Boston College

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2017 Undergraduate Tuition

$52,500

4% growth from 2016

2017 Average Net Price

$27,299

After Financial Aid

2016 Student Loan

1.55%

Default Rate

2017 Acceptance Rate

32.4%

28,454 Applicants

2017 Enrolled Students

14,628

90.3% Full-Time

2017 Graduation Rate

92.1%

2,102 Graduates

About

Boston College is a higher education institution located in Middlesex County, MA. In 2016, the most popular Bachelor's Degree concentrations at Boston College were General Economics (373 degrees awarded), General Finance (340 degrees), and Speech Communication & Rhetoric (240 degrees).

In 2017, 4,914 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Boston College. 54.8% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 45.2% awarded men. The majority of degree recipients were white (2,843 degrees), 6.82 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (417 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Boston College is $52,500, which is $26,000 more than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($26,500).

Photo by Jim McIntosh

Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity Doctoral Universities

Costs

The median undergraduate tuition at Boston College is $52,500, which is $26,000 more than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($26,500).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $27,299.

In 2017, 45% of undergraduate students received federal grants, while 37% of undergraduate students received federal loans.

Student Expenses

Tuition Costs

$52,500

2017 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2017, the cost of tuition at Boston College was $52,500. The cost of tuition at Boston College is $26,000 more than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($26,500).

This chart compares the tuition costs of Boston College (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$27,299

2017 Value

0.486%

1 Year Growth

In 2017 Boston College had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $27,299. Between 2016 and 2017, the average net price of Boston College grew by 0.486%.

This chart compares the average net price of Boston College (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$12,009

Room and Board

$1,250

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Boston College was of $12,009 in 2017. During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,250. The cost of room and board increased by 4.67% between 2016 and 2017. The cost of books and supplies did not change during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at Boston College (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid

Financial Aid by Income Level

45%

Of Undergraduates Receive Grants

37%

Of Undergraduates Receive Federal Loans

45% of undergraduate students at Boston College received grants or loans in 2017. This represents a growth of 2.27% with respect to 2016, when 44% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at Boston College (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

1.55%

2016 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2016 the default rate for borrower's at Boston College was 1.55%, which represents 31 out of the 2003 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Admissions

Boston College received 28,454 undergraduate applications in 2017, which represents a 1.73% annual decline. Out of those 28,454 applicants, 9,223 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 32.4% acceptance rate.

There were 14,628 students enrolled at Boston College in 2017, and 60% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

Boston College has an overall enrollment yield of 26.2%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

32.4%

Acceptance Rate in 2017

9,223

Accepted Out of 28,454

In 2017, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Boston College was 32.4% (9,223 admissions from 28,454 applications). This is higher than the acceptance rate of 2016, which was 31.1%. Between 2016 and 2017, the number of applicants declined by -1.73%, while admissions grew by 2.28%.

This chart compares the acceptance rate of Boston College (in red) with that of other similar universities.

SAT Scores

60%

Submission Percentage

1,441

Scores Submitted

60% of enrolled first-time students at Boston College in 2017 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

This chart shows the SAT scores for the 25th and 75th percentile of applicants broken out into each section of the test that their are evaluated on.

Enrollment

Boston College has a total enrollment of 14,628 students. The full-time enrollment at Boston College is 13,209 students and the part-time enrollment is 1,419. This means that 90.3% of students enrolled at Boston College are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Boston College, both undergraduate and graduate, is 58.5% White, 9.17% Hispanic or Latino, 8.22% Asian, 3.79% Black or African American, 2.82% Two or More Races, 0.041% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0205% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Boston College in full-time Undergraduate programs are majority White Female (31.5%), followed by White Male (29%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (5.97%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are majority White Female (31.2%), followed by White Male (22.3%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (3.91%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

90.3%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Boston College, both undergraduate and graduate, is 14,628 students. The full-time enrollment at Boston College is 13,209 and the part-time enrollment is 1,419. This means that 90.3% of students enrolled at Boston College are enrolled full-time compared with 78% at similar Doctoral Universities.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at Boston College (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

95%

2017 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at Boston College was 95%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Doctoral Universities (83%), Boston College had a retention rate higher than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at Boston College (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity

White
8,555
Hispanic or Latino
1,341
Asian
1,203

The enrolled student population at Boston College is 58.5% White, 9.17% Hispanic or Latino, 8.22% Asian, 3.79% Black or African American, 2.82% Two or More Races, 0.041% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0205% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Doctoral Universities is 51.5% White, 13.4% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.57% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 972 students (6.64%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2017, 474 more women than men received degrees from Boston College. The majority of degree recipients at Boston College are white (2,843 degrees awarded). There were 6.82 times more white graduates than the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (417 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at Boston College is General Economics (373 degrees awarded), followed by General Finance (340 degrees) and Speech Communication & Rhetoric (240 degrees).

The most specialized majors across all degree types at Boston College, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Philosophy and Religious Studies (124 degrees awarded), Theology (166 degrees), and Legal (253 degrees).

Workforce

Common Jobs by Major

Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Boston College are Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers (325,332 people), Other managers (227,735 people), Elementary & middle school teachers (191,295 people), Postsecondary teachers (146,193 people), and Clergy (119,850 people).

The most specialized majors at Boston College are Philosophy and Religious Studies (124 degrees awarded), Theology (166 degrees), Legal (253 degrees), Math & Statistics (161 degrees), and Social Sciences (650 degrees).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Nuclear medicine technologists and medical dosimetrists

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Boston College are Nuclear medicine technologists and medical dosimetrists, Chemists & materials scientists, Dentists, Surgeons, and Cardiovascular technologists and technicians

Common Industries by Major

Elementary & secondary schools

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Boston College are Elementary & secondary schools (362,868 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (298,482 people), Legal services (271,402 people), Computer Systems Design (192,286 people), and Justice, public order, & safety activities (172,023 people).

Degrees

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by Boston College.

Most Common

General Economics
373 degree-majorss awarded
General Finance
340 degree-majorss awarded
Speech Communication & Rhetoric
240 degree-majorss awarded

In 2017, the most common bachelors degree concentration at Boston College was General Economics with 373 degree-majorss awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at Boston College according to their major.

Gender Breakdown for Common Majors

Degrees Awarded to Men

2,220
2,694

In 2017, 2,220 degrees were awarded to men at Boston College, which is 0.824 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (2,694).

This chart displays the gender disparity between the top 5 majors at Boston College by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2017, 265 degrees were awarded to men at Boston College in General Economics, which is 1.96 times more than the 135 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2017, 213 degrees were awarded to women at Boston College in Social Work, which is 5.61 times more than the 38 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

89%

100% Completion Time

92%

150% Completion Time

In 2017, 89% of students graduating from Boston College completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 92% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 93% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Doctoral Universities Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Diversity

Graduation Rate by Race and Gender

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

Asian Female

Highest Graduation Rate (94.5%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate at Boston College is Female and Asian (94.5% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (68.1%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 9.8% of graduates (206 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

White
2,843 degrees awarded
Asian
417 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
403 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Boston College is white (2,843 degrees awarded). There were 6.82 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (417 degrees).

7.59% of degree recipients (373 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Gender

Most Common Gender Demographic

White Female
1,517 degrees awarded
White Male
1,326 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino Female
251 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and gender grouping at Boston College is white female (1,517 degrees awarded). There were 1.14 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (1,326 degrees).

Operations

Boston College has an endowment valued at nearly $2.33B, as of the end of the 2017 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of $285M (12.2%), compared to the 5.91% average return ($16.9M on $287M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2017, Boston College had a total salary expenditure of $799M. Boston College employs 283 Professors, 275 Associate professors, and 195 Assistant professors. Most academics at Boston College are Male Professors (193), Male Associate professors(141), and Female Associate professors (134).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Boston College are: Management, with 507 employees, Service, with 465 employees, and Office and Administrative Support with 400 employees.

Finances

Endowment

$2.33B

2017 Endowment

10.7%

growth from 2016

Boston College has an endowment valued at about $2.33B, as of the end of the 2017 fiscal year. The endowment of Boston College grew 10.7% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $2.05B higher than than the median endowment of Doctoral Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at Boston College (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity Carnegie Classification grouping.

Government Grants and Contracts

Grants & Contracts

$35.5M - Federal
$1.39M - State
$4.96M - Local

As of 2017, Boston College received $35.5M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $1.39M from state grants and contracts, and $4.96M from local grants and contracts.

Expenses

Salary Expenditure

$357M

2017 Salaries

3.97%

growth from 2016

In 2017, Boston College paid a median of $357M in salaries, which represents 44.7% of their overall expenditure ($799M) and a 3.97% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 2.9% decline from 2015 and a 4.04% growth from 2014.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 215M (42.7% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$112M

Instructional Salaries

834

Number of Employees

In 2017, Boston College paid a total of $112M to 834 employees working as instructors, which represents 31.5% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $64.9M (30.2%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Faculty and Staff

Occupations by Share

Professor

Most Common Instructor

283 Employees

Management

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

507 Employees

In 2017, the most common positions for instructional staff at Boston College were Professor with 283 employees; Associate professor with 275 employees; and Associate professor with 195 employees.

In 2017, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Boston College were Management with 507 employees; Service with 465 employees; and Office and Administrative Support with 400 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Gender

Most Common Demographic

Male Professor
Male Associate professor
Female Associate professor

In 2017, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Boston College was Male Professor with 193 employees, Male Associate professor with 141 employees, and Female Associate professor with 134 employees.

This chart shows the gender split between each academic rank present at Boston College.

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