Covering Innovation & Inequality in Education
This year at Boston University, we project that on average students will pay $30,586, while the advertised price of attendance is $91,877. That’s a difference of $61,291.
| Year | Net in-state price at Boston University | In-state sticker price at Boston University |
|---|---|---|
| 25-26 | $30,586 | $91,877 |
| 24-25 | $29,654 | $89,077 |
| 23-24 | $28,750 | $86,363 |
| 22-23 | $27,551 | $82,760 |
| 21-22 | $27,829 | $79,606 |
| 20-21 | $25,852 | $77,662 |
| 19-20 | $29,154 | $75,002 |
| 18-19 | $29,479 | $72,618 |
| 17-18 | $29,154 | $70,302 |
| 16-17 | $33,728 | $68,060 |
| 15-16 | $31,539 | $65,906 |
| 14-15 | $32,732 | $63,644 |
| 13-14 | $32,539 | $61,446 |
How much a student actually pays usually depends, at least in part, on their family's household income. At Boston University this year, we project students with incomes over $110K will pay around $53,308, while students with incomes between $30K and $48K will pay around $12,397. That's a difference of $40,911.
| Income bracket | Projected net price at Boston University |
|---|---|
| <$30K | $12,715 |
| $30K-$48K | $12,397 |
| $48K-$75K | $15,141 |
| $75K-$110K | $28,310 |
| >$110K | $53,308 |
A school’s graduation rate can indicate how likely a student is to complete their degree. At Boston University, over the last five years 89% of students earned their bachelor’s degree within six years of enrolling.
Students from different demographic backgrounds often graduate at different rates, so it can be helpful to look beyond the overall graduation rate. This chart shows how students of different races and ethnicities fare earning their degrees at Boston University.
| Demographic category | Graduation rate at Boston University | National average |
|---|---|---|
| American Indian/Alaska Native | 78% | 31% |
| Asian | 92% | 45% |
| Black | 87% | 34% |
| Hispanic | 87% | 41% |
| Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | 88% | 28% |
| White | 89% | 50% |
| Multiple races | 88% | 37% |
| Unknown race | 86% | 37% |
Student retention, or how often students return to continue their degree after completing their first year, is another helpful indicator. Over the last five years, at Boston University, about 94% of full-time students returned the following fall to continue their degree.
The size and demographic makeup of a school’s student body can have a large impact on a student’s experience. Boston University has 45,548 students, which puts it in the {SIZE_PERCENTILE} percentile of private, 4-year schools.
About 57% of students are female.
And about 34% of students are white.