Private nonprofit · Boston, Massachusetts

Boston University

Boston, MA · City · Large (18,248 undergrads)Website Net price calculator

The total cost of attendance at Boston University was $86,285 for 2024–25, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Students who received federal aid paid an average net price of $24,402, and $9,500 if family income was under $30,000. We haven't verified aid figures for international students here; check the school's aid office.

Admit rate (2024–25)

11%

SAT / ACT middle 50%

1420–1530 · 32–34

Your fit indicator

Reach

Highly selective (admit rate 11%) — a reach for every applicant

Cost of attendance (2024–25)

$86,285

Official · U.S. Dept. of Education (College Scorecard)

Net price (average)

$24,402

Federal-aid recipients; not for international students

Graduation rate

89%

Median earnings, 10 yrs

$83,238

Median debt

$23,250

Your real cost

Published cost → aid by income → what internationals pay

1
Published cost of attendance: $86,285 per year (2024-25)
Tuition & fees
$65,168
Housing & food (on campus)
$18,110
Books & supplies
$1,000
Other expenses
$2,085
Total: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, 2024-25. Breakdown: NCES IPEDS academic-year charges, 2023-24 (first-time, full-time undergrads). Costs usually rise each year.
2
U.S. students: average net price by family income
$0–30,000
$9,500
$30,001–48,000
$9,342
$48,001–75,000
$11,778
$75,001–110,000
$22,517
$110,001+
$47,504
Average for all aided students: $24,402. Net price = cost minus grants and scholarships (not loans).
Source: College Scorecard, 2024-25; students who received federal aid. Use the school's net price calculator for your own estimate.
3
International students: cost minus the school's own aid to internationals
We don't have verified data on this school's aid to international students, so we don't estimate it. Plan for the full cost of $86,363 a year and ask the financial aid office whether internationals can get need-based or merit aid.
International students can't receive U.S. federal aid (Pell, federal loans, work-study). Add health insurance and travel.

How students pay here

Need-based aid

We haven't verified this school's Common Data Set need figures (% of need met, average need-based grant).

Policy: U.S. admission policy not verified (reported — confirm on the official aid page).

Merit (non-need) aid

No verified merit-aid figures. Federal data below combines need-based and merit grants.

All first-year aid (federal data)

Got any financial aid: 55%
Got a grant from the school: 49%; Average $52,523 (need + merit)
Got a Pell Grant: 19%; Average $5,668
Got a state grant: 3%; Average $4,303
Took a federal student loan: 19%; Average $4,064

International students

Merit aid only for internationals (reported — confirm on official page; Reported: no need-based aid for international undergraduates; merit scholarships exist.)

Forms & deadlines

FAFSA for U.S. citizens and eligible non-citizens (this school takes federal aid). studentaid.gov
CSS Profile or the school's own form: check the school's aid page; many private colleges require it, including for internationals. CSS Profile
Aid deadlines: see the official aid page. We only list dates we've confirmed.

Sources: NCES IPEDS Student Financial Aid 2022-23 (full-time, first-time undergrads; IPEDS doesn't separate need and merit).

Curated policies

International aid: merit only (secondary) · Test policy: unknown · Early: Not verified · Regular: Not verified · checked Oct 13, 2026. Official aid page

Living here

Boston · Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH

Cost of living 8% above the U.S. average · 2-bedroom median rent $2,210 · transit commute share 22.4%

Est. monthly student budget

$1,790

See the area

· Compare

Compare cost with similar schools

All colleges in Massachusetts: cost & aid · Ways to pay

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, Most-Recent-Cohorts institution file (released Jun 10, 2026). Cost of attendance & admissions: 2024–25. Net price, earnings, debt and completion are the most recent cohorts in that release and lag by a few years; net price covers federal-aid recipients (not international students). Fit labels are rough indicators from published ranges, not admission odds. “—” = not reported.