $42.4K above the national median

$0$110K$400K+
Full price
$89,605 a year
tuition, housing, food, books, and other costs
Need-based aid
Published data end at $110K
use the college's net price calculator for higher incomes
Merit aid
12% · avg $52K
of first-years got a grant without federal aid (a proxy: at most colleges that's merit aid)
Aid generosity

Moderate

grants cover 26% of full price

Federal loans

30%

of undergrads · national median 45%

Your price

Net price calculator

the college's own

Financial aid

Financial aid office Veterans' benefits
Cost rising · +9% after inflation since 2013–14Over time

Prices, who gets aid, and borrowing in detail

Outcomes

What it pays

Former students earn a median $103,937 ten years after enrolling, more than at 99% of colleges; 91% graduate within six years. Four years of net price is about 2.6 years of that salary.

91%

91%

graduate within six years · national median 59%

Median earnings

$103.9K

10 years after entry

Median debt

$19K

≈ $201/month for 10 years

Retention

96%

come back for year two

Graduation rate 91% → 91% since the class that entered fall 2008Over time

Earnings, finishing, 8-year outcomes, by group

Over time · since 2013–14

How it's changed

Since 2013–14, the full price rose 12% after inflation, and what the average first-year paid moved with it. Applications rose 51% since fall 2014, and the acceptance rate went from 34% to 16%.

  • Cost

    Rising

    +9% after inflation

  • Applications

    Growing

    +51%

  • Selectivity

    More selective

    admit rate 34% → 16% (to fall 2024)

  • Diversity

    More diverse

    index 0.60 → 0.64

Every series, year by year

Keep exploring

Schools like this one

University of Notre Dame

11% admit · SAT 1508 · 8.8K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar scoresSimilar size
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Lehigh University

29% admit · SAT 1435 · 5.9K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar scoresAlso Northeast
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University of Miami

19% admit · SAT 1400 · 12.9K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar scoresSimilar size
Compare side-by-side

Syracuse University

49% admit · SAT 1360 · 15.5K undergrads

Similar sizeAlso NortheastAlso private
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Sources for this overviewEvery dataset and year behind the numbers on this profile; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Sources for this profile

  1. 1
    IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  2. 2
    College Scorecard

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release; Entered fall 2023; Fall 2024; 2023–24; Fall 2023 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  3. 3
    Boston College (Fall 2026)

    Boston College · Fall 2026 · retrieved 2026-10-10

  4. 4
    IPEDS Admissions survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  5. 5
    Boston College Common Data Set 2024–25

    Boston College · Fall 2026 applicants; Fall 2024; 2024–25; Fall 2025 entrants; Fall 2025 cycle; 2025–26; Class of 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-11

  6. 6
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  7. 7
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  8. 8
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  9. 9
    IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2024–25 graduates · retrieved 2026-10-12

  10. 10
    College Scorecard Field of Study data

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  11. 11
    IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  12. 12
    IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  13. 13
    Boston College (2026–27)

    Boston College · 2026–27 · retrieved 2026-10-10

  14. 14
    Common Data Set

    Each college (voluntary, standardized template) · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  15. 15
    IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Entered fall 2018 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  16. 16
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part C, residence of first-time students)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  17. 17
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part A, enrollment by level)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  18. 18
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (distance education)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  19. 19
    IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  20. 20
    IPEDS Outcome Measures survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Students entering fall 2016 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  21. 21
    Boston College (2026)

    Boston College · 2026 · retrieved 2026-10-04

IPEDS unit ID 164924 · Data retrieved 2026-10-12. Tap any ⓘ to see where that number came from and what year it describes. National ranks and medians include every 4-year college that reports the measure. How we source and calculate everything