Boston College

Chestnut Hill, MA · Private nonprofit · Small city · Website

Admission rate: 16%; Very selective
Average net price: $38,930; per year, after aid
Graduation rate: 90%
Median earnings: $112,178; 10 years after enrolling

Boston College is a private nonprofit college in Chestnut Hill, MA with 10,085 undergraduates. It admits 16% of applicants, and admitted students average 1507 on the SAT. The average net price after aid is $38,930 per year ($7,293 for families earning under $30,000). 90% of students graduate, and graduates earn a median of $112,178 ten years after enrolling.

private nonprofit college

Admissions

Admission rate: 16%; Fall 2024
Testing policy: Test optional; Fall 2024
Applicants: 36,069; Fall 2023
Admitted: 5,645; Fall 2023
Yield: 41%; of admitted students enrolled

Middle 50% of admitted students (Fall 2024). A quarter scored below the band and a quarter above.

SAT Reading & Writing710–760

200800

SAT Math730–780

200800

ACT Composite33–35

136

What Boston College looks at

As reported by the college to IPEDS (Fall 2023).

High school recordRequired
High school GPARequired
College-prep courseworkRequired
Class rankConsidered
Essay or personal statementRequired
RecommendationsRequired
Demonstrated competenciesConsidered
Legacy statusConsidered
Work experienceConsidered
English proficiency testRequired

Cost

Cost of attendance: $93,039; sticker price, per year
Tuition & fees: $73,508

Net price by family income

Average yearly cost after grants and scholarships for students receiving federal aid.

$0–30k$7,293
$30–48k$10,451
$48–75k$9,615
$75–110k$23,616
$110k+$61,800

Get a personal estimate with Boston College's net price calculator

Outcomes

Graduation rate: 90%
Freshman retention: 96%
Median earnings: $112,178; 10 yrs after enrolling
Median debt: $19,000; at graduation

Students

Undergraduates: 10,085
Student–faculty ratio: 10:1
Receive Pell grants: 17%

White57%
Hispanic13%
Black5%
Asian11%

Boston College FAQ

What is Boston College's acceptance rate?+

Boston College admits 16% of applicants, which makes it very selective.

What SAT score do you need for Boston College?+

The middle 50% of admitted students scored 710–760 on SAT Reading and Writing and 730–780 on SAT Math; the average total is 1507.

What ACT score do you need for Boston College?+

The middle 50% ACT composite range for admitted students is 33–35.

Is Boston College test optional?+

Test optional (considered if submitted).

How many students apply to Boston College?+

In Fall 2023, 36,069 students applied to Boston College and 5,645 were admitted; 2,335 enrolled.

Does Boston College consider legacy status?+

Yes. Boston College reported that legacy status is considered in admissions (Fall 2023).

Does Boston College require an essay?+

Boston College reported that an essay or personal statement is required for admission (Fall 2023).

How much does Boston College cost?+

The sticker cost of attendance is $93,039 per year, but the average net price after grants and scholarships is $38,930.

What is Boston College's graduation rate?+

90% of full-time students graduate within 150% of normal time.

Sources

Admission rate, test scores, cost, students, and outcomes: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (Most Recent Institution-Level Data), released 2026-10-15. Admissions figures are for Fall 2024, costs for 2024-25, and earnings are measured in 2023.
Applicants, admitted, yield, and admission factors: IPEDS Admissions survey (ADM2023), Fall 2023.
IPEDS unit ID 164924 · How we use this data