Tufts vs Boston College - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
The lower acceptance rate belongs to Tufts: 11.5% against 16.2% (Boston College).
The larger international cohort belongs to Tufts: 12.5% of students against 6.6% (Boston College).
Real money goes to international students at Tufts ($80,079 on average), while Boston College stops at $39,634.
The higher median salary ten years after enrolment belongs to Boston College: $104K against $83K.
None of these figures decides on its own; what decides is which course you want to be on, and on what budget.
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
Tufts is the more selective of the two (11.49% vs 16.19% acceptance). Tufts ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#151-200 vs #501-600). Boston College graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($104K vs $83K). Boston College has lower sticker-price tuition ($73,508 vs $73,616 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 Tufts for: a higher world ranking, higher selectivity, a higher graduation rate.
Choose Boston College for: higher graduate earnings, higher retention, lower tuition.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Tufts is more selective (11.49% vs 16.19% acceptance); Tufts has a higher median SAT (1510 vs 1500).
Boston College graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($104K vs $83K); Tufts has a higher 6-year graduation rate (93.5% vs 90.8%).
Boston College has lower sticker-price tuition ($73,508 vs $73,616); Boston College offers a larger average aid package ($61,753 vs $59,574).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Tufts | Boston College |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #151-200 | #501-600 |
| Rank · THE | #179 | - |
| Acceptance rate | 11.49% | 16.19% |
| Yield rate | 45.5% | 42.5% |
| Median SAT | 1510 | 1500 |
| Avg. GPA | - | - |
| Number of applications | 34,432 | 34,779 |
| International students | 12.5% | 6.6% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $83K | $104K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $47K | $68K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $132K | $162K |
| Graduation rate | 93.5% | 90.8% |
| Retention rate | 95.5% | 96% |
| Median debt | $16,250 | $19,000 |
| Tuition · year | $73,616 | $73,508 |
| Avg. aid package | $59,574 | $61,753 |
| % of need met | 100% | 100% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $25,584 | $24,892 |
| Application fee | - | - |
| Enrollment | 13,599 | 14,726 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Tufts or Boston College?
It's harder to get into Tufts. Tufts accepts 11.49% of applicants, while Boston College accepts 16.19%.
Do Tufts or Boston College graduates earn more?
Boston College graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $104K vs $83K.
How much is tuition at Tufts vs Boston College?
Sticker-price tuition is $73,616 per year at Tufts and $73,508 per year at Boston College.
What SAT score do you need for Tufts or Boston College?
The median admitted SAT score is 1510 at Tufts and 1500 at Boston College; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Tufts or Boston College?
Tufts ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #151-200 for Tufts vs #501-600 for Boston College.
Which university offers more financial aid - Tufts or Boston College?
The average aid package is $59,574 at Tufts and $61,753 at Boston College.
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