Skip to content
College Path Hub

Boston College

Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts · Private nonprofit · 4-year · City

Compare this college

Official website

At a glance

Average net price
$41,704What students typically pay per year after grants and scholarships.
Acceptance rate
16%
Graduation rate
91%Share of students who finish within 150% of the normal time.
Undergraduates
10,085
In-state tuition
$70,702Published price before aid.
Out-of-state tuition
$70,702
SAT midpoint
1,475
Median earnings, 10 yrs
$103,937Median earnings of former students ten years after they first enrolled.

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Data year: 2022-23 academic year. Updated September 2026. Figures are averages across all students and will differ from what any individual pays.

How it compares to similar colleges

Each rating covers one measure against private nonprofit 4-year colleges nationally. Five stars means the top fifth on that measure. There is no overall score, because which of these matters is your call.

Affordability

$41,704

Better than 4% of private nonprofit 4-year colleges (1092 compared).

Completion

91%

Better than 96% of private nonprofit 4-year colleges (1063 compared).

Earnings

$103,937

Better than 98% of private nonprofit 4-year colleges (1087 compared).

Debt at graduation

$19,000

Better than 85% of private nonprofit 4-year colleges (1020 compared).

What these ratings are based on
Affordability
Based on average net price: what students receiving federal aid actually paid, after grants and scholarships. Your own cost depends on your family's finances.
Completion
Based on the share of first-time, full-time students who graduate within 150% of normal time. It excludes transfer and part-time students, which understates colleges serving many of them.
Earnings
Based on median earnings ten years after students first enrolled. It reflects the subjects a college teaches and the region it sits in as much as its teaching.
Debt at graduation
Based on median federal loan debt among students who completed. Private and parent loans are not included, so real totals are often higher.
Why there is no rating for selectivity
A lower acceptance rate is selectivity, not quality. Awarding stars for it would be us inventing a value judgement and hiding it behind a number.

What it actually costs

Published cost

$89,493

The sticker price: tuition, fees, housing, food and books for one academic year, before any aid.

Average net price

$41,704

What students receiving federal aid actually paid on average, after grants and scholarships. This is the more useful number, though your own figure depends on your family’s finances.

Use this college’s official net price calculator

Outcomes

Graduation, retention, debt and earnings for Boston College
Graduation rateWithin 150% of normal time91%
Retention rateFirst-year students who return96%
Median debt at graduationFederal loans only, students who completed$19,000
Median earnings, 10 years after entryFormer students, working and not enrolled$103,937

What graduates of each major earn

Median earnings one year after finishing, for people who took that subject here. This is the figure a college-wide median hides: the spread between subjects at one college is usually far wider than the spread between colleges.

Bachelor’s programs at Boston College by graduate earnings
MajorEarnings, 1 yrDegrees awarded
Computer Science$86,749144
Finance and Financial Management Services$82,495384
Information Science/Studies$80,73170
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods$80,046109
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing$78,934115
Accounting and Related Services$75,51277
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations$74,44657
Mathematics$74,14463
Economics$72,099335
Business Administration, Management and Operations$71,675120
Marketing$66,22784
Communication and Media Studies$55,162153
International/Globalization Studies$51,37190
Natural Resources Conservation and Research$49,11138
Sociology$48,09153
Philosophy$47,34577
Political Science and Government$46,764158
Psychology, General$44,760111
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods$43,26241
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology$42,47430
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology$42,384133
English Language and Literature, General$41,87884
History$41,34169
Biology, General$38,592220
Neurobiology and NeurosciencesNot reported86
Fine and Studio ArtsNot reported23
ChemistryNot reported23
Education, GeneralNot reported10
Romance Languages, Literatures, and LinguisticsNot reported9
Film/Video and Photographic ArtsNot reported9
PhysicsNot reported8
Theological and Ministerial StudiesNot reported8
Drama/Theatre Arts and StagecraftNot reported7
Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and LinguisticsNot reported6
Criminal Justice and CorrectionsNot reported6
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, OtherNot reported6
Germanic Languages, Literatures, and LinguisticsNot reported5
MusicNot reported5
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject AreasNot reported4
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and ServicesNot reported4
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group StudiesNot reported4
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesNot reported4
Religion/Religious StudiesNot reported3
Social Sciences, GeneralNot reported3
Area StudiesNot reported2
Education, OtherNot reported1
Geological and Earth Sciences/GeosciencesNot reported1
Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and LinguisticsNot reported1
Natural SciencesNot reportedNot reported

All 49 bachelor’s programs this college reported.

Similar colleges