Kansas State vs Boston College - 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, Kansas State admits 82%.
For an applicant from outside the US the difference is financial: Boston College awards international students $39,634 on average, Kansas State awards $5,729.
On paper the cheaper option is Kansas State: $28,568 against $73,508, which is $44,940 less a year.
The higher median salary ten years after enrolment belongs to Boston College: $104K against $57K.
The indicators describe a university as a whole, and your own course can sit a long way from that average.
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 82% acceptance). Boston College graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($104K vs $57K). Kansas State has lower sticker-price tuition ($28,568 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 Kansas State for: lower tuition.
Choose Boston College for: higher selectivity, higher graduate earnings, a higher graduation rate.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Boston College is more selective (16.19% vs 82% acceptance); Boston College has a higher median SAT (1500 vs 1150).
Boston College graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($104K vs $57K); Boston College has a higher 6-year graduation rate (90.8% vs 71.1%).
Kansas State has lower sticker-price tuition ($28,568 vs $73,508); Boston College offers a larger average aid package ($61,753 vs $15,968).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Kansas State | Boston College |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #501-600 | #501-600 |
| Rank · THE | - | - |
| Acceptance rate | 82% | 16.19% |
| Yield rate | 27.5% | 42.5% |
| Median SAT | 1150 | 1500 |
| Avg. GPA | 3.81 | - |
| Number of applications | 15,432 | 34,779 |
| International students | 1.7% | 6.6% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $57K | $104K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $39K | $68K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $83K | $162K |
| Graduation rate | 71.1% | 90.8% |
| Retention rate | 85.6% | 96% |
| Median debt | $21,250 | $19,000 |
| Tuition · year | $28,568 | $73,508 |
| Avg. aid package | $15,968 | $61,753 |
| % of need met | 77% | 100% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $25,179 | $24,892 |
| Application fee | $40 | - |
| Enrollment | 20,295 | 14,726 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Kansas State or Boston College?
It's harder to get into Boston College. Kansas State accepts 82% of applicants, while Boston College accepts 16.19%.
Do Kansas State or Boston College graduates earn more?
Boston College graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $104K vs $57K.
How much is tuition at Kansas State vs Boston College?
Sticker-price tuition is $28,568 per year at Kansas State and $73,508 per year at Boston College.
What SAT score do you need for Kansas State or Boston College?
The median admitted SAT score is 1150 at Kansas State and 1500 at Boston College; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university offers more financial aid - Kansas State or Boston College?
The average aid package is $15,968 at Kansas State and $61,753 at Boston College.
Harvard
Stanford
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Princeton
Yale
Cornell
Penn
Johns Hopkins
Washington University
Northwestern