Boston College
Boston College — Earnings vs Cost (vs National Average)
Boston College at a Glance
Boston College (BC) is a private Catholic Jesuit research university in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1863 by the Society of Jesus, a Catholic religious order, the university has more than 15,000 total students.
1863
163 years old
$4.2B
$4.24 billion (2025)
15,474
9,677 undergrad · 5,072 grad
917
388 acres
Identity
How to Apply to Boston College
Official admissions pageJanuary 4
January 3 (Early Decision I)
$85
Fee waiver available
2 required
Testing policy
Recommendation letters
Fee waiver
Is Boston College Worth It?
Boston College offers moderate value at $41,704/year net price. Graduates earn a median of $103,937, which is near the national average. Students should research specific program outcomes before committing.
The investment pays for itself in just 1.6 years — among the fastest payback periods of any college we track.
With a 91% graduation rate, the vast majority of students finish their degree and reach these earning outcomes.
Admission is competitive with a 16% acceptance rate, so applicants should have strong academic credentials.
Median student debt of $19,000 is manageable at just 18% of first-year post-graduation earnings.
How Boston College compares to peer private nonprofit colleges of similar tier nationally
Ranked #12 of 13 on value score. Peers are matched by size, median earnings, SAT, and admission rate — not just geography.
| Rank | College | Value | Net price / yr | Median earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Johns Hopkins University | 100 | $18,809 | $87,555 |
| #2 | Rice University | 100 | $13,370 | $89,718 |
| #3 | Washington University in St Louis | 93 | $21,786 | $86,182 |
| #4 | University of Notre Dame | 90 | $26,780 | $99,980 |
| #5 | Cornell University | 86 | $28,690 | $104,043 |
| #6 | Carnegie Mellon University | 84 | $31,944 | $114,862 |
| #12 | Boston College | 57 | $41,704 | $103,937 |
Peer group: private nonprofit colleges within ±60% of Boston College's student body size and within a similar academic tier (SAT ±80, admit rate ±10pp, median earnings ±25%). 1 in MA.
Best Programs at Boston College
The highest-earning program at Boston College is Computer Science at $76,500/year (4 years after graduation). The lowest is Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology at $31,600/year.
Your major matters more than the school name — a Computer Science graduate from Boston College earns $76,500, while a Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology graduate earns $31,600. That's more than a 2× difference from the same institution. Choose your program carefully — it's the single biggest lever you control.
Debt also varies by program: Computer Science graduates carry $16,750 in median debt vs. $16,500 for Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology.
Return on Investment
Estimated 4-Year Cost
Based on $41,704/yr net price × 4 years
Earnings Premium
vs. national average of $53,787/yr
Payback Period
Time to recoup the total cost through higher earnings
10-Year Net Gain
Median earnings over 10 years minus total cost of attendance
Programs & Earnings by Major
Graduate earnings data by field of study (4 years after graduation):
| Major | Earnings (4yr) | Earnings (1yr) | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | $76,500 | $76,500 | $16,750 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | $68,500 | $68,500 | $16,375 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $66,500 | $66,500 | $14,500 |
| Information Science/Studies | $66,200 | $66,200 | $16,500 |
| Economics | $65,800 | $65,800 | $15,500 |
| Mathematics | $65,700 | $65,700 | $16,500 |
| Accounting and Related Services | $64,900 | $64,900 | $17,000 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $59,100 | $59,100 | $15,500 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | $58,200 | $58,200 | $17,500 |
| Marketing | $57,700 | $57,700 | $15,526 |
| Communication and Media Studies | $45,700 | $45,700 | $15,500 |
| Political Science and Government | $44,600 | $44,600 | $16,492 |
| Sociology | $43,000 | $43,000 | $15,500 |
| International/Global Studies | $42,400 | $42,400 | $16,250 |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | $41,000 | $41,000 | $16,125 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | $40,800 | $40,800 | $17,500 |
| Psychology, General | $40,800 | $40,800 | $16,500 |
| History | $39,300 | $39,300 | $18,000 |
| English Language and Literature, General | $38,800 | $38,800 | $15,450 |
| Philosophy | $38,600 | $38,600 | $16,500 |
| Biology, General | $34,700 | $34,700 | $16,500 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | $31,600 | $31,600 | $16,500 |
Similar Colleges in MA
Quick Facts
- Institution Type
- private
- Location
- Chestnut Hill, MA
- Student Body
- 10,085 students
- Admission Rate
- 16%
- Graduation Rate
- 91%
- Net Price (Annual)
- $41,704
- Median Earnings (10yr)
- $103,937
- Median Student Debt
- $19,000