Boston College

Boston College is a private, religious school in a suburban setting in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. BC was founded in 1863 and now enrolls around 14,570 students a year, including 9,445 undergrads. BC offers housing for up to 7,185 students. The majority of students live on campus, and first year-students are required to live in campus housing. On the weekends, about 90% of students stay on-campus and participate in campus events and social life.

There are many ways for students to get involved at BC! Love music or performing? Join a campus band, sing in a chorus, or perform with one of BC's theater groups.

Interested in journalism or communications? BC students can write for the campus newspaper, host a radio show or be a producer for the student-run television channel.

There are no fraternities or sororities at BC, so it might be a good choice if you're not interested in Greek life.

Planning to play sports? BC has many options for athletes. See them all and learn more about life at BC on the Student Life page.

Learn more about life at BC on the Student Life page.

Mark your calendar! January 1, 2022 is the final deadline to submit an application for Fall. Regular decision applicants for Fall 2022 should receive admissions decisions by April 1.

Is BC a Good School?

The definition of a "good school" is different for different people. Admissions criteria, acceptance rate and average GPA are good indicators of how selective an institution is, but they don't tell you how happy or successful students are. However, there are a few good ways to get a better sense how satisfied students are and how well a school supports its student body.

Let's take a closer look at to get a better idea of what BC offers and if it sounds like a good fit for you.

2021 Acceptance Rate for Boston College

It is very difficult to get into BC. The acceptance rate at BC is 26%. Last year, 29,382 students applied to BC and 7,752 were admitted.

Retention and Graduation Rates at BC

Retention is the number of students that stay enrolled at a school over time. This is a way to get a sense of how satisfied students are with their school experience, and if they have the support necessary to succeed in college.

About 95% of students who start at BC return for their second year of college. BC's six-year graduation rate for undergrads is 94%. The average six-year graduation rate for U.S. colleges and universities is 61% for public schools, and 67% for private, non-profit schools.

Job Outcomes for BC Grads

Job placement rates after graduation and average starting salaries can all give important clues about the value of a degree from a specific school. Within six months of graduating, 73% of graduates receive at least one full-time job offer.

Recent BC grads have an average starting salary of $60,000 a year. The average starting salary for all 2021 graduates was around $60,000 a year, though these numbers vary widely by major.

BC's Endowment

An endowment is the total value of a school's investments, donations, and assets. Endowment is not necessarily an indicator of the quality of a school, but it can give you a sense of how much money a college can afford to invest in expanding programs, improving facilities, and support students. BC's endowment was valued at $2.6 billion in 2021, compared to a national average of $905 million.

Tuition and Financial Aid at BC

Cost is another important factor when choose a college. Some colleges may have high tuition, but do a better job at meeting students' financial need. BC meets 100% of the demonstrated financial need for undergraduates. The average financial aid package for a full-time, first-year student is around $46,417 a year.

Students in the class of 2021 who had taken out student loans graduated with an average of $23,136 of debt. For context, compare this number with the average national debt, which is around $36,000 per borrower.

The 2022-2023 FAFSA Opened on October 1st, 2021

Some financial aid is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, so fill out the FAFSA early. Visit the FAFSA website to apply for student aid. Remember, the first F in FAFSA stands for FREE! You should never have to pay to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), so don't give your money (or info!) to any website that claim you do.

Learn more about Tuition and Financial Aid at BC. Based on this information, how does BC sound? Remember, the best school for one person may be a terrible fit for someone else! So ask yourself: Is BC a good school for you?

If Boston College seems like a school you want to apply to, click the heart button to save it to your college list.

Still Looking for Schools?

Choose one of the options below to learn more about BC:

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Then use the college admissions predictor to take a data science look at your chances of getting accepted at some of the schools in the U.S.

Where is Boston College Located?

BC is located in the suburban setting of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, less than an hour from Boston.

If you want to see BC for yourself, plan a visit. The best way to reach campus is to take Massachusetts Turnpike to Chestnut Hill, or book a flight to the nearest airport, Logan International.

You can also take a virtual campus tour to get a sense of what BC and Chestnut Hill are like without leaving home.

Considering Going to School in Massachusetts?

See a full list of colleges in Massachusetts and save your favorites to your college list.