Boston College vs West Virginia - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
These are two different admissions games: Boston College admits 16.2% of applications, West Virginia admits 89%.
Average aid for an international student is $39,634 (Boston College) and $21,636 (West Virginia).
The tuition gap is $44,900 a year: $28,608 (West Virginia) against $73,508.
The gap in median earnings after a decade favours Boston College: $104K against $56K.
These numbers describe the cohorts already enrolled, not your chances; treat them as a starting point rather than a forecast.
Every sentence above comes from a field we hold in canonical. Where the data is missing, or the gap is small enough to be noise, the sentence simply does not appear.
EXPERT TAKE
Boston College is the more selective of the two (16.19% vs 89% acceptance). Boston College graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($104K vs $56K). West Virginia has lower sticker-price tuition ($28,608 vs $73,508 per year).
Both universities have complete, comparable data in canonical - the choice should come down to fit (campus culture, major, aid package) alongside the differences visible in the numbers below.
Choose Boston College for: higher selectivity, higher graduate earnings, a higher graduation rate.
Choose West Virginia for: lower tuition.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Boston College is more selective (16.19% vs 89% acceptance); Boston College has a higher median SAT (1500 vs 1110).
Boston College graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($104K vs $56K); Boston College has a higher 6-year graduation rate (90.8% vs 64.7%).
West Virginia has lower sticker-price tuition ($28,608 vs $73,508); Boston College offers a larger average aid package ($61,753 vs $16,730).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Boston College | West Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #501-600 | #501-600 |
| Rank · THE | - | - |
| Acceptance rate | 16.19% | 89% |
| Yield rate | 42.5% | 26.5% |
| Median SAT | 1500 | 1110 |
| Avg. GPA | - | 3.70 |
| Number of applications | 34,779 | 20,150 |
| International students | 6.6% | 1.7% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $104K | $56K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $68K | $36K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $162K | $84K |
| Graduation rate | 90.8% | 64.7% |
| Retention rate | 96% | 83.4% |
| Median debt | $19,000 | $22,500 |
| Tuition · year | $73,508 | $28,608 |
| Avg. aid package | $61,753 | $16,730 |
| % of need met | 100% | 63% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $24,892 | $36,010 |
| Application fee | - | $65 |
| Enrollment | 14,726 | 23,643 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Boston College or West Virginia?
It's harder to get into Boston College. Boston College accepts 16.19% of applicants, while West Virginia accepts 89%.
Do Boston College or West Virginia graduates earn more?
Boston College graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $104K vs $56K.
How much is tuition at Boston College vs West Virginia?
Sticker-price tuition is $73,508 per year at Boston College and $28,608 per year at West Virginia.
What SAT score do you need for Boston College or West Virginia?
The median admitted SAT score is 1500 at Boston College and 1110 at West Virginia; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university offers more financial aid - Boston College or West Virginia?
The average aid package is $61,753 at Boston College and $16,730 at West Virginia.
Harvard
Stanford
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Princeton
Yale
Cornell
Penn
Johns Hopkins
Washington University
Northwestern